Rahul's place beside Sonia, a message to dissenters?

New Delhi: In a clear message to party workers, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that discipline is paramount, giving a subtle message to the dissenters. Sonia Gandhi in the meeting of Congress General Secretaries, State In Charges and State Presidents chalked out party's future plans ahead of assembly polls in five states.

Seated beside Sonia Gandhi was Rahul Gandhi, the former Congress president, who is likely to be the next party chief, the elections of which are to be held next year.

On Tuesday, Sonia said clearly, "I would like to re-emphasise the paramount need for discipline and unity. What should matter to each and every one of us is the strengthening of the organisation. This must override personal ambitions. In this, lies both collective and individual success."

The optics on Tuesday showed that Congress leaders and workers have to work with Rahul Gandhi and the message was specially for the dissenters, said an insider. In the CWC meet on October 16, Sonia Gandhi had made it clear that she is taking decisions in the party, saying she is the "full-time Congress President".

"I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands on Congress President," she had said while addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.