Congress to discuss strategy for Lok Sabha polls at its 'Samvaad Baithak' today

New Delhi: The Congress party will hold it's 'Samvaad Baithak' (dialogue session) on Friday. All the top leaders of the party including party president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi will be at the day-long meeting in Surajkund.

In an attempt to reach out to the common people, the Congress leaders, including Sonia and Rahul, travelled in a bus from the Congress headquarters to the venue of the meeting. Sonia Gandhi is expected to discuss the party's strategy to combat corruption charges and speak on the need to strengthen the party ahead of elections. The Prime Minister is expected to defend the economic agenda of the government and its recent reforms initiatives.

Importantly, Rahul Gandhi's elevation within the party is expected to come up as well. Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told party workers in his constituency Amethi to prepare for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He said this during his visit to the constituency on Thursday, a visit that was met with protests.

Rahul's sister Priyanka also held meetings with party workers in Rae Bareli. On the first day of her two-day visit, Priyanka, who is touring the twin Lok Sabha constituencies for the first time after the Assembly elections, held block-wise meetings of party workers up to nyaya panchayat level at Bhuemau guest house and talked about strengthening the organisation and discussed development works, sources said.

Earlier in the day, Priyanka assured people in her brother Rahul's constituency Amethi that she would visit them regularly and keep constant touch. This is Priyanka's first visit after the Assembly polls when she had stayed in these constituencies for 17 days. Congress had, however, won only two seats in Amethi while in Rae Bareli it drew a blank. Interestingly, this time round the entire Gandhi family was present in Amethi and Rae Bareli at the same time.

(With additional information from PTI)

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