Rahul should play a major role in the party: Ajit Jogi

, Jun 4:

should now play a larger role in the party, a senior Congress leader said on Monday. "It is time you to come out of

and NSUI syndrome and take up the main responsibility in the party," former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister

said at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee, party sources said.

The response of Gandhi was not known as neither did he nor any other party General Secretary spoke at the meeting. None of the other leaders spoke on Jogi's suggestion, party sources said.

At the press conference called to brief media on the deliberations, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee insisted that the Congress is the only major party which has consistently brought new leadership. He was replying to a question on whether the Congress Working Committee (CWC) saw suggestions to give major responsibility to Rahul Gandhi in the government.

"Various members had various suggestions. Obviously young Congress leaders will have to come. Older guys cannot continue for all the time. Congress has a tradition of providing young leaders, new leaders whenever the situation demands," he said, adding that this is visible in the changes in the leadership of the party from 1960 to 2004.

PTI