Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra took the first step towards active politics by becoming primary members of the Congress party.

Political circles see the move as paving the way for the duo's entry into formal politics. There has been a clamour for 'new blood', a euphemism for Priyanka and Rahul, after the party's drubbing in the recently concluded assembly polls.

In his reaction, party spokesman described the two, children of Sonia Gandhi, as an 'integral part' of the Congress.

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party for accusing the Congress of encouraging 'dynastic culture', Sharma said, "Thirteen years after the martyrdom of their father Rajiv Gandhi and 20 years after their grandmother Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for the country, a mere tour of the constituency of Mrs Sonia Gandhi by her two children has unnerved the party which is confident of winning 300

seats in the Lok Sabha polls."

Sharma said he would be 'grateful' if the 'collective" leadership of the BJP and Sangh Parivar' could name a family or a leader who had contributed more to the country's freedom struggle than the Nehru-Gandhi family. He also said the Parivar did not play a 'supportive' role in the Independence movement.

Agencies