At the party's plenary on Saturday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi lambasted the Modi government for rendering the country's youth tired on account of rising unemployment and farmers' distress and emphasised that only his party can show the way forward.
"Crores of country's youth are feeling tired today. When they look towards Modi, they are unable to see a way forward. They do not know from where will they get employment, when will farmers get proper price for their crops. The country is in a way tired, is seeking a way out. And I say from my heart that only the Congress can show the path to the country," said Gandhi reflecting party's broad strategy to counter the Modi government in 2019 polls.
"The aim of plenary is to show the path forward to the Congress and the country. It is talking of the future and of change," added Gandhi amid cheers from Congress workers that arrived from all the states.
To the solace of elder leaders, Gandhi made clear that change does not mean letting go the seniors and he would be acting as a bridge to connect them with the young leaders.
"The youth can take the Congress forward but not without the experience of senior leaders. My work is to connect the two and show the new way," he said.
In the brief address, his first as the President at Congress plenary, Gandhi emphasised that the BJP was using "anger" to play "divisive politics" and said that his party's would never do so but counter it by using "love and regard to fellow humans".
"Today anger is being spread in the country, the country is being divided and people are being made to fight each other. But our job is to join people, bring them together and this 'hand' (party symbol), this is the only one that can bring the country together and take it forward. And the strength of this symbol is there in each one of you," Gandhi told the party cadres.
The optics at the Congress session also reflected the sublime effort of course correction, to reflect an assimilative approach that Congress had distanced itself from during the Gujarat elections. Before beginning his address the Congress president embraced a senior Muslim Congress leader supporting Chandan Tilak on his forehead, while Conch sounds interspersed his speech.
