Undeterred by the loss of major allies like the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in key Hindi-belt states, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today pitched hard for the Congress, claiming it as the only party capable of tackling challenges like terrorism and global meltdown.
Releasing the Congress manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi used the platform not only to announce Manmohan Singh’s name as the party’s PM candidate, but also tried to send a political message that the Congress was not depending on allies to win the coming elections.
“This is a national election and the Congress is the only party which is present in all parts of the country. It is the only party with national outlook,” Gandhi said in a bid to wriggle out of the possible loss of regional allies.
While she kept her options open of seeking the Left support to form the next government, she also laid down the reasons why the Congress was the only party capable of facing major challenges. “We have a clear vision based on secularism, democratic principles and social justice. On the basis of this vision, we can face all challenges — be it terrorism or global economic crisis,” said Gandhi.
The Left parties, however, rejected these claims and charged the Congress with allowing the rise of communal forces in the country. “In the Left-ruled states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, the BJP will not win a single seat. But in other states, where the Congress is the main force against the BJP, what have they done to check the BJP? The Congress even joined hands with the BJP and toppled the V P Singh government. How can they say that we are dividing the secular forces?” CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said today.
While the PM tried to take on the Third Front and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, terming them as “regressive forces” in India’s development, Gandhi harped on the durability factor of a Congress-led government. “We need a government that can provide durability and continuity. Manmohan Singh’s government has provided these (qualities),” she said.
Within hours of Gandhi’s battle cry, the four Left parties issued a joint appeal for their alternative government endeavour. In their usual style, Karat along with Forward Bloc leader Debabrat Biswas, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan and RSP chief T J Chandrachoodan, claimed all the credit for insulating India from the global economic crisis.
While Karat remained relatively silent on the attack against the PM, Bardhan and Biswas slammed Singh for his remarks against the Left. “PM has expressed his own weakness by calling regressive forces,” Biswas said while Bardhan claimed that their “negative attitude” has actually rescued the country from economic debacle.
As the Congress’ internal assessment shows little chance of forming the government on its own strength, Gandhi today tried to keep the hopes of the UPA alive. “We have decided to fight the elections alone only after we couldn’t reach an understanding with our partners over the seats. But we have alliances with parties like the NCP, Trinamool Congress and DMK,” said Gandhi said.
