Congress president Rahul Gandhi set the tone for the AICC Plenary Session, underling the issues of farmers and unemployment as the two main planks on which to attack the Narendra Modi government and the BJP in the run-up to a crucial election season that culminates with the Lok Sabha polls that are scheduled to be held in 2019.
In his opening remarks at the plenary on Saturday, Rahul took on the ruling dispensation, criticising it for its failure to provide crores of youth with jobs. “Crores of youth are tired. They look at Modiji, but they do not see where employment will come from,” he said.
Talking about farmers, he said, “The farming community of the country does not know how it will get the right price for its crops. They too are tired.”
“The whole country is tired. They are looking for some way out of this situation. I say with all sincerity that it is only the Congress party that can show the way,” the Congress president said in an effort to project the Congress as an alternative to the BJP.
He had a message for his party colleagues as well. He said the theme of the plenary was that of change, referring to the changes that were expected to take place in the party under him. In an effort to assuage concerns among the senior leaders of the party with regard to the generational change expected to happen in the organisation after he took charge, the Congress president said that while the youth will take the Congress forward, the seniors would continue to have an important role.
Rahul thanked senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Amarinder Singh and Siddaramaiah, saying they had fought to safeguard the Congress and the thought that it symbolised. “I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for having fought for the Congress party and for safeguarding the symbol and what it stands for,” he said.
“The youth will take forward the Congress. But the party cannot go forward without the experienced leaders. My work is to take the youth and the seniors together,” he said.
He attacked the BJP for “dividing the country” and practising “politics of hatred and anger.” “What sets the Congress apart from its political opponents is that while we practise the politics of love and brotherhood, they practise the politics of anger and hatred,” he said.
“Whatever happens, I want to reiterate that the Congress belongs to all religions, castes and individuals. Whatever the Congress does, it is for everyone. We will not leave anyone behind,” he said.
The 84th session of the AICC is meant to ratify the election of Rahul as Congress president. It is also expected to give an indication as to the Congress’ plan of action for the coming round of Assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha polls.
The three-day session began on Friday with a meeting of the steering committee of the party to finalise the resolutions to be adopted at the plenary. Rahul said he will make a more elaborate speech on Sunday when he concludes the session.
Around 1,500 AICC delegates from all over the country as well as thousands of party workers and leaders are attending the session.