Zee Media Bureau/Hemant Abhishek
New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting, party vice president Rahul Gandhi made it clear that he is ready to shoulder the burden of the grand old party. But for some who speculated that the delay in anointing him as the heir apparent was perhaps because the party was struggling to find a poll-plank ahead of the General Elections there was another revelation in store on Tuesday—the Congress now looks prepared to cash on the anti-corruption agenda in the polls.
With the Gandhi party scion shedding doubts about his `reluctance` to become the Congress prime ministerial candidate for the general election, the party said it would raise awareness about the UPA government`s efforts to pass nine anti-corruption bills ahead of the polls.
"Rahul Gandhi has a firm resolve to fight corruption. The passage of nine anti-corruption bills will create the framework for it. Historic anti-corruption bills were passed during the UPA. We have a track record of fighting corruption," AICC general secretary Chairman Ajay Maken told.
Maken, who is the communication department chairman of the party, has posted slogans and posters online that seek to project Gandhi as a crusader against corruption. The slogans draw contrast between Gandhi and BJP`s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
"Rahul ji ke nau hathiyar, door karenge bhrashtachar (The nine weapons of Rahul will remove corruption), Rahul ji ka uddeshya, bhrastachar mukt desh (The purpose of Rahul is to create a corruption-free India), Modi says Congress mukt Bharat Congress says polio mukt bharat (Modi says Congress- free India, Congress says Polio-free India," are the slogans put up on the AICC leader`s Twitter wall.
The posters also mention the nine legislations which Gandhi has been keen on. They include the Whistleblowers Bill and amendments to Prevention of Corruption Act.
With preparation for Lok Sabha elections on the fast track, the party has convened a high-level meeting here on Wednesday to decide on a campaign theme ahead of the AICC meeting scheduled for January 17.
Wednesday`s meeting has been convened by senior leader AK Antony, who heads the party committee on alliances.
Apart from the AICC general secretaries, members of the party`s campaign and manifesto committees, too, have been invited to take part in the deliberations.
