Priyanka and Rahul campaign in Sultanpur. (Reuters file picture)

New Delhi, May 28: The voices for Rahul and Priyanka are getting louder.

Taking cue from a recent remark of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, general secretary Ambika Soni today joined others in calling for the induction of Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka into the AICC set-up.

“Congress workers from all over the country want (an) active role for Rahul and Priyanka. It is a unanimous view among party men that their active involvement would help strengthen the party organisation,” she said.

Soni felt Rahul’s induction as a general secretary at the All India Congress Committee headquarters would go a long way in attracting younger leaders in large numbers, which would help revitalise the party’s organisational structure. “Our aim should be to get 300 seats in the next Lok Sabha elections that will be held after five years,” she added.

Soni’s words came in the backdrop of Sonia’s comment a few days ago that her son would not join the Manmohan Singh ministry but could play a role in the party. The comment is being interpreted in party circles as an indication of her intention to make Rahul a general secretary. Sonia had also talked of an imminent shuffle in the organisational set-up at the top.

The entire working committee and all AICC office-bearers had resigned on May 18, though it was meant to press Sonia to accept the post of Prime Minister. The resignations will come in handy for Sonia when she begins the revamp exercise. A few vacancies have also arisen in the wake of the induction of some party functionaries as ministers.

Among those who have moved to the government are general secretaries Kamal Nath and Oscar Fernandes, working committee members Ghulam Nabi Azad, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi and Mani Shankar Aiyar, chief spokesman S. Jaipal Reddy and secretaries Subodh Kant Sahay and K.H. Muniappa.

Indications are the shuffle could be delayed until the conclusion of the nine-day opening session of Parliament on June 10. “The Congress president may take a broader view of the organisational changes and link changes in the party headquarters with necessary changes at the state level,” a source said.

Some more vacancies in the AICC are also on the cards as general secretary Mohsina Kidwai and treasurer Motilal Vora might be considered for gubernatorial assignments. While there are vacancies in three Raj Bhavans, there is pressure from within as also from the supporting Left parties to send home some of the “saffron” governors. “The party is awaiting a decision from the new government,” a source said.

A review of the situation in Maharashtra, scheduled to go to polls in September-October, is on top of Sonia’s priorities as the Congress’ performance in the recent polls there was way below expectations. Also to be taken up for post-mortem are Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal.