Congress needs to rebuild connection with people: Rahul Gandhi at key party meet
At the end of the three-day long Chintan Shivir, Rahul Gandhi emphasized on transforming the way the Congress functions and said that regional parties can’t take on the BJP due to lack of ideological clarity and that only the Congress is capable of meeting the challenges thrown by the BJP-RSS.
Udaipur: Keen to revive its fortunes after a string of electoral defeats, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that the party will go to the people to rebuild the broken connection between them and the Congress party.

“Our focus must be external. We have to look at the people and go to the people. We have to go to the people without thinking twice. The connection we had has been broken. We have to accept that and rebuild the connection with people. People want us and we have to reach out to them, it is our responsibility. The entire party will go to the people, conduct yatras and rebuild the ties,” he said at the Chintan Shivir.
At the same time, he also emphasized on transforming the way the Congress functions and said that regional parties can’t take on the BJP due to lack of ideological clarity and that only the Congress is capable of meeting the challenges thrown by the BJP-RSS.
“There are big powers against us. We are not fighting only against a political party, but against all institutions and the biggest crony capitalist of India. But don’t be nervous. I am there with you. I have never taken a single rupee from corruption. I have not taken a single rupee from Bharat Mata. The BJP doesn’t talk about regional parties. BJP knows that regional parties have their own space but they can’t defeat BJP due to lack of ideology. Only Congress can take on the BJP. This is a battle for India’s future,” he said.
At the end of the three-day long Chintan Shivir, Gandhi maintained that the focus is “transforming the nature of the Congress”. “Not the ideology or thinking, but the way we do our work must change. The 21st century is about communication and if there is one area where opponents outdo us, it is communication. They have more money and are better at this. But we have to connect to people, youth,” he said.
After the intense debates in the six panels, Gandhi felt “No other political party will allow this type of conversation. The senior leadership is bluntly told what the Congress party thinks. Certainly RSS-BJP will never allow such discussions.”
He hailed the reservation of seats for young people as a “good idea”, and said, “One person per family should get tickets. We must limit the number of family members.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORSaubhadra ChatterjiSaubhadra Chatterji is Deputy Political Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on both politics and policies.

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