Congress admits to govt-party disconnect

At the Congress party’s first samvaad baithak (dialogue session) at Surajkund on Friday, party president Sonia Gandhi admitted to a disconnect between the party and the government on crucial issues. She sought greater coordination between the two, a vital factor for the Congress in the run-up to the 2014 general elections.

About 40 of the 70 participants spoke at the meeting. Of these, the majority raised concern on the government’s decision of capping the number of subsidised domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders to six per household, per year. At the end of the six-hour deliberation, a coordination group, along with three sub groups, was set up to facilitate coordination between the party and the government.

In the past few weeks, differences between the party and the government have cropped up on issues such as the Food Security Bill, the increase in prices of non-subsidised cylinders by Rs 26 (which was subsequently rolled back within hours) and appointments to the council of ministers.