Sonia for aggressive party-govt coordination

Congress President Sonia Gandhi exhorted the party to take a more aggressive stance against political opponents. And, urged its state governments to form coordination committees with the party to ensure both ran on the same track.

Both messages — in her concluding address to the All India Congress Committee plenary session here — were aimed to convey to party workers that they came first, institutionalising a government-party relationship of a kind seen in India only in the Communist-ruled states.

Gandhi repeated her earlier directive, that the party would not countenance corruption. This was echoed by the Prime Minister, who said her suggestions would be taken on board by the government.

Gandhi announced a public contact programme. State units are to organise public meetings in each assembly constituency to highlight the government’s programmes. Each Pradesh Congress Committee will file a report every month on the implementation of flagship programmes, with a report to the AICC every quarter.

Gandhi said in election-bound states, discipline and unity were imperative. “There are many among us who have got nothing for the party but continue to toil for it in a spirit of selflessness. For these people, there is a special place in my heart. The value of those who work selflessly cannot be measured,” she said, to wild applause.

Earlier in the day, she met all the senior delegates of places which are election-bound in 2011: Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.