New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi`s day-long interaction with Congress leaders from the various states to discuss the Lok Sabha poll strategy was not without its share of lighter moments.
"There are two types of horses, one that are employed for races, and others that are used for marriage processions. Our problem is that we sometimes use one type for the other type of work," he told delegates from Maharashtra.
The delegates included Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Maharashtra PCC Chief Manikrao Thakre.
At another point, when he asked the Buldhana district Congress chief to frankly tell him about the faults in the organisation in order that those may be rectified, the leader from Maharashtra told him plainly that if he did so, all the delegates present would become his enemies.
Although Rahul appeared satisfied with the functioning of the organisation, a woman delegate said she wanted the PCC chief to be a party member from the fairer sex.
When a leader from Haryana told him about the good work done there by the Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rahul reminded him that it was not enough as good work was also done by the Delhi government under Sheila Dikshit, which was voted out of power in one of the worst-ever drubbings for the party.
"We need to take all sections together," he emphasised while making it plain that the party had lost in Madhya Pradesh mainly due to "infighting" among the top leaders.
Incidentally, the party unit in Haryana is said to be riven with intense factionalism.
Delegates from Gujarat wanted the party to allow a say to grassroots workers in the selection of candidates.
With Kerala awaiting a new PCC chief after Ramesh Chennithala was made a minister, Rahul asked the delegates as to what type of president they wanted.
After the day-long interaction, Rahul held a meeting with the Congress general secretaries.
