03-29-2008, 09:29 AM
<!--emo&<_<--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='dry.gif' /><!--endemo--> Rahul roadshow leaves Cong red-faced
29 Mar 2008, 0157 hrs IST,MANU AIYAPPA,TNN
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HUBLI: This week, the young Gandhi announced his arrival on the political stage as an impatient young man. At the end of Rahul Gandhi's five-day roadshow across the state, many senior Congressmen were left red-faced.
His roadshow was peppered with organizational goof-ups, to which he responded like a petulant prince - by humiliating senior Congress leaders.
The young AICC general secretary, armed with the right surname, cracked the whip in no uncertain terms in the course of the week. He lashed out at Karnataka Pradesh youth Congress committee president Krishna Byregowda in the presence of other office-bearers on the third day of his tour in Dharwad.
At one stage, Byregowda, who had been driving around the young leader, was replaced by another person at the wheel.
Sources said Byregowda was not the only one to be ticked off. The young Gandhi let loose his ire on other senior Congress leaders in the presence of party workers. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge was humiliated by not being allowed into Rahul's interaction with students at NTTF in Dharwad.
Kharge had to wait for about 15 minutes at the gate before former minister R V Deshpande prevailed on Rahul to ask the SPG to allow the KPCC president in.
Kharge, however, denied that he or his partymen had suffered embarrassment on account of Rahul's visit.
He admitted having to wait for a while at the entrance of NTTF in Dharwad, but said, "It happens when a person of his stature is touring the state with so much security."
Rahul was not too pleased with his interaction with select youth Congress workers in Hubli on Wednesday.
He sought their views on the progress of youth Congress organizational activities in their respective areas. But the replies of youth Congress leaders failed to satisfy him.
They had not done their homework before the meeting, and not many could speak proper English or Hindi. They complained to him about groupism within the party's state unit. It all started when senior leaders in Hubli-Dharwad district vied with each other to get Rahul to their respective constituencies to derive political mileage. In a mood to "connect with people", Rahul had other ideas.
He decided to bypass the state leadership.
29 Mar 2008, 0157 hrs IST,MANU AIYAPPA,TNN
Print Save EMail Write to Editor
HUBLI: This week, the young Gandhi announced his arrival on the political stage as an impatient young man. At the end of Rahul Gandhi's five-day roadshow across the state, many senior Congressmen were left red-faced.
His roadshow was peppered with organizational goof-ups, to which he responded like a petulant prince - by humiliating senior Congress leaders.
The young AICC general secretary, armed with the right surname, cracked the whip in no uncertain terms in the course of the week. He lashed out at Karnataka Pradesh youth Congress committee president Krishna Byregowda in the presence of other office-bearers on the third day of his tour in Dharwad.
At one stage, Byregowda, who had been driving around the young leader, was replaced by another person at the wheel.
Sources said Byregowda was not the only one to be ticked off. The young Gandhi let loose his ire on other senior Congress leaders in the presence of party workers. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge was humiliated by not being allowed into Rahul's interaction with students at NTTF in Dharwad.
Kharge had to wait for about 15 minutes at the gate before former minister R V Deshpande prevailed on Rahul to ask the SPG to allow the KPCC president in.
Kharge, however, denied that he or his partymen had suffered embarrassment on account of Rahul's visit.
He admitted having to wait for a while at the entrance of NTTF in Dharwad, but said, "It happens when a person of his stature is touring the state with so much security."
Rahul was not too pleased with his interaction with select youth Congress workers in Hubli on Wednesday.
He sought their views on the progress of youth Congress organizational activities in their respective areas. But the replies of youth Congress leaders failed to satisfy him.
They had not done their homework before the meeting, and not many could speak proper English or Hindi. They complained to him about groupism within the party's state unit. It all started when senior leaders in Hubli-Dharwad district vied with each other to get Rahul to their respective constituencies to derive political mileage. In a mood to "connect with people", Rahul had other ideas.
He decided to bypass the state leadership.