Cong strategy meet to begin on Friday in Jaipur

New Delhi: The Congress' high powered strategy meet will begin in Jaipur on Friday amidst speculation that party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi will take a frontal role as the party prepares for general elections 2014.

The Congress party will brainstorm at the two-day 'chintan shivir' and sources told CNN-IBN that the top brass of the party will focus on the Lok Sabha elections that are due in 2014 or earlier. Among the issues to be discussed will be whether to go it alone in the polls or focus on an alliance and new alliance partners.

Equal emphasis will be paid to the Direct Benefit Scheme which the Congress believes will be a game-changer in an election year. Yet another topic up for discussion will be the challenge that Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi poses, given his hat-trick wins in Gujarat. Finally, the party will also endorse the government's recent reform-spree.