Rahul Gandhi huddles over Cambridge Analytica scandal

Even as the blowback from the Cambridge Analytica data leak continues to the trouble Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi has huddled with his social media and communications team members from across the country to figure out an acceptable strategy moving forward.

For over an hour-and-a-half, Rahul met members from both the teams at the 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road office on Tuesday. This included over 70 social media volunteers and Congress workers that were selected by the national social media coordinators. Apart from people from across the states, three volunteers were flown in from abroad.

In his first meeting with the volunteers after becoming Congress president, Gandhi's message was clear and simple: Follow the organisational protocol and do not abuse. As per sources in the know, Gandhi had categorically said that unlike the BJP IT team, the Congress volunteers must counter debates with logic and substance, and not abuse. National social media coordinators Hasiba Amin, Ruchira Chaturvedi and Vipin Yadav were present, as well as social media and digital communications head Divya. AICC Communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala, too, was at the meeting.

A volunteer present in the meeting said that Gandhi has kept the promise he made in the Plenary. "He had spoke about ensuring that young leaders in the party being given a chance; what better occasion than this," the volunteer told DNA.

In the meeting, volunteers also expressed their disappointment about the party's MLAs leaving for other parties in their state, while some spoke of fighting cadre-based parties. Answering another volunteer's apprehension, Gandhi said that Congress's cadres in the Seva Dal and the Youth Congress need to be strengthened.

After the meet, the party has now formed a new group on WhatsApp and leaders have been directed to keep in constant touch with the team of volunteers from now on.