Congress hails Rahul's willingness to accept party responsibility

New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI) The Congress today welcomed its high profile MP Rahul Gandhi's willingness to accept any party responsibility in Uttar Pradesh, saying he was a leader of ''great stature and charisma''.

''Mr Gandhi has expressed his willingness to work as a party soldier. It is something good and positive,'' AICC Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons.

Asked if he would be made a general secretary of the AICC, he said, ''decisions about offices in the party are made by the Congress president (Ms Sonia Gandhi) under the established rules and procedures followed.'' In the case of Mr Gandhi, the party president would take appropriate decision at an appropriate time by taking into consideration all circumstances, including the clamour among workers for bringing him to the centrestage of Congress politics.

When pointed out that the ball had already been in the court of Mr Gandhi with the party leaders demanding a major role for him at the Hyderabad plenary session, Dr Singhvi said, ''Our party does not function like that. We have a system. Unless the party president assigns him with a task, there is no question of anything else happening.'' Mr Gandhi, who is campaigning for his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the Lok Sabha byelections in the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh on May 8, had told mediapersons yesterday that he was ready to accept any responsibility for his party if he the high command so desired.

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