Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi says he has no regrets for rejecting an offer from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to join his council of ministers.
"I would have disappointed the Youth Congress (the youth wing of the ruling Congress party) had I accepted the offer," Rahul told reporters at the party headquarters on Wednesday.
Manmohan Singh is believed to have suggested that Rahul, currently general secretary in charge of the youth and the students' wings of the party, could join him as a minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) when the cabinet was expanded and reshuffled on Sunday.
The prime minister had reportedly said such a stint could serve as an apprenticeship for Rahul, on way to bigger things in future.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also had told the media that her son had turned down an offer to take up a ministerial post. Party leaders said the young Gandhi wanted to focus on the organisation.
After becoming general secretary last year, Rahul has launched an aggressive exercise to draw more youths to the organisation. He has also undertaken tours in the backward regions of Orissa and Karnataka.
Rahul, who has admitted to a lack of inner party democracy in the Congress, said he did not believe in "hero worshipping".
{{/usCountry}}Rahul, who has admitted to a lack of inner party democracy in the Congress, said he did not believe in "hero worshipping".
{{/usCountry}}"I do not believe in hero worship. There is something wrong with the system if there is hero worship," he said.