PM rolls out red carpet for Rahul

Aug 12, 2012 |

New Delhi

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said Rahul Gandhi’s entry into the Cabinet would be a welcome development. “I have always said I would welcome Rahul’s entry into government,” Dr Singh told reporters here.

The remarks of the Prime Minister, made at Rashtrapati Bhavan where he had gone to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Hamid Ansari as vice president of India, come at a time when the Congress has indicated that Mr Gandhi could play a role bigger both in the party and in the government. Mr Gandhi is currently an AICC general secretary in charge of NSUI and Youth Congress affairs.

Speculation is rife that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will reconstitute her team in the organisation any time and the PM could reshuffle his Cabinet after the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi has been keen on Mr Gandhi joining the government while a section of the AICC wants him to play a proactive role in the organisation before the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress has decided to fight the next general election under the leadership of Mr Gandhi. “We should project Rahul as our PM candidate,” an AICC official said.

Last month, Mr Gandhi had said he would play a more proactive role in the Congress and in the government, the timing of which would be decided by his two bosses — Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister.

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