New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): Describing Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi as a " a very good leader who can deliver the goods", Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here that Gandhi could have "got any post in the government or the party " but instead he opted to study the socio-economic situation of the country and the "problems of the new generation."

"With his background and support, he (Gandhi) could have been in the front ..... He could have got any post in the government or the party.. many years earlier," Chandy said in an interaction with IANS journalists during a visit to the agency's head office here this week.

"Rahul Gandhi is a very good leader who is taking all opportunities to study the problems (of the people) ....He definitely can deliver goods," Chandy added.

He was answering a question whether he thought Rahul Gandhi was prime ministerial material.

Chandy was on a three-day visit to the national capital to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and ministers. He met Rahul Gandhi too.

"He is studying the socio-economic situation. He is utilising all the opportunities to study all realities... especially the problems of the new generation," the chief minister said.

That is why Rahul Gandhi has taken the charge of the youth and student wings of the party, he added.

Gandhi, 41, has been party general secretary in charge of the Indian Youth Congress and National Students Union of India since 2007.

Pointing out that Gandhi was studying the ground realities in detail, Chandy said: "That shows his sincerity and nature."

Of late, Congress circles have been agog with speculation that Rahul Gandhi may be assigned a bigger role in the party to help his mother Sonia Gandhi, who had undergone a major surgery abroad in August for an yet undisclosed illness.