The Hindu : Beware of BJP bid to polarise society, Sonia tells people

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 06, 2003

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Beware of BJP bid to polarise society, Sonia tells people

By Javed M. Ansari

The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, flanked by senior party leaders, Manmohan Singh and Shivraj Patil, at the CWC meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. — PTI

NEW DELHI JAN. 5. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, today launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and urged the people to be vigilant against its attempts to "communalise" society.

Speaking to mediapersons at the end of the Congress Working Committee meeting, in which Gujarat featured prominently, she said people should be alert against the BJP's attempts to polarise society, especially in the States going to the polls this year. "There is every possibility of them doing it again in the States going to the polls.''

She had asked the Congress leader, Manmohan Singh, to prepare a detailed report on the reasons for the Congress' electoral defeat in Gujarat. "We had an exhaustive discussion, all the Chief Ministers and the general secretaries gave their impression... we are in the process of getting some more reports which will be analysed thoroughly.''

Refuting the suggestion that her party had played the soft Hindutva card in the State and failed, Ms. Gandhi said "I don't think so... neither did the participants in today's meeting share that view.'' In her opening remarks to the CWC, she attributed the party's defeat to the "hate-filled campaign'' of the BJP. But, despite the "virulent" campaign, more than half the number of people in the State had voted for the Congress, she maintained.

As the only representative national party, the Congress was "secular with a national base, inclusive in character that can accommodate all social and religious groups.''

Answering queries, the Congress spokesperson, Jaipal Reddy, said the party had an "open mind" on electoral alliances. Asked pointedly if the stand extended to Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, were the NCP was reportedly insisting on a post-electoral alliance, he said that the two parties were already coalition partners. "We are open to reasonable suggestions of seat adjustments and electoral alliance.''

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