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Journalism of Courage
Just when the dust seemed to have settled on the debate on the Congress’ prime ministerial candidate,with even AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi endorsing Manmohan Singh,the party has raked up the issue once again. The editorial in the latest issue of Congress Sandesh,the party mouthpiece,said that partymen would like to see Rahul as PM “in the near future”.
“The Congress general secretary Shri Rahul Gandhi has brought a new hope in the hearts of the youth by his hard work in the past few years. This is precisely the reason that the Congresspersons across the country would like to see him as India’s Prime Minister in the near future,” said the editorial. While the term ‘near future’ is open to interpretation,the timing of the statement,barely a few weeks ahead of the general election,is seen as significant.
Meanwhile,in her letter to Congresspersons published in the party mouthpiece,Congress president Sonia Gandhi stressed the need for party unity and discipline. “It is natural to aspire for tickets but obviously not everyone can be accommodated. Those who stand as our candidates on our symbols must get the unstinted support of each and every one of us. In the victory of the party lies the victory of individual Congressmen and women,” she said.
“More often than not,our internal differences have prevented us from translating the substantial goodwill we enjoy amongst the people into electoral advantage for ourselves. These elections are a historic opportunity to demonstrate that we have learnt from experience and that we will function cohesively,setting personal (gains) aside for the larger good of the party to which we are all privileged to belong,” she said.
Her call for unity comes in the backdrop of the recent Assembly elections in which internecine fights in different state units,especially Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,are said to have damaged the party’s electoral prospects.
