On the other hand, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is in-charge of the frontal organisations of the party, recommended his appointment after personally interviewing those who were shortlisted for the post.

He had earlier formed a screening committee to shortlist deserving candidates for the president ship of all- India NSUI but later personally interviewed the shortlisted candidates and in consultation with the committee decided to appoint Fairoz Khan, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir.