'The talent hunt is a gateway for those who want to get into politics but find it difficult,' Virender Singh Rathore, national general secretary of the Youth Congress, told IANS.

According to Rathore, any young person can walk in for the interview that its leaders conduct.

Rathore, who is also the Youth Congress in-charge in Uttar Pradesh, said that for a smooth conduct of the talent hunt, the state has been split into four zones: east, west, central and Bundelkhand.

Youngsters entering the Youth Congress are also tested on their vision for India, their social and political commitment, and their decision-making capabilities.

The next step in Uttar Pradesh would be organisational elections in the Young Congress, its leaders said.

The Youth Congress successfully held similar elections last year in Punjab and recently in Gujarat.

To help conduct the polls, Rahul Gandhi had roped in the Foundation for Advanced Management of Elections (FAME) to ensure that the elections are free and fair. Heading the NGO is former chief election commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh.

Tanwar said that these elections were the efforts of Rahul Gandhi to bring 'transparency and democracy' into the Youth Congress.

(Khalid Akhter can be contacted at khalid.a@ians.in)