New Delhi: In what looks like a morale booster, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took the social media route to assert that the party's Kerala leaders stand united. The former Congress leader posted a picture of the Kerala leaders addressing the media after the February 28 meeting in Delhi and wrote: "They stand as one, united by the light of purpose ahead."

In the silhouette-like shot from behind, all senior leaders from the state including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran, Congress Working Committee invitee Ramesh Chennithala, CWC member Shashi Tharoor, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan, Kodikkunnil Suresh MP and M M Hassan are seen flanking AICC in-charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi and AICC Genral Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal as the two leaders address media.

The Congress' top brass met Kerala leaders at the 'Indira Bhawan' in Delhi for a brainstorming session to discuss the strategy and the way forward ahead of next year's assembly elections amid repeated reports of a rift within the state leadership.

At the meeting, Gandhi said leaders should be very careful about the political strategy and should not do or say anything that does not toe the party line. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had laid stress on discipline, ensuring unity and filling up the vacant posts to strengthen the party's Kerala unit, according to sources.

"We got a clear indication from our high command that the Congress is very much connected with the people of Kerala emotionally and politically. People are looking for a change, so we should not do anything that will disrespect the people of Kerala. "This was a clear indication, and if anyone (says) anything personally, we will take strong action. Because we have no right to disrespect the people of Kerala," Dasmunshi had told reporters after the meeting.