With the Lok Sabha polls just a little more than a year away, Gandhi today said party's revival in weak states should not not be compromised at the altar of alliance politics.

Congress can't come back to power: Jairam

Congress wants Rahul Gandhi at top: Digvijay

In a candid admission in her opening speech at the 2-day "Chintan Shivir" (brainstorming conclave) that Congress was facing "increased competition and inroads" into its traditional base, she said "unity and discipline" was the need of the hour in the party.

She formed five separate groups, including one on "emerging political challenges" headed by A K Antony in which P Chidamaram is a participant, for deeper discussion.

Ahead of the start of the start of the conclave, there was a clamour from senior leaders for Rahul Gandhi to play a larger role in the organisation.

Seeking "free, fearless and frank views" from the participants, Gandhi surprisingly made a reference to the "growing educated and middle classes", an apparent message to the party to woo them.

Gandhi, who is also the Chairperson of UPA, made it clear that Congress has to "strike a balance" between respecting alliances where it has tied up with other parties and "ensuring that the party's rejuvenation is not compromised".

"In states in which we are in alliance we have to strike a balance between respecting these alliances and ensuring that the party"s rejuvenation in on is not not compromised," Gandhi said.

"We must admit that we now face increased competition and inroads have been made into our traditional support bases.

There are some states, where we have been out of power for too long and, although I too believe that being in power is not the sole purpose of political activities, this does have an adverse impact on our morale and organisation ability," she said.

Gandhi's remarks on rejuvenation of the party has come at a time when nine assembly elections are scheduled during the current year, which will be followed by Lok Sabha polls in the middle of 2014.

The Congress had lost power in major states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for several years. In West Bengal, it was out of power for more than three decades though it was in the ministry of Mamata Banerjee for a brief while. It is more than four decades since it lost power in Tamil Nadu.

In her speech, the Congress President did not take the name of any political party, including the BJP, or the recent electoral defeat in Gujarat.

Reflecting his growing influence and stature in the party, the conclave saw praise for Rahul Gandhi from senior leaders including Ambika Soni, who said the meet would get a "message" from the young leader.

On Rahul insistance, a lion's share has been given to Youth Congress and NSUI office-bearers at the strategy meet for participation.

Leaders including Digivijay Singh, Rajiv Shukla and Salman Khurshid, sought a "larger and predominant role" for Rahul. Sachin Pilot, however, felt that the young leader should not be pressurised.

In her five-page speech, Gandhi's stress was on the party to get its act together.

Turning to "pressing organisational matters", she posed the question "Is it not the case that we have squandered many opportunities that people are willing to give us simply because we have been unable to function as a disciplined and united team".

Flagging the need to develop leadership at all levels, Gandhi said, "Performance, not patronage, must be the ladder to advancement in the part.

"We must build leadership at all levels, a leadership that is proactive and that is not afraid of moving forward, and taking up issues and programmes which highlight the concerns and aspirations of the people".

The Congress President underlined the need for coming together of party men by setting aside personal ambitions and egos, and working cohesively in states, "where we are out of power especially so that the party triumphs".

"Unity will not come from pious declarations of intent. It has to come from within. Unity is the cry of each and every worker of our great organisation and it is our sacred duty to respond to it," she said.

Seeking free, fearless and frank views from the participants, Gandhi asked them to find responses when people are expecting much more from political parties.

"We cannot allow our growing educated and middle classes to be disillusioned and alienated from the political process - we are here on serious business, which will determine our future - we must go with a clear and unified sense of purpose," she said.

Urging the party workers to recognize the new changing India, the Congress President pointed out the country was increasingly peopled by a "younger, more aspirational, more impatient, more demanding and betttere ducated generation.

"Our youth is is getting more assertive. It wants its voice to be heard. Across the length and breadth of our country, our people are expecting much more from their political parties," she said calling for continued responses from the party and the government to the menace of corruption.

"Our citizens are rightly fed up with the levels of corruption that they see in public life at high levels, but equally with the corruption they have to deal with in their daily lives. This is a phenomenon, a churning that we must understand and continue to respond to."

Her remarks come against the backdrop of the UPA government and Congress repeatedly coming under attack by a section of civil society and others over the issue of blackmoney and corruption.

Gandhi also utilised the occasion to launch a scathing attack on 'our life styles'.

"And seeing so many of our younger colleagues here, I am tempted to say something on a subject that has always bothered me . And this relates to our lifestyle. Celebrating weddings, festivals and happy events is one thing- but what of lavish and ostentious displays of wealth, pomp and status?

"Does this not beg the question where is this wealth coming from. I hope that you will take this seriously and come up with suggestions and norms that we may all accept and adhere to," she said.

While noting that inclusiveness is anchored in the conviction of Congress and not a political ploy only to win elections or run governments, Gandhi said, "it is not the outcome of any compulsion as it may be of some of our political opponents".

"We appeal to all sections of society. We articulate and champion the concerns of all but especially of the weaker sections--dalits, adivasis, minorities and women. We have always given the highest priority to the interests and concerns of farmers and agricultural labourers.

