The Congress has set up a ‘task force’ to mobilise crowds for the meetings and rallies to be addressed by the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi, for what is popularly called his ‘Discover India’ campaign. The 15-member task force will coordinate the party’s efforts to mobilise people, especially the youth, for Rahul’s programmes. A few days before the Amethi MP’s programmes, these members will land at the venues and try to reach out to people in villages and blocks to publicise Rahul’s vision for the country and project him as a youth icon. They will mobilise people to attend his programmes in large numbers, according to sources.The task force members have already left for Karnataka, where Rahul will hold roadshows, meet tribals, and address public rallies from March 25 to 29. AICC Secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, attached to Rahul Gandhi, was learnt to be coordinating the work of the task force. Singh, however, was unavailable for comment.When contacted, president of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) Ashok Tanwar said: “It is wrong to call it a task force. Some experienced people have been simply given responsibility to oversee the proper functioning during Rahulji’s tour.” Meanwhile, the IYC has been putting up stalls at Rahul’s rallies to enroll new members. These stalls provide ‘request forms’, which have to be filled up by those interested in joining the party. They will be contacted by party office-bearers later through the contact numbers provided in these forms.Tanwar claimed that nearly 50,000 people had filled up these forms during Rahul’s recent tour to Orissa. Such stalls will now be installed everywhere including the roads through which Rahul will pass during his roadshows in Karnataka. The IYC has also created an SMS number and PO Box for people desiring to join Rahul brigade. “How to attract youth to the party” has been Rahul’s constant refrain at the meetings of the AICC’s ‘Group to Look into Future Challenges & Opportunities.’ While the party’s think tank is yet to come out with an answer, Rahul is apparently trying out new ways to mobilise youth at his public programmes.
