Sonia turns to Gen Next for tips

Pending Rahul and Priyanka8217;s decision to plunge into Elections 2004, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today turned to the party8217;s G...

Pending Rahul and Priyanka8217;s decision to plunge into Elections 2004, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today turned to the party8217;s Generation Next 8212; including half-dozen political scions 8212; for giving a youthful touch to the party manifesto.

Continuing her penchant to get in touch with any and every non-NDA politician on the horizon, she also met Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh this evening. The Congress8217; overtures to Kalyan Singh and Ajit Singh 8212; both part of the Samajwadi Party-led coalition in Uttar Pradesh 8212; are an effort to have independent alliance/seat adjustment with these leaders even if Mulayam Singh Yadav goes his way, sources said.

Speaking to journalists after her meeting with 8216;8216;youth leaders8217;8217; this afternoon, Sonia said she was holding meetings with 8216;8216;several groups8217;8217; as part of an exercise to prepare the party8217;s manifesto. She wished to know directly 8216;8216;what they want in the manifesto8217;8217; and received a 8216;8216;lot of positive inputs8217;8217;, she said, without elaborating on the nature of inputs.

Of the 23 young men and women she met, six belonged to political families 8212; Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala, Apok Jamir, Milind Deora and C.R. Keshavan great grandson of C. Rajagopalachari. Natwar Singh8217;s son Jagat Singh and late Jitendra Prasad8217;s son Jatin Prasad were conspicuous by their absence.

Sonia indicated that no major revamp of the AICC set-up will take place on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. 8216;8216;Thoda bahut to hoga, zyada nahi is samay there will be some changes but nothing major at this point,8217;8217; she said when asked about a possible organisational reshuffle.

Congress leaders later said the 8216;8216;minor reshuffle8217;8217; may entail shifting out those AICC office-bearers who plan to contest the Lok Sabha elections. By that criterion, two general secretaries Kamal Nath and Mukul Wasnik and a number of secretaries are likely to be removed from the organisational set-up and 8216;8216;redeployed8217;8217; in the election campaign.