Lucknow, Nov 12 : Rahul Gandhi has been to Lucknow several times earlier, but he never attracted such attention as he received today, since it was for the first time that the Congress MP from Amethi attended the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee meeting after becoming the general secretary of his party in September.

With his role being to initiate corrective steps for the revival of the Congress party in the State, Rahul today said that the big issue for the party in the State is that it has not been able to attract youth.

Rahul, who is seen as the youth icon for the party, today focussed on basic administration and management of the party affairs, and also admitted that there are basic flaws in the State unit of the party .

"If you ask me, what kind (of flaws), then first of all, the very basic problem of record keeping, giving entry and ticket to the members. Another thing that I can see is that the party is not able to attract the youth - that is a big issue," Rahul said in a press conference after attending his first meeting at the Congress office here.

According to senior party members, the main aim behind Rahul's visit is to prepare the party for the next general elections.

"I am sure his presence will infuse new life in the party and the masses will realise that the Congress is all set to strengthen its base in the State," said Akhilesh Singh, spokesperson, Uttar Pradesh Congress Coordination Committee.

Senior leaders including Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi and All India Congress Committee general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, who is also in-charge of party affairs in the State, attended the meeting today.

Rahul, who is a member of the 32-member Coordination Committee (10 members were inducted later), is expected to meet 16 political delegations during his daylong stay in the state capital. (ANI)