Digvijay wants Rahul Gandhi to be more active in party affairs, Congress be cadre-based

New Delhi, Nov 12: Days after he stirred a controversy by saying Rahul Gandhi should take the Congress's reigns from his mother's hands, party general secretary Digvijay Singh has once again asked the Congress vice president to take the party affairs more seriously.

The senior Congress leader has also said that it is time that the grand old party of India turns into a cadre-based party as its support base has dwindled.

As per a report published in the Indian Express, Digvijay Singh urged the Congress scion to be more "hands-on" since "I don't think he is now, not totally."

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister was also quoted as saying that Congress is a mass-movement party but sadly its popularity amongst voters has seen a sharp dip. People have distanced themselves from the party and hence the party needs foot soldiers and cadres. The party needs to strategise.

Giving the example of BJP and RSS the Congress leader said it is due to RSS cadre's help that the BJP performed so well in the polls.

Earlier this month, Singh said, "It's a general feeling of Congress workers that Congress has always encouraged younger people to lead the party. Therefore, now I think the time has come when Rahul Gandhi should take charge."

Asked about the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections losses suffered by the party, he said one should also take into account the wins between 2004 and 2014.

Reminded of his earlier remarks about leadership capabilities of the Congress Vice President, Singh said, "Please revisit my statement. I had said Rahul Gandhi does not hanker after power unlike Mr Modi who cannot live and breathe without power".

The party had then termed it his personal view.

OneIndia News