Gandhi scion will himself make an application to senior party leaders who once had doubts about his leadership qualities
New Delhi : The Congress is contemplating to create a ‘think tank’ of the party veterans who can help Rahul Gandhi and his young team with their own wealth of experience in resurrecting the party to its old glory.
The idea of such a team besides the Congress Working Committee was floated back in 2010 by Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the AICC session, but it has suddenly gained currency, instilling confidence among the seniors that they would not become irrelevant once Rahul takes over the party’s reins.
These seniors were having reservation about Rahul all these months but his performance since after sabbatical vacation has suddenly changed their perception, particularly after getting hints that he would be always soliciting their advice and depend on their experience in running the party.
Indications are that the idea of the ‘think tank’ will be developed in a brainstorming session the party leadership is contemplating. Rahul may himself request the veterans to be part of such an institutional mechanism and suggest a thorough discussion on its modus operandi in the brainstorming session.
The senior Congress leaders feel this is the right time to set up such a body as it will help in removal of the ideological confusion among the younger leaders. Though some of them may be part of Rahul’s team itself, most of them are reconciled to have rather the advisory role.
They would prefer the think tank to come up along with the next organisational reshuffle. Sources said the think tank may have not only the Congress seniors but also experts in different fields to draw upon their experience in the same manner in which Sonia Gandhi drew inspirations from the national advisory council in persuading the Manmohan Singh to launch various flagship programmes.
