New Delhi, Dec 22 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday highlighted the role of professionals in his party and said that it is time again for them to step up and contribute actively for a "progressive and prosperous" India. He also urged the people to join the All India Professionals' Congress, the professionals' body of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi in a post on 'X' said, "Professionals played a pivotal role in India's fight for independence. It is time again for professionals to step up and contribute actively for a progressive and prosperous India. Join Professionals' Congress at http://profcongress.in." Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, the AIPC launched a fresh membership drive after expanding its ambit for greater and broader involvement of the professionals with the party. AIPC Chairman Praveen Chakravarty, who was accompanied by Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate, said that after Rahul Gandhi's invitation to professionals to join the party, lot of them representing varied fields and professions had involved themselves with the party. He added that during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', a number of professionals had participated in it. He said that as the second phase of the Yatra was being planned, more and more professionals were coming forward to join it. Chakravarty identified six broad domains of professions under which the professionals can join the party. These include business, arts and culture that also includes movies, academia and civil society, sports, gig economy, and workers and self-employed professionals like lawyers, doctors, chartered accountants, architects and others. He also referred to the appeal by Rahul Gandhi to professionals to join the struggle to reclaim the original idea of India. He said it had found great resonance and response among the professionals, who had joined the Congress. Three leading professionals in their respective fields -- C.K. Kumaravel, Arjun Gupta and Sangam Tripathi -- joined the AIPC on the occasion. /IANS