Rahul Gandhi meets party leaders

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took stock of the party's preparedness in facing elections whenever they are held in the wake of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao indicating that he would want to go in for Assembly elections along with the four North Indian states where elections are due this December.

Rahul Gandhi, on his second day of his stay in Hyderabad, conferred with party leaders and spent time in listening to them rather than giving lecture to them. He personally spent time with each leader of the party and encouraged him or her to express views on what is ailing the party without fear or favour.

According to sources, Rahul with his disarming smile, struck an excellent rapport with all the leaders who felt very happy over their president spending time with them and giving value to their suggestions.

Rahul Gandhi apparently decided to listen rather than speak in view of internecine squabbles dogging the party for the last one year which might prove to be very costly in elections in Telangana if they continue. In an effort to iron out these differences, he is understood to have told them that getting the party back to power was more important than fighting with one another which might prove counterproductive to the original goal.

After the meeting former Union Minister Sarve Satyanarayana said all the leaders felt happy that Rahul Gandhi spent time with them. "Usually a leader of this stature will address the local leaders and then would move on. But Rahul Gandhi chose to listen to us. We felt very happy about how the proceedings went on," he said.

The important leaders who were present at the meeting included PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, former minister K Jana Reddy, former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, former state minister Shabber Ali and MP Renuka Chowdary.