With government battling one controversy after another, a national meet of Youth Congress on Monday saw demands for greater role for Rahul Gandhi in national politics with home minister P. Chidambaram saying that elders at some point of time must step back and give way to younger leaders.
Addressing the National Convention of elected Youth Congress office bearers, Chidambaram said, "I firmly believe older leaders at some time must step back and give way to young leaders" while party general secretary Chaudary Birender Singh felt it was only the youth leadership under Rahul which can see the party through in the prevailing adverse situation.
Gandhi, on his part, urged Youth Congress workers to visit the poor and fight corruption to bring "change" in the country maintaining that unless youths are brought in to fight the "biggest corruption", which is within the country's political system, graft cannot be tackled effectively.
"People talk about fighting corruption. The biggest corruption is in the political system. We cannot wage a war against corruption, if we do not change the political system. The corruption in political system can not be fought unless the youths are involved," Gandhi said urging them to "bring a change in the country."
Chidambaram recalled that forty years ago while speaking at the All India Congress meet in Kolkata he had felt that the older leadership step back and give way to younger leaders.
"Forty years later, I feel the same way. I want to assure all of you that I firmly believe that older leaders must at some stage step back and give way to younger leaders. The median age in India is 25 that means one half of population of this country is under the age of 25 years," he said.
Noting that communal and corrupt forces have joined hands to attack Congress, Chaudhary said, "If any body can challenge these forces, it is only the youth leadership under Rahul Gandhi. If any thing can see the Congress through, specially in the adverse circumstances, it will be your leadership."