•Rahul Gandhi has made the correct moves and noises to establish himself as the undisputed leader of the Congress (‘Rahul tests waters...’, IE, September 11). Ever since the emergence of the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu politics, the state Congress had lost its importance and in recent times the state unit has been hobbled by factional fights making the party a laughing stock. It’s been contesting elections by riding piggy-back on either the DMK or the AIADMK. Gandhi should revive the party and should make it a formidable fighting force with young people to usher in an era of “clean” politics in the state. People are fed up with the chauvinistic policies of the Dravidian parties.

— Vijay Mohan

Chennai

•The government in Tamil Nadu received a serious threat when Rahul Gandhi visited Tamil Nadu, particularly Chennai. The younger Gandhi is trying to popularise the ideology of the Congress in the state and would like the Congress to win an election on its own.

— Jayanthy Subramaniam

Sanpada

Starred questions

•Is one to believe that, if not for newspaper reports, the five-star sojourn of the external affairs minister and his deputy would have remained a secret, affording them the comforts of working from a temporary residence that is far preferable to the amenities — or lack of them — offered in the official bungalows designated for them? It would seem that if the affluence of a governor’s office charmed one, a long stint at the UN made the other a stellar example of diplomatic finesse. If they bemoan a lack of privacy, what they now ought to

... contd.