Rahul Gandhi attends Congress Core Committee meeting in Sonia's absence

NEW DELHI: In yet another indication of Rahul Gandhi taking up a larger role in the Congress, the heir apparent on Friday attended the meeting of the Congress core committee in the Capital.

Sonia Gandhi, who had chaired a party meeting on Thursday for the first time since her return from the US after surgery, did not attend the meeting.

Friday's core group meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his 7 Race Course Road official residence, was attended by other top leaders, including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony and Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel.

The core committee meeting was held in the backdrop of growing tensions within the ruling side over the government's decision to hike the petrol price and the move to prune the fuel subsidy bill. The Opposition has already hit the street in an attempt to exploit the growing public sentiment against the government's decision.

Rahul Gandhi was part of the team authorised to run the affairs of the party during the crisis over Anna Hazare's anti-graft agitation. At that juncture, the Sonia Gandhi-appointed team had left the crisis management to the ministers selected by the prime minister. The failure of the ministerial team to handle the situation credibly was a matter of concern for many in the organisation.

Sonia Gandhi's absence from Friday's core committee meeting suggests that her son will now handle important assignments like negotiating with the government on important issues in the coming days.