Sources pointed out that this concept was actually conceived and implemented in Assam months before Gandhi took over as general secretary.

Assam Youth Congress president Rekibuddin Ahmed had in May last year exhorted state IYC members to assume the role of aam admi ka sipahi to ensure that the benefits of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme reached the poor. Manik Tagore, the IYC general secretary in-charge of Assam, was then reported to have declared that a three-member Youth Congress team would go to each and every home in every panchayat block to try and enroll eligible beneficiaries of the NREGS.

During the powerpoint presentations on Monday, the AICC general secretaries were informed that the IYC had recruited 50 lakh new members under its membership drive.