United we stand, says Sonia
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday asserted that the United Progressive Alliance, would ‘remain intact’ in the next general elections scheduled for 2009.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday asserted that the United Progressive Alliance, would ���remain intact��� in the next general elections scheduled for 2009. ���Don���t worry. The UPA will remain intact,��� Ms Gandhi, who is also the UPA chairperson, said on the sidelines of a Congress parliamentary committee meeting on eve of the presentation of the general budget.
She was asked to comment about concerns that the alliance was under strain in the backdrop of LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan���s reluctance to go with Lalu Prasad���s RJD in Bihar. The former had also said that the UPA did not exist in Bihar.
Interestingly, Ms Gandhi���s statement also comes at a time when Congress-DMK ties have been seeing a lot of friction due to differences over the Sethusamudram issue. Also, though the UPA does not technically include Left parties ��� the CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc ��� Ms Gandhi���s statement reflects the Congress��� thinking on the outside supporters of the government as well.
Left parties, who have to fight the Congress in West Bengal and Kerala, have been trying to put some distance between the UPA and themselves by attending UNPA���s rallies. Ms Gandhi���s words, however, indicate that the Congress is wary of letting the Left drift too far apart.
With the current budget session of Parliament seeing continuous disruptions due to protests by the Opposition BJP and the UNPA, the Congress parliamentary committee met to discuss its strategy on the floor of the House.
Ms Gandhi���s comments came after this meeting which was attended by senior Congress ministers and party leaders including Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh, Shivraj Patil, Karan Singh, Ambika Soni, Suresh Pachouri, Jairam Ramesh and P R Dasmunsi.
She was asked to comment about concerns that the alliance was under strain in the backdrop of LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan���s reluctance to go with Lalu Prasad���s RJD in Bihar. The former had also said that the UPA did not exist in Bihar.
Interestingly, Ms Gandhi���s statement also comes at a time when Congress-DMK ties have been seeing a lot of friction due to differences over the Sethusamudram issue. Also, though the UPA does not technically include Left parties ��� the CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc ��� Ms Gandhi���s statement reflects the Congress��� thinking on the outside supporters of the government as well.
Left parties, who have to fight the Congress in West Bengal and Kerala, have been trying to put some distance between the UPA and themselves by attending UNPA���s rallies. Ms Gandhi���s words, however, indicate that the Congress is wary of letting the Left drift too far apart.
With the current budget session of Parliament seeing continuous disruptions due to protests by the Opposition BJP and the UNPA, the Congress parliamentary committee met to discuss its strategy on the floor of the House.
Ms Gandhi���s comments came after this meeting which was attended by senior Congress ministers and party leaders including Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh, Shivraj Patil, Karan Singh, Ambika Soni, Suresh Pachouri, Jairam Ramesh and P R Dasmunsi.
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