In an apparent move to send out amessage of austerity, Congress President Sonia Gandhi andRahul Gandhi today took a bus ride along with other leaders toSurajkund in Haryana where the party is having a brainstorming meeting.
However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not go toSurajkund by bus due to security reasons.
Union ministers and top Congress leaders will attend thebrainstorming session which comes at a time when the partyand the government are facing tough challenges on politicaland economic fronts.
The day-long "dialogue session" is likely to chalk outthe strategy ahead. It may also take a view on the issue ofalliances in different states.
The Congress has utilised bus rides by local leaders toproject a picture of unity and to connect with the common manduring state elections in past.
Party sources said that the dialogue meeting (SamvadBaithak) will virtually set the agenda for the largerbrainstorming at Chintan Shivir, which is likely to beorganised in January next year.
The dialogue session comes after the public meeting hereon November 4, which saw Sonia and Rahul strongly backing theeconomic reform measures initiated by the Prime Minister.
The session will discuss three topics - present politicalsituation, economic challenges and status of implementation of2009 party manifesto.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul travelled in the same busoccupying the front seats.They were accompanied by seniorparty leaders Ahmed Patel and Ambika Soni.
Ministers including A K Antony, P Chidambaram, KapilSibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad and C P Joshi were also in the samebus.
Two buses are taking the Congress top brass to Surajkund.