Follow party constitution to strengthen Congress: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the party would be stronger if its constitution was implemented in letter and spirit.

"The party would be stronger if the constitution was implemented in letter and spirit. It is a radical document which draws from the vast experience of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and others," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi quoted Rahul Gandhi as having told the All India Congress Committee office-bearers in New Delhi.

"The party constitution is a model one and reflects the image of the Congress which has been representing the people for the past 127 years. We should be proud to be Congress workers," Dwivedi quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying.

The Monday meeting concluded Rahul Gandhi's three-day "feedback-cum-interaction" session where he gave party leaders a chance to express themselves freely and suggest ways to strengthen the party.

The feedback is expected to give Rahul Gandhi an overview of the state of party affairs and would help him finalise the much-awaited Congress reshuffle to prepare his team for the 2014 general elections, said insiders.

"Today's meeting was the last one in this round. Leaders expressed themselves freely on how to strengthen the organisation," Dwivedi said after the over two-hour meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

"Around 14 leaders spoke," he said.

According to Dwivedi, Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to hold similar sessions with the state, district and block level party leaders.

Earlier, on January 31 and February 1, Rahul Gandhi heard party general secretaries in charge of states and secretaries, who listed problems affecting the party, like faulty ticket distribution, lack of unity and discipline and membership issues.

Some secretaries criticised the style of functioning of general secretaries and state unit chiefs while complaining that the ministers never met them.

Many of them demanded "responsibility with accountability", saying the party needed an overhaul.

Rahul Gandhi told them there was no need to rush with change and the party should instead focus on addressing basic issues and follow rules to face future political challenges.

Nine states will have assembly polls this year with the big battle of the next Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2014, which will test the leadership skills of 42-year-old Gandhi, who heads the coordination panel for the 2014 polls.