Seva Dal, next task for Rahul?

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, credited with democratising the party’s youth wing, may now shoulder responsibility of the Seva Dal, the party’s key frontal organisation, as well.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, credited with democratising the party’s youth wing, may now shoulder responsibility of the Seva Dal, the party’s key frontal organisation, as well.

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Union Minister and Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik on Monday requested party president Sonia Gandhi to persuade her son Rahul to take up the mantle of the Seva Dal.

“Sometimes we feel that certain deficiencies in the organisation can be removed and it will get more strengthened if we get Rahulji’s support,” Wasnik urged the Congress chief.

“Why don’t you tell him,” she responded with a smile.

The two leaders were at a national convention of the Seva Dal, whose first president was Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister. Seva Dal was founded in 1923.

If Rahul accepts, then the Dal would be the third frontal organisation of the party after the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India under his charge.

It was at a Seva Dal camp at Ghataprabha in Karnataka a few years ago that Rahul hinted at entering active politics after senior leader Janardan Dwivedi, who is the party’s media chief, urged him to do so.

Soon after, Rahul contested the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Amethi, with Sonia moving to Rae Bareli.

Earlier, Sonia urged Seva Dal workers to reach out to the people through social work and work against the designs of communal forces.

She said the Congress had never compromised on its ideology and its leaders had laid strong secular foundations for the country.