Rahul: Veep who could be PM

Jaipur: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday became the vice-president of the Congress Party.  The generational change took place on the eve of the AICC meeting, making him officially number two in the party.
The decision was taken at the extended CWC meeting after senior leader and Union defence minister A.K. Antony moved the proposal following the opening remarks of party chief Sonia Gandhi, whose son now becomes the youngest vice-president of the Grand Old Party after Independence.
The late Arjun Singh and Jitendra Prasada had occupied the post during the presidentships of Rajiv Gandhi and Sitaram Kesri.
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who seconded the proposal, said it has not yet decided on whether Mr Gandhi would lead the party's election campaign. 
He becomes vice-president at a time when the rank and file want him projected as the Congress' prime ministerial candidate.
Rahul Gandhi takes on his new responsibility ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and at a time when the Congress has been heading a coalition government at the Centre since 2004.  These developments will also have a bearing on the proposed AICC reshuffle will see many young faces. His elevation will see a change in power equations within the party and at the Centre.
‘Bring Rahul’ demand first made in Hyd
Rahul Gandhi’s first priority as the Congress vice-president will be to take a firm stand on coalitions and revive the party in UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa either with his own team or with seasoned leaders.
Rahul Gandhi has tried to improve the working of the Youth Congress and  the NSUI internal elections. His elevation, party strategists feel, will rejuvenate the Congress across the country and attract youth wanting to play a role in nation building against the backdrop of reforms initiated by Dr Manmohan Singh in 1991 and the Ayodhya and Mandal agitations.
The demand of "Rahul lau (Bring Rahul)" was first made in the Congress plenary in Hyderabad in 2006; he became AICC general secretary the next year.
The Jaipur brainstorming session became historic, literally, on Saturday. That Rahul Gandhi would be elevated became clear in the afternoon when delegates started throwing broad hints of his elevation. By the evening it became clear that it would be announced Saturday night when party workers started bursting firecrackers in Jaipur, in New Delhi and elsewhere.
The AICC meet on Sunday will witness his first speech as party vice-president. Earlier, "wait till tomorrow" was the cryptic response of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia when asked about a formal promotion of the young leader, who is already number two in the party. "He is a mature leader and has been taking major decisions informally."
"We have been expecting it for long. It should have happened earlier," said Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan when asked whether Rahul Gandhi was likely to be made working president of the party on Sunday. Insisting that the party needed a young leader to connect with the youth, he said the youth constituency is very important at a time when the majority of the population is below 45. "For connecting with the youth, you have to speak a different language, which is not possible for people of the previous generation," he said.
“He should be made our role model," remarked CWC member Jagmeet Brar, saying it was high time the party gave up its "wavering" and declared Mr Gandhi as "the leader who will lead us in the battle for the Lok Sabha polls".
Union minister Rajiv Shukla said, "We hope a decision will be taken keeping in mind the sentiments expressed. There have been demands for entrusting Mr Gandhi with the bigger responsibility of leading the party in the 2014 polls. Beyond this, any decision has to be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi."
Asked whether Rahul Gandhi would be made the PM candidate, Union minister Jitin Prasada said, "We want him to play a far bigger role in the 2014 elections. Youth have been the focus in this shivir. Rahul is the asset of the party," remarked party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury.
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi parried answers to questions on Rahul Gandhi but said the party has always looked after the aspirations of the youth. "A decision is on the cards on expected lines," said another party general secretary, B.K. Hari Prasad.
Union minister Vayalar Ravi and senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar also batted for bigger responsibility for Rahul Gandhi as the party recognised the need to respond to the demands of a "new changing India peopled by a younger" generation.
Young leader Milind Deora said there was a consensus at the chintan shivir that youth should be empowered. Prithviraj Chavan  dismissed suggestions that a larger role for Rahul Gandhi would create two power centres in the party and relegate Mrs Gandhi.