'Team Rahul' continues to face muted criticism

Outgoing Food Minister K V Thomas said there should be internal party elections in the Congress right from the booth-level.

However, a Congress leader, who is a member of Rahul's team, said the party Vice President was faced with an unenviable task in the Lok Sabha polls as UPA-II was “not a good product” that could be marketed with voters.

Dismissing the attack by some leaders on Gandhi's advisers—something which has been interpreted as an attack on the Congress Vice President himself—the leader said it was merely intended to replace some people from key positions so that a number of leaders who were sidelined before can occupy the decision-making positions.

The party leader, who refused to be identified, said that the attack was based on wrong assumptions and flawed assessment of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II government.

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed called Rahul the “fittest” leader for every responsibility.