Sonia Gandhi was re-elected as chief of the Congress parliamentary party yesterday
Many wrote the Congress' obituaries ahead of the election, but the party has come back strongly and demonstrated its resilience, re-elected Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi has said, congratulating and praising the newly-elected MPs.
Addressing the party's parliamentary party meeting yesterday, she said, "I am deeply conscious of the great responsibility all of you have placed on me yet again. Let me first of all greet and congratulate all the newly elected Lok Sabha MPs. You have fought a tough election under the most challenging of circumstances. You have surmounted many obstacles and campaigned so very effectively."
The Congress's improved numbers, she said, will give it a more effective voice in the Parliament's proceedings. The main Opposition party has won 99 seats this time -- a big jump from its 2019 tally of 52. "Your success has given us a much, much greater presence in the Lok Sabha and a more effective voice in its proceedings, both of which will help give greater strength to our participation," she said.
The Congress party, she said, was up against "a mighty and malevolent machine that was doing its utmost to destroy us". "It tried to cripple us financially. It carried out a campaign against us and our leaders that was full of lies and defamation. Many wrote our obituaries," she said.
"But under the determined leadership of Kharge ji we persevered. He is an inspiration to all of us. His commitment to the party organisation and its ideology is truly extraordinary and we all have to learn from his example," she said, praising the veteran party president.
Underlining the role Rahul Gandhi's yatras played in the Congress's performance, she said, "The Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra were historic movements which rejuvenated our party at all levels. Rahul deserves special thanks for his tenacity and determination to fight on in the face of unprecedented personal and political attacks. He also shaped our narrative on guarantees and protection of the Constitution very sharply."
"And it's my personal belief that the constant upholding of the importance of our Constitution during our campaigns by Rahul and Kharge ji, and all of you is that which compelled the Prime Minister yesterday to bow down literally to that which for us is a precious book, the Constitution of India," Mrs Gandhi added.
Thanking Congress workers across the country for their hard work in the party's campaign, she said, "Ours has also been a campaign where we have functioned truly as a collective."
Mrs Gandhi also praised Congress candidates who could not win the polls and said "they fought valiantly and did our party proud".
Mrs Gandhi, however, said the party has challenging times ahead. "We have to be alert to prevent any attempts to increase polarisation and erosion of secular and democratic values. This is a renewed opportunity for us as a party that established parliamentary democracy in our country to bring parliamentary politics back on track to where they legitimately belong."
In this election, the people have voted decisively to reject the politics of divisiveness and authoritarianism. They have voted to strengthen parliamentary politics and safeguard our Constitution. They have voted for the agenda of economic and social justice that indeed should continue to be our objective and guide," she said.