Road ahead for Congress more challenging: Sonia

NEW DELHI: Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), she also hit out at the BJP, saying the ruling party’s “divisive agenda” has become a regular feature of political discourse in all states and that history is being “mischievously distorted” to add fuel to its agenda. Referring to the party’s performance in recent assembly elections, she said she is aware “how disappointed you are” as they have been both “shocking and painful”.

She said the CWC has met to review the performance and received many suggestions on how to strengthen the organisation, many of which are pertinent and the party is working on them. Gandhi stressed that holding a ‘Shivir’ is also very necessary as views of a larger number of colleagues and party representatives will be heard and they will contribute to put forward a clear roadmap on the urgent steps to be taken by the party on how best to meet the challenges we are confronted with. “The road ahead is more challenging than ever before. Our dedication and determination, our spirit of resilience is under severe test. Unity at all levels of our vast organisation is of paramount importance,” she said adding that she is determined to do whatever is needed to ensure it. “Our revival is not just a matter of importance to us alone. It is, in fact, essential for our democracy itself and indeed for our society as well,” Gandhi said. The Congress chief has been under attack from the G-23 within, who have demanded an overhaul of the organisation and have stressed on collective leadership after the party’s recent debacle in assembly polls.

The meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, the first one being held after the party’s debacle in recent assembly elections in five states, was attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, besides all party MPs in both houses of Parliament.