'Rahul Gandhi has skills to restore Congress to power'

Congress needs “fresh ideas” and a “generational change” and vice president Rahul Gandhi has the required skills to steer the party back to power after facing setbacks in state elections since the 2014 Lok Sabha drubbing, party general secretary Digvijay Singh said today.

“Congress has always promoted young people in the party from the very beginning. The country’s demographic profile has changed. India is a much younger country now. Therefore we need fresh ideas, fresh leadership and new way of the Congress functioning,” Singh told India Today.

However, the final decision of his taking over as the party President will be decided by Sonia Gandhi, he said.

“The timing has to be decided by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, because ultimately she is the one who has to decide,” he said.

Asked to list out Rahul’s leadership skills, Singh said, “He has the capacity and experience to lead the party once he becomes its President.”

“The leadership qualities are there. I strongly feel he has the capacity and experience to lead once he becomes the President...He has the political sense, he understands the mechanics of politics and he knows the country also,” he said.

Asked about a public perception about Rahul who is referred to as “pappu” (childish), Singh said even Prime Minister Narendra Modi is called “feku” (braggart).

“There are jokes floating around Modi now. The country calls him feku,” Singh said.