Kochi:
The Congress today kick-started its Lok Sabha campaign in Kerala with party chief Sonia Gandhi giving strong message of unity and victory to partymen at a conclave in Kochi. She also assured partymen of winning the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
In a strongly worded speech, she slammed the Opposition for their "divisive tactics". Without directly naming the BJP, Mrs Gandhi said, "2014 elections is crucial and not based on achievements alone but because the idea of India is under threat by those who don't just seek to rule but to change India's very heart and soul... we want unity, they want uniformity."
"You have a choice to build India of 21st century, or an India which will be prisoner to an ideology," she said.
Slamming the CPI(M) in Kerala, Mrs Gandhi said while Congress believes in a tradition of negotiations, "the rival Opposition in Kerala has a history of violence, murders and brutal acts".
"The choice before Indians is to choose between India of all or India of some serving the interest of few," she said.
Silencing rumours of infighting within Congress in Kerala, she said, "There are no different groups, but Congress will face elections as one group and win 2014".
While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy claimed that ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) would win all 20 seats this time, he silenced rumours of differences among the leaders on appointment of new KPCC Chief Sudheeran. "My presence no longer makes any news, it's my absence. My absence during new KPCC Chief's appointment was due to unavoidable circumstances of a prescheduled conference. We at the leadership have been in close communication. We will stand united and win all seats in 2014."
The UDF won 16 out of the 20 seats in 2009, out of which Congress won 13 seats.