New Delhi:
After Congress' stunning performance in Uttar Pradesh, there is pressure amongst the party for Rahul Gandhi to accept a Cabinet berth.
Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that he would try and convince Rahul to be on the Cabinet. But it seems Rahul is not going to accept any such responsibility.
Speaking on the issue, he said, "I have made up my mind not to join and you will shortly come to know."
Gandhi was greeted by the newly elected MPs at the meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party.
He occupied one of the backbenches as the CPP re-elected his mother Sonia Gandhi as its chairperson. Later she nominated Manmohan Singh as CPP leader.
The call for inclusion of Rahul Gandhi in the Cabinet gained prominence after eight of the 11 office- bearers of the party's youth wing making it to the Lok Sabha.
While two IYC office-bearers were elected from Punjab and Rajasthan, one each was elected from Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.
In the last Assembly election in five states, 35 members of the IYC were elected, beginning the process of involvement of the organisation in mainstream politics.
Gandhi, who is the AICC General Secretary of the frontal organisation of IYC and the NSUI made a plea in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee before the elections to give more tickets to youth in the elections.
Following Gandhi's intervention, 11 office-bearers of the IYC managed to bag the party nomination and eight of them won their respective seats.