Sonia Gandhi on coalition, nuke deal, BJP

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said that being in a coalition does not mean the party is sacrificing its independent political space forever.

"Coalition means positive support from all sides. Working in a coalition does not mean we lose our political space forever," Gandhi said in her address at the All India Congress Committee session here.

Gandhi's observation comes in the backdrop of pulls and pressures within the UPA coalition on various issues, particularly the Indo-US nuclear deal.

While accepting that coalition was a political challenge, she asserted that Congress workers should strive to bring back the original glory that the party enjoyed earlier.

Ahead of elections in several states next year and the Lok Sabha polls in 2009, Gandhi said that anti-incumbency was not something that was bound to happen or something that could not be avoided.

Gandhi noted that the outcome of some recent assembly elections has revealed that the sympathy of people towards the party has not been translated into votes. "This was true in the case of Uttar Pradesh" where, she said, there was a need to revive the party from the grassroot level.

In support of the nuclear deal

Gandhi came out fully in support of the Indo-US nuclear deal saying it would have no impact on India's atomic programme but enable the country acquire fuel and technology and help in getting the much-needed electricity for faster growth.

A day after the Left parties gave clearance to the government to approach IAEA for working out India-specific safeguards agreement, she told the AICC meeting that there were differences with the outside allies but efforts were on to evolve a consensus through discussions.

Endorsing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to the country that the agreement would not in any way affect the strategic nuclear programme, Gandhi said from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, their policy was one of self-reliance.

"International co-operation on our own terms is an inalienable part of this policy of self-reliance," she said amidst applause from the gathering of Congress delegates from all over the country.

BJP playing 'obstructive' politics

Launching a frontal attack on BJP, Gandhi today said the saffron party had played an "obstructive" role in politics, and Gandhian ideals were under threat in states ruled by it.

Gandhi also flayed BJP's comments on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying no words were strong enough to condemn the attacks on him.

Asserting that the UPA has brought secular values to governance and administration, she said the welfare of minorities has been the priority of the UPA and the government was working on recommendations of Sachar Committee on uplift of Muslims.

"We have announced special packages in backward areas specially where there are non-Congress governments. This proves that unlike BJP, our government does not play partisan politics," Gandhi said.