Jaipur:
The urgent need to reconnect with alienated urban voters is one of the challenges before top Congress leaders as they brainstorm for the 2014 elections at the Chintan Shivir in Jaipur.
Sources said four members of Parliament from urban constituencies spoke on Friday about the need to address the aspirations of urban voters. They are Sanjay Nirupam, Ajay Maken, Milind Deora and Tushar Choudhury.
Mr Chowdhury said the Congress had hardly won any seat from urban constituencies in the Gujarat elections last month.
Jitin Prasada, junior minister for Human Resource Development, said the focus should be on strengthening the party organisation and reassessing how it could reach out to urban voters.
Mr Prasada said the need is not for mobilising crowds but using technology and the social media to instantly connect with urban voters.
The youth and first-time voters make up a significant segment of the urban vote, and they found a mention in Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's speech on Friday.
Mrs Gandhi said the Congress must recognise India's increasingly younger population, which is more aspirational. "This is a natural and welcoming outcome of rapid economic and social change that has been brought about by the success of our programmes to educate to empower. Our youth is getting more assertive, it wants its voice to be heard," she said.
She also urged young Congress leaders to set an example in austerity. "Seeing so many of our younger colleagues here, I am tempted to say something on a subject that has always bothered me. And this relates to our lifestyles. Celebrating wedding, festivals and happy events is one thing but what of lavish ostentatious displays of wealth, pomp and status? Does this not beg the question where is this wealth coming from?" Mrs Gandhi said.
The two-day Chintan Shivir ends on Saturday with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration. It will be followed by a session of the All India Congress Committee on Sunday.
(With inputs from agencies)