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Rahul Gandhi today said "a government of the youth" will come to power in 2014 which will work for the poor and "change" the country, comments that triggered speculation whether he would take a leading role after the next polls.
Addressing a public meeting here, the Congress Vice President attacked opposition parties, saying they have been trying to scuttle the UPA's initiatives for common and poor people like laws on Food Security and Land Acquisition, but the Manmohan Singh government pushed these in a determined manner.
"If you have to win election in India, help the poor, work for them - you will win. What they (opposition) do, they don't go to the poor, but make tall claims in the media, hold press conferences," he said.
"The elections of 2014 are approaching. You see, a government of the poor, of the common man will again be formed. And I tell you, in 2014, a government of the youth will be formed, which will change the country. It will bring change by empowering the last man in the queue," Gandhi said.
The comments were seen as the 43-year-old Congress leader taking the lead role, if his party comes to power after the next Lok Sabha elections.
Talking about the initiatives taken by the UPA government for the farmers, peasants and the poor people, he said it was making an endeavour to ensure that nobody sleeps hungry.
"Lakhs of people used to sleep hungry in the country which has now been changed forever with the Food Security law. There can be nothing bigger than this initiative," Gandhi said.
He said it would also address the problem of pilferage in the PDS system, which he said accounts for upto 25 per cent.
