Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi [Images] on Friday acknowledged that there was a disconnect between his party men and the problems faced by common people in Uttar Pradesh.

He said the party organisation was necessary not only at the time of elections, but people should move about in villages and know about the problems faced by common people throughout the year.

Acknowledging that the disconnect prevailed within the party, Rahul said his aim is to strengthen the Congress up to the village level, without which the development of the state, the country, and society in general was not possible.

Rahul was quoted by Congress sources as telling the newly-trained nyay panchayat presidents that people associated with the organisation should also apprise the common people of the party ideology and take them along. Only by doing that, could something concrete be achieved, he said.

The Congress MP told the panchayat presidents that all have to work in unity to realise the dream of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi about panchayti raj as villages of the country were still very backward.