New Delhi:
At a time when the Congress and the Prime Minister are beleaguered by a slew of allegations ranging from corruption to policy paralysis, party president Sonia Gandhi made it clear that Dr Manomhan Singh enjoys her confidence and support.
"We will have to fight fiercely against such allegations at the party and the government levels," Mrs Gandhi said at a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sat by her side.
In her address to the party's highest decision-making body, Mrs Gandhi took on, among others, Team Anna, which has recently and aggressively targeted the Prime Minister for allegedly allowing a massive swindle in the allocation of coal fields to private companies. She said the attack on the Prime Minister and the government is "part of a conspiracy".
"In a democracy, it is the job of the opposition to oppose but the manner in which opposition and some anti- Congress elements are, as part of a conspiracy, levelling baseless allegations against the Prime Minister, the UPA government, the party and some of our colleagues, is a matter of regret," she said. Words that found quick rebuttal from BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who said the "UPA criticising others on corruption is sad."
Mrs Gandhi's words of confidence in the PM seemed directed both at Opposition parties and other Congress baiters and at any Congressman seized with doubt in these times of multiple crises for the party
At the meeting, Mrs Gandhi also stressed that the Congress needs to prep for elections in key states like Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh scheduled for later this year. She highlighted the fact that the general elections are now just two years away.
Still haunted by the disastrous performance in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, where the Congress placed a poor third, she said, "If we spend our efforts on party-building instead of groupism, our party will be strengthened." The government has been weakened by allegations of rampant graft, and referring to the need to correct this, she said, "People will behave with the party in the same manner as its image would emerge in their mind based on the opinion they form about us," she said, adding that when a political evaluation takes place, it is always based on the organisation and not an individual...And for this, the most important thing is that we all work unitedly."
She referred to the challenges that confront the government include a worrying economic slowdown. India's growth in January-March was its weakest in nearly a decade, and sparked a new round of economic downgrades from investment banks.
The Congress meeting comes soon after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 14 senior ministers of his government came under fresh attack from the team of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare; the charges of corruption saw the PM make a rare and impassioned defence.
The meeting, chaired by Mrs Gandhi, was attended by the PM and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Also in attendance are members of the CWC and chief ministers of Congress-ruled states.
High on the agenda, sources say, is a presentation on the economic situation by the Finance Minister, where he is expected to, among other things, explain the universally unpopular decision to allow a steep hike in petrol prices.
On May 24, state-owned oil companies announced a hike of Rs. 7.54 a litre in petrol prices - the steepest increase ever. This Saturday, after a fortnightly review, the oil marketing companies announced a reduction of Rs. 1.68 per litre in petrol prices, excluding taxes. The move came as some relief for consumers battered by double-digit inflation, but the political pressure on the government is unlikely to ease. It has been attacked on the issue of the price hike by all political parties including allies like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. Even some Congress leaders were said to have spoken in strong words against the hike and the party had officially said it hoped the government was considering some measures to ease the burden on people.
Press Trust of India reports that the party could pass a resolution at the meeting calling for effective steps to provide relief to the people who are battling rise in prices of essential commodities.
Sources say the Congress president is also expected to discuss the Antony Committee report on the Congress' poor show in assembly elections in five states earlier this year. This is the first CWC meeting after those elections in UP and four states and the Congress is determined not to repeat its electoral errors in elections to the other crucial states at the end of this year.
"We will have to fight fiercely against such allegations at the party and the government levels," Mrs Gandhi said at a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sat by her side.
In her address to the party's highest decision-making body, Mrs Gandhi took on, among others, Team Anna, which has recently and aggressively targeted the Prime Minister for allegedly allowing a massive swindle in the allocation of coal fields to private companies. She said the attack on the Prime Minister and the government is "part of a conspiracy".
"In a democracy, it is the job of the opposition to oppose but the manner in which opposition and some anti- Congress elements are, as part of a conspiracy, levelling baseless allegations against the Prime Minister, the UPA government, the party and some of our colleagues, is a matter of regret," she said. Words that found quick rebuttal from BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who said the "UPA criticising others on corruption is sad."
Mrs Gandhi's words of confidence in the PM seemed directed both at Opposition parties and other Congress baiters and at any Congressman seized with doubt in these times of multiple crises for the party
At the meeting, Mrs Gandhi also stressed that the Congress needs to prep for elections in key states like Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh scheduled for later this year. She highlighted the fact that the general elections are now just two years away.
Still haunted by the disastrous performance in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, where the Congress placed a poor third, she said, "If we spend our efforts on party-building instead of groupism, our party will be strengthened." The government has been weakened by allegations of rampant graft, and referring to the need to correct this, she said, "People will behave with the party in the same manner as its image would emerge in their mind based on the opinion they form about us," she said, adding that when a political evaluation takes place, it is always based on the organisation and not an individual...And for this, the most important thing is that we all work unitedly."
She referred to the challenges that confront the government include a worrying economic slowdown. India's growth in January-March was its weakest in nearly a decade, and sparked a new round of economic downgrades from investment banks.
The Congress meeting comes soon after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 14 senior ministers of his government came under fresh attack from the team of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare; the charges of corruption saw the PM make a rare and impassioned defence.
The meeting, chaired by Mrs Gandhi, was attended by the PM and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Also in attendance are members of the CWC and chief ministers of Congress-ruled states.
High on the agenda, sources say, is a presentation on the economic situation by the Finance Minister, where he is expected to, among other things, explain the universally unpopular decision to allow a steep hike in petrol prices.
On May 24, state-owned oil companies announced a hike of Rs. 7.54 a litre in petrol prices - the steepest increase ever. This Saturday, after a fortnightly review, the oil marketing companies announced a reduction of Rs. 1.68 per litre in petrol prices, excluding taxes. The move came as some relief for consumers battered by double-digit inflation, but the political pressure on the government is unlikely to ease. It has been attacked on the issue of the price hike by all political parties including allies like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. Even some Congress leaders were said to have spoken in strong words against the hike and the party had officially said it hoped the government was considering some measures to ease the burden on people.
Press Trust of India reports that the party could pass a resolution at the meeting calling for effective steps to provide relief to the people who are battling rise in prices of essential commodities.
Sources say the Congress president is also expected to discuss the Antony Committee report on the Congress' poor show in assembly elections in five states earlier this year. This is the first CWC meeting after those elections in UP and four states and the Congress is determined not to repeat its electoral errors in elections to the other crucial states at the end of this year.
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