Why Can't 40-Year-Old Become District Congress Committee President? Need To Make Way For Youngsters: Chidambaram

"Without the foot soldiers, the army is not going to win the battle. It is foot soldiers who win the battles," said Chidambaram during his address to the workers.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram

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New Delhi: Amid Congress party losing political ground and looking to revive itself as a strong opposition to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior party leader P Chidambaram while speaking to Congress workers Friday said that there is a need to make way for youngsters for the elections of Pradesh Congress Committees (PCC), reported news agency ANI.

Addressing a small group of workers at Congress Bhavan in Pune, the former finance minister vouched for youngsters in the party to strengthen the organisation at the grassroot level. 

"Without the foot soldiers, the army is not going to win the battle. It is foot soldiers who win the battles," said Chidambaram during the address to the workers.

"If in 1929-30, Jawaharlal Nehru can become the AICC chairman then, why can't a 40-year-old persons become president of District Congress committee, why can't he or she become a block president," he stated, as reported by ANI.

Hinting at the ongoing issues within the Congress after string of defeats in assembly elections, he said the party  "going through introspection".

"Party is going through introspection and hoping for solution from it. Party must make way for the youngsters. 50 per cent of population are under the age of 25, said the senior Congress leader, reported ANI.

Meanwhile, he also blamed the BJP government at the Centre for removing all Congress stalwarts like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi from history textbooks and said that the move will not give a chnace to the younger generation to learn much about the leaders.

"Around 50 per cent of people (in the country) are under the age of 25. If you ask them about Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi, they do not know. They were born after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. How will they know about Rajiv Gandhi or Indira Gandhi?, " Chidambaram was quoted saying by PTI.