Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Saturday met chief ministers, state unit presidents and AICC state members, asking them to strongly take up issues affecting people.

 

 He also got feedback regarding the party's preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

 

 The meeting, held a day after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) met here, was also attended by district Congress chiefs from the states.

 

 Congress leaders said Gandhi asked the AICC members to "vociferously fight" for issues affecting people.

 

 He told them to fight the general polls unitedly, focusing on the strengths of the party and the "good work" done by the United Progressive Alliance government.

 

 Gandhi listened to the concerns of the workers and sought to energise them for the "battle" ahead.

 

 Party sources said the AICC members gave suggestions, including the need of appointing "aggressive spokesperons" and urged Gandhi to have direct interaction with the workers more often.

 

 They also emphasised on the need for unity in the electoral effort.

 

 In his interaction with the party leaders from Punjab, Gandhi asked them to highlight the failures of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) government.

 

 A release said Gandhi "appreciated" the party unit for its agitation against the SAD-BJP government demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into "drug scandal" in the state.

 

 It said Punjab unit chief Partap Singh Bajwa assured Gandhi the party would strive to win all the Lok Sabha seats in the state.