Claiming that Congress is the only party, which believes that development and economic growth on one hand, and social harmony and social justice on the other, are two sides of the same coin.

"Economic growth over the past decade has been impressive. This has had a major impact on reducing poverty.

But our fight against inequality and poverty is a continuing one. This is why it is important to sustain our poverty alleviation programmes," she said.

This is the first such conclave, which has seen the presence of such a large number of young leaders especially those from the Youth wings of the party.

Flagging this "special dimension" of the conclave, Sonia Gandhi said that the fact that a significant number of participants are from the younger generation "reflects our priorities and reasonates with the demographic reality of our country".

Noting that this interaction is different in at least two aspects from the previous sessions in Pachmarhi and Shimla, Gandhi said that it is taking place at a time when the party has been in government at the Centre for almost nine years and also at a time "when we are not governing in a number of states and when we face serious challenges in states long considered our bastions".

At the brainstorming session, a major concern for Congress is the rise of regional parties in various states where the Congress is out of power.

The immediate concern for Congress is the rise of Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh, the only major state where Congress is in power on its own. The separate Telangana issue has made the situation more complex for the party in Andhra Pradesh.

The southern state is strategically important for Congress given the fact that spectacular victory in Andhra Pradesh in the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha polls had been the gamechanger for UPA.

The Congress President, however, sought to dispel pessimism saying "we are the only pan-Indian party, the only political party, with a visible and vibrant position in every village, in every basti, in every mohalla of the country".

Congress underlines youth, eyes Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi took the centre stage today with youth being the flavour of the brain-storming session of Congress here as the party attempted a blend of energy and experience into a winning formula for the Lok Sabha polls just 16 months away.

Bringing out the Rahul stamp on the Chintan Shivir, the elected members from NSUI and Youth Congress, the two wings of the party being looked after by him, attended the event in large numbers and one assessment put the figure at almost 40 percent of the total number of delegates.

Flagging this - special dimension - of the conclave, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said the fact that a significant number of participants is from the younger generation "reflects our priorities and reasonates with the demographic reality of our country".

Reflecting his growing influence and stature in the party, the Shivir saw praise for Rahul from senior leaders, including Ambika Soni, who said the meet would get a - message - from the young leader whose insistence has seen lion's representation to Youth Congress and NSUI office-bearers at the strategy meet.

Soni said the Jaipur conclave is "different" from the earlier two conclaves of Congress at Pachmarhi in 1998 and Shimla in 2003 because for the first time such a large number of NSUI and Youth Congress members are attending it.

"This is the third Chintan Shivir but it is different and the credit for it should go to Rahul Gandhi. For the first time, such a large number of elected NSUI and Youth Congress members are attending such a meet," she said.

The demand for Rahul's -larger and pre-dominant - role in the party came from leaders like Digivijay Singh, Rajiv Shukla, Salman Khurshid and Sachin Pilot, who, however, also wanted that the young leader should not be pressurised.

Soon after the inaugural session of the conclave Pilot said “We already have a young Congress. Though it is a 127-year-old party, it is still young. Our leader is young. Rahul is young.

"We are readying ourselves for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections under Rahul Gandhi's leadership", he said.

He, however, hastened to add that the senior leaders of the party will continue to guide the younger ones and that there is no rift between the two lots.

He said while the energy of youth is required to work in the field, they will do so only under the guidance of senior leaders.

Rahul Gandhi is already heading a special committee set up by the party for the next Lok Sabha elections.

That the priority is shifting towards the youths was also evident, when Rahul Gandhi involved NSUI and Youth Congress members in pushing the government's recent initiative on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to ensure that subsidies under

various central schemes reach directly to the accounts of beneficiaries.

Rahul had told them that if this DBT programme was pushed properly, Congress can win not only this but even the next elections.

The increasing focus on youths is also to be understood in the context of the fact that the voter-profile of the country increasingly turning young.

In her speech, Sonia Gandhi underscored the challenge the growing youth population of India poses to political parties.

“Around one crore youth seek productive jobs year after year. No other country faces such a challenge,” she said emphasizing the need to create skilled employment in semi-urban and urban areas.

She also asked the partymen to “recognize the new challenging India, an India increasingly peopled by a younger, more aspirational, more impatient, more demanding and better educated generation...Our youth is getting more assertive, it wants its voice to be heard.”

Congress running away from honest introspection: BJP

BJP today charged Congress is running away from doing an honest introspection about its "failures" at the ruling party's conclave in Jaipur and instead engaging in "self-certification" about its actions despite not meeting even "doable" targets set by it.

The main opposition welcomed Congress' move to hold a "Chintan Shivir" (brainstorming conclave) at Jaipur, saying the aim of reviewing its work and carrying out introspection is always good for a party.

BJP sought to find loopholes in the address given by Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the meet, alleging she did not flag the issues on which the party has failed to perform.

