Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday favoured direct elections in the Youth Congress and National Students Union of India (NSUI), saying the president of Youth Congress will not be nominated from now on.

Addressing an 'Adiwasi Melawa' (tribal youth meet) in the naxal-infested Gadchiroli, Gandhi said the practise of nominating presidents of these two organisations will be done away with.

"I will not select your leader...But you will have to elect your own leader and we are not bothered about his family background but surely, will depend on his personality and capabilities," Gandhi told the audience of tribal youth here.

Later in Buldhana, where he addressed a similar youth meet, Rahul appealed the youth to join Youth Congress. Caste or religion would not matter but newcomer must not have a criminal background, he said.

Rahul said that tribal were not visible on the national platform. "I want to bring change in the lives of tribal in the country and want to see them play a bigger role on the national level in these two organisations," he said in Gadchiroli.

Virtually launching a membership drive of the Youth Congress in Maharashtra from this backward region, Gandhi called on youngsters to join NSUI and Youth Congress.

He also interacted with a couple of young activists, and answered their queries.

During the question-and-answer session in Buldhana, Gandhi spoke about eliminating corruption from the grass-root level, and stressed the need for a corruption-free administration.

"If you are interested in developing the area, garner support from locals and get elected as an MLA instead of blaming the incompetent MLA," he said.

In Gadchiroli, Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who accompanied Rahul, said the UPA government has taken an important decision of handing over forest land to the tribal, and state government has implemented it in letter and spirit.

The centre was contemplating changes in Tendu Leaves and Bamboo policy to benefit the tribal, he said.

Union minister for social justice Mukul Wasnik, who was once NSUI's national president, also addressed the meet.

Gandhi, with Chavan, Wasnik and MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre, flew into Gadchiroli by a chopper from Nagpur to kickstart his tour to take a stock of the Youth Congress membership drive in the state.

Unlike his previous visit to Akola, ministers, MPs and MLAs were allowed to attend his programmes.