Congress’ ‘Samvad- Baithak’ begins in Surajkund

Union ministers and all the top Congress leaders today left behind their red-beacon cars and headed to Surajkund in a special bus for a day-long 'samvad-baithak' to discuss the current political situation and fine-tune strategy for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Party chief Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi reportedly offered to take the bus, but the SPG found it “too risky” and advised them not to take the bus. Separate convoys would have meant traffic snarls and the choice of transport is meant to drive home the message that at a time when the Centre is desperately pursuing austerity measures, the party is trying to cut its fuel bill