Get your act together for 2014: Sonia to ministers, party leaders
Noting that about 18 months were left for the next Parliamentary polls, Gandhi urged party to prioritise finishing the incomplete agenda of the Congress manifesto 2009
Congress President Sonia Gandhi addressing the party’s first ever “samvaad baithak” (dialogue session) at Surajkund today, urged for a closer working of the government and the party keeping in mind the 2014 elections. The Congress President also urged both Union ministers and the party organisation to prioritise finishing the incomplete agenda of the Congress manifesto of 2009.
Noting that about 18 months were left for the next Parliamentary polls, Gandhi said, "We have to respond aggressively to their false propaganda. We know that in reality their intention is to grab power at any cost, notwithstanding the fact that their greed could weaken democracy, equality, sovereignty and secular values.”
Recognising the fact that the global economic downturn, had forced the government to take certain decisions because of which the common man faced difficulties, Gandhi said, “The challenge before us is to tell the people about the reasons which forced us to take the decisions” in an obvious reference to the hike in prices of petroleum products as also LPG.
Voicing the reservations of some party members over certain decisions of the government as also their timings, Gandhi said that many were dissatisfied over the way ministers were not giving due attention to their suggestions and concerns. She urged ministers to listen to party workers and give due attention to their concerns. The ministers should interact with partymen while visiting states and this is all the more necessary in states ruled by the opposition parties, she said.
"Being Congress workers, we are part of one family...And it is but natural that on certain occasions there was need to ensure a balance between the responsibilities of the party and the government."
The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the 70 member strong gathering on the economic challenges and Finance minister P Chidambaram will brief them on the current fiscal situation.
Those present at the dialogues session include the 19 Congress Working Committee CWC members, 16 Permanent invitees, 23 Cabinet ministers and 12 MoS Independent charge.