NEW DELHI : With Lok Sabha Elections just a few months away, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said despite the setbacks and difficulties, the Congress party was ready and prepared for the battle ahead.
“As the 2014 Lok Sabha elections approach, we need to send a clear signal that the Congress is ready and prepared for the battle ahead. The Congress has faced many difficulties in the past. But we have repeatedly demonstrated resilience by remaining committed to our vision.
Whether there is victory or defeat, we have never left our will to fight. Let us strengthen our resolve,” Mrs Gandhi said while addressing delegates at the AICC meeting, which is taking place with just few months before the 2014 General Elections. The meet comes close on the heels of a poor show by the party in the assembly elections in four states.
In a scathing attack on the BJP, Mrs Gandhi, who opened the session with her address, accused the Opposition party of dividing the people on the basis of religion.
“Our opponents want to divide the people while secularism is a way of life for the Congress. Their divisive policies are stretching the social fabric to the breaking point. On the other hand, the Congress believes in uniting the Nation. The Opposition way is to spread disharmony. There is a face hidden behind the mask of compassion,” Mrs Gandhi said in her address.
The Congress President said a secular form of Government was the best suited for the country and slammed ‘communal forces’.
She said all Congress-ruled states were committed to a powerful Lokayukta by the end of February and the coming Lok Sabha elections were for an India which the country’s founding fathers had visualised.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram, in his speech, challenged any party to point out any other time when the country had achieved this level of growth.
He said the Congress idea was that ‘everyone is equal, growth leads to inclusive development and everyone gets social justice.’
He said growth had always been ‘inclusive’ in the UPA regime and that it believed in inclusive development. Highlighting India’s achievements during the past ten years, he said India had achieved the highest ever growth rate in the last ten years under the UPA.
The meeting began with Congress workers shouting slogans hailing Mr Gandhi and forcing him to intervene and promise to spell out his vision when he addresses the gathering at 1539 hours.
The crucial meeting assumes significance as it comes a day after Mrs Gandhi rejected demands from a section within the party for Mr Gandhi to be named the Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The AICC is now expected to pass a resolution which will highlight Mr Gandhi’s role ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. (AGENCIES)
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