There's no co-operative federalism, say Cong CMs

Congress-ruled states have refuted Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's claims of "co-operative federalism", alleging not only are they being denied appointments with the PM but are in fact getting less funds.

Nine Congress chief ministers were in the national capital, attending a conclave chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and was attended by former PM Manmohan Singh.

Sonia Gandhi said the PM was engaging in 'dangerous duplicitous game'. She said: "On one hand, the Prime Minister wants to project himself as the great champion of good governance and Constitutional values; on the other, he allows many of his colleagues to make vile statements and foment communal polarisation."

Singh took a dig at his successor, saying he has been "a more adept salesman, event manager and communicator than me". Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi urged the CMs to make their states the "best ruled" states in India.

With Congress governments in five of the Northeastern states, the chief ministers spoke against the removal of "special category" status to those states, which would cripple them financially.

In her opening address, Sonia Gandhi lambasted Modi for allowing his colleagues to create an atmosphere of "fear and foreboding" by fomenting "communal polarisation". The issue occupied centre-stage in the resolution passed at the conclave, which resolved to "resist these attempts forcefully". The resolution also rejected the "boastful claims, exaggerations and downright falsehoods" of the Modi-led government on its achievements, saying they were a "blatant copy" of United Progress Alliance (UPA) government's programmes.

Ahead of elections in several states next year, including Assam and Kerala, she urged the chief ministers to "disseminate and communicate" more about the "pro-poor" policies started by the UPA but also inform them about the implementation of state-level manifestos by Congress governments.

Singh reflected the views of the chief ministers when he said, "I am concerned that the Planning Commission that helped weaker states and poorer regions has been abolished hastily."

Rahul Gandhi urged the CMs to "defend our rights-based paradigm and defend our efforts towards decentralisation". He warned that the BJP was reversing the people's empowerment process and taking away power from the people. He advised each Congress state should focus on two or three transformational programmes.