On Modi's turf, Rahul says 2014 polls NOT do-or-die situation

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday reportedly told the party workers from the Saurashtra region that 2014 elections were not a "do or die" situation.

"We should overcome our weaknesses and highlight our strengths among the people," Jamnagar Congress MP Vikram Madam quoted Rahul as saying.

Rahul, who is on two-day visit to Gujarat, is meeting Congress workers from Saurashtra and north Gujarat in Rajkot on Friday. Mediapersons were not allowed to be present at the meeting.

According to Madam, Rahul told the workers that "we should not worry about 2014 elections -- it is not a do or die situation and after the 2014 general election there would be no doubt about the party's existence, as the Congress is a permanent political party".

Speaking in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Rahul had said that the Congress was going to win the 2014 elections.

As per Madam, the Congress vice president asked the workers to work hard to strengthen the party in Gujarat and said, "We should not keep 2014 elections in mind, but serve the people. Highlight the UPA government's initiatives like RTI (Right to Information) and RTF (Right to Food).

"We should not be power-oriented and the party is able to serve the people even without being in power," Rahul was quoted to have said.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Arjun Modhvadiya said that Rahul Gandhi's Gujarat visit boosted the morale of Congress leaders and workers.

Modhvadiya said that Rahul told the partymen that Congress was capable of wining elections in Gujarat, but it needed to be strong in the state.

Image: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi

Photograph: Press Brief