India, Aug. 24 -- Something was striking about the Congress in Pune over the past few days. The party was not merely preparing for Rahul Gandhi's interaction with female students. It had turned the programme into a major organisational exercise, bringing leaders from across Maharashtra to Pune and putting its local machinery to work.

For three to four days, Pune became a temporary Congress camp. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal was here reviewing arrangements, while senior leaders Satej Patil and Yashomati Thakur were involved in mobilising the organisation. Leaders Vijay Wadettiwar, Prashant Jagtap and others were also visible around the preparations. The party's Delhi team arrived a day before the Chhatron ki Goonj programm...