"From the speech of Sonia Gandhi, they are already giving signs that they are missing an opportunity. An honest review does not seem to be in the offing. I say this as she has failed to acknowledge that the government lacks leadership, lacks integrity and certainly lacks direction," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

The BJP leader said Gandhi and Congress appear to be looking for "alibis" for its "non-performance" instead of admitting and looking into the reasons for its shortcomings.

"In fact, it (Gandhi's speech) has even gone to the other extreme in that it is a self-certification about excellent growth which the country has seen in the last eight-nine years. (But) This self-certification goes also with the admission that giving one crore jobs is a challenge," Sitharaman said.

BJP alleged Congress has failed to give due respect to its allies.

"They (Congress) are unable to keep their alliance partners happy as they are not respecting their existing partners and even going to the extent of not consulting them for any major decision," she said.

BJP said instead of talking about it, Congress should try to keep its own alliance partners happy. Sitharaman wished 'good luck' to the Congress in holding its alliance in tact.

"It is now known that Congress cannot keeps its allies happy... Even today, two of its partners have spoken against the diesel price hike," Sitharaman said.

With barely 15 months left for the Lok Sabha polls, she also alleged Congress has "failed" to uphold its assurances made to the nation in the 2009 election manifesto and the Burari party conclave to put a check on price rise, provide safety for women and create one crore jobs.

"To create one crore jobs is a challenge they could not meet," Sitharaman said, adding NSSO data shows India is having "jobless growth".

She claimed NDA government had given consistent growth and also created jobs in the process. "It is a late realisation for Congress that it has not created one crore jobs," she said.

BJP said prices are still rising though Congress had claimed that this would be controlled within 100 days of coming to power.

Sitharaman alleged the assurances of the Congress-led government to provide affordable energy for the rural poor has been proved to be a fallacy as it has gone ahead with hiking the prices of diesel and also lowering the cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders.

She accused Congress of having failed even to take the "doable actions". She wondered if the conclave is a "Chinta (worry) Shivir".

Alleging that words and actions of Congress do not match, she said the husband of a Congress MP from Rajasthan is absconding on the charge of raping a girl.

BJP wanted to know why the conclave is not discussing the reasons for no action being intitiated against its own committees facing corruption charges.

Need to be pragmatic in encouraging investment: Sonia

Jaipur: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today made a strong pitch for economic reforms saying that to be "pragmatic" in encouraging investment was the only way to achieve the country's employment goals.

Stating that there were "various protest movement across the country relating to land, forest, water and livelihood, tribal and gender issues", she asked the party to proactively take up these causes.

Gandhi said that the Congress-led UPA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since 2004 has introduced 'truly' revolutionary programmes and enacted historic legislation flowing from the party's manifesto.

Highlighting that "the lack of employment thwarts aspirations and fuel frustration, crime and violence", Gandhi said that the country needs to pay attention to skilled employment.

"The country has to pay far greater attention to skilled employment especially in semi-urban and urban areas.

"This requires us to be pragmatic in encouraging investment which is the only way the country's employment goals could be achieved," she said in her opening remarks at the party's Chintan Shivir here.

Gandhi's remarks came in the backdrop of controversy over FDI in retail which concluded with government getting the approval of parliament on the issue with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha defeating opposition sponsored motions in the matter.

In her address, Gandhi noted that MGNREGA has demonstrated its utility in rural areas.

The UPA chairperson also laid stress upon poverty alleviation programmes."Economic growth over the past decade has been impressive.

"This had a major impact on reducing poverty but our fight against inequality and poverty is a continuing one.

"This is why it is important to sustain our poverty alleviation programmes," she said.

She said that despite expanding development, there are still parts of the country which remain backward and said that the party must remain in the forefront in calling for urgent remedial actions.

She regretted that in some states the party has not been able to translate this into political support and hoped that discussions and concrete suggestions will emerge during the shivir.

Atrocities on women, a matter of shame: Sonia

In the backdrop of nationwide outrage over Delhi gang-rape case, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked partymen to bring gender issues to "the heart of our political activity" saying the "very disturbing trends" against women and children should wake up the party.

She described atrocities on women as a blot on conscience and a matter of shame, and stressed that gender issues should not just confined to Mahila Congress or women organisations only.

"I must say with the greatest anguish and pain that discrimination against the girl child continues. Atrocities on women, both in urban and rural India, are a blot on our collective conscience and a matter of great shame," she said in her opening remarks at the party's Chintan Shivir here.

"The way we still treat widows, the prevalence of female foeticide even in economically prosperous regions, the trafficking of children and women, brazen sexual harassment - these are all very disturbing trends that should shake and awaken us," she said.

Gandhi said, "The entire party must understand them and bring them to the heart of our political activity and change mindset."

The UPA chairperson highlighted that the government has taken the agenda of women empowerment ahead and launched several programmes.

Recalling a Mahila Shashaktikaran Adhiveshan held a decade ago in Delhi by her party, she said Congress had prepared a specific agenda for action in the Adhiveshan which was taken forward by the UPA government.

"New programmes have been launched. New laws have been enacted. The women's self-help group movement has received a huge impetus and there are now over 12 lakh elected women representatives in institutions of local-self government," she added.