Rahul wants a balance of young and senior leaders and this is not easy: Sonia

india

Updated: Mar 09, 2018 14:26 IST

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Friday said her party needs to develop a new style of connecting with people at the organisational level.

Addressing the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, the former Congress president spoke on a wide range of topics, including the NDA government, her children, her own shortcomings and the role of democracy in India.

On being asked if she advises her son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on party matters, Sonia said, “I try not to volunteer. Rahul wants a balance of younger people and senior leaders to revitalise the party and this is not an easy task.”

Sonia, 71, who was Congress president for 19 years, was replaced by her son Rahul in 2017 after internal party elections.

READ MORE: Sonia Gandhi attacks Modi govt, says parliamentary majority being interpreted as licence to stifle debate

Reacting to criticism of Rahul not being in the country during the counting of votes in northeastern states, she said the Congress president went to see his grandmother in Italy for three days after he had done his rounds of electioneering.

On the political role of her daughter Priyanka, Sonia said, “Priyanka is pre-occupied with her children at the moment. It is up to her and one never knows the future.”

Speaking about her own role in leadership after Congress came to power in 2004, she said she knew Manmohan Singh would be better a prime minister than her, and that she was aware of her limitations.

“Public speaking does not come naturally to me, that is why I was called a reader than a leader,” the Congress leader said.