Rahul Gandhi co-chairs the Congress’ campaign committee with his mother Sonia Gandhi. (File pic)
New Delhi:
Sonia Gandhi presided over a brainstorming session today to finalise details of her son and deputy Rahul Gandhi's campaign for the general elections due by May.
Rahul, who is Congress vice president, will lead the election campaign and, though not officially named, is widely expected to be the party's choice for prime minister if it is handed the mandate to form government for a third straight term.
That will be an uphill task for the Congress, a survey by the US-based Pew Research has suggested. The survey, released yesterday, polled about 2,500 people, 60 per cent of whom said they would favour the BJP too lead the next government. Less than 20 per cent backed the ruling Congress.
Such surveys are expected to impact the Congress' campaign plans. Party leaders want Rahul Gandhi - who with his mother co-chairs the party's campaign committee that meets today - to address rallies in at least 300 parliamentary constituencies.
The party's campaign theme could also be decided at today's meeting, sources indicated.
The meeting comes close on the heels of an informal gathering of the Congress Working Committee called by Mr Gandhi to discuss a campaign theme and several suggestions for the party's election manifesto.
Mr Gandhi has been touring the country collecting feedback from various social groups to include in the party's manifesto, which he has promised will be based on the aspirations and needs of the people.
The 50-member Campaign Committee that meets today was set up a few days ago by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It includes Union ministers like AK Antony, Sushil Kumar Shinde, P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Salman Khurshid, Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh.
There are, however, no chief ministers or state Congress chiefs on the committee.
Rahul, who is Congress vice president, will lead the election campaign and, though not officially named, is widely expected to be the party's choice for prime minister if it is handed the mandate to form government for a third straight term.
That will be an uphill task for the Congress, a survey by the US-based Pew Research has suggested. The survey, released yesterday, polled about 2,500 people, 60 per cent of whom said they would favour the BJP too lead the next government. Less than 20 per cent backed the ruling Congress.
Such surveys are expected to impact the Congress' campaign plans. Party leaders want Rahul Gandhi - who with his mother co-chairs the party's campaign committee that meets today - to address rallies in at least 300 parliamentary constituencies.
The party's campaign theme could also be decided at today's meeting, sources indicated.
The meeting comes close on the heels of an informal gathering of the Congress Working Committee called by Mr Gandhi to discuss a campaign theme and several suggestions for the party's election manifesto.
Mr Gandhi has been touring the country collecting feedback from various social groups to include in the party's manifesto, which he has promised will be based on the aspirations and needs of the people.
The 50-member Campaign Committee that meets today was set up a few days ago by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It includes Union ministers like AK Antony, Sushil Kumar Shinde, P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Salman Khurshid, Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh.
There are, however, no chief ministers or state Congress chiefs on the committee.
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