Sonia Gandhi vows to fight out Opposition

Launching a scathing attack on the Opposition, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today said its true colours had come out after her resignation as everyone was trying to save himself from disqualification in the wake of the office of profit controversy.

"Perhaps you must have noticed that everyone's language has changed after my resignation," Gandhi, who resigned from the Lok Sabha last Friday, said addressing a rally here in her constituency.

Apparently targeting parties like the Samajwadi Party along with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Gandhi said her detractors had suddenly became quite and started finding out ways and means of saving themselves.

"I am not going to say much. But you understand what is happening," she said in a tongue-in-cheek remark at those who had created uproar in Parliament accusing her of using Parliament and the government to save herself from certain disqualification.

Revealing that she had decided to quit the Lok Sabha seat after consultations with her children, Rahul and Priyanka, Gandhi said she was aware that the road ahead was difficult and there were dangers. "But I am not the one to get scared by all this. I am not going to retrace my steps," she said.

Gandhi said the opponents of the Congress had not been able to stomach the fact that the party-run coalition was at the helm of affairs at the Centre and those who used to target Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were now targeting her.

"Whenever the opportunity arises, they say all concocted things. If there is a storm, hailstorm or lightning falls, they say it was all because of Sonia Gandhi," she said alleging that she was the target of all the attacks.

Gandhi, who also resigned as chairperson of the National Advisory Council, said she had not accepted that post for personal gains but to advise the government on the implementation of the common minimum programme.

Noting that the NAC played an important role in the framing of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, she regretted that some people, however, see everything from a selfish angle.

Describing her resolve to give a befitting reply to her detractors by going back to the people, Gandhi said, "I have full confidence in your conscience and judgement. Our fight will go on and the carvan will also keep on moving."

The Congress president said Rae Bareli had been more then a parliamentary constituency for the Gandhi-Nehru family, which had deep-rooted bonds for last five generations.

About her visit to her constituency, she said "whenever there are sad or happy moments, one shares it with the family. But I do not know whether I have come to share my happiness or sorrow."

Gandhi said the Nehru-Gandhi family had in past always faced mud-slinging campaign from opposition parties. "But if anyone supported them, it was none other than the people of this country including you all. The people are the greatest strength of our party."

She said the Congress was not only a political party but a tradition, the soul of the nation and the party, which was constantly engaged in building a better tomorrow of the country. About the rationale behind her resignation, Gandhi said she wanted the people to give justice to her. "You have to do justice and give a befitting reply," she said.