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| Congress may go it alone | | Coalition word missing from Sonia discourse | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Apr 12
ET SPECIAL
For many the continuation of an alliance between the Congress and Peoples Democratic Party was more or less a foregone conclusion but as the elections approach near, things are seen taking a different shape.
While local Congress leaders and their PDP counterparts remain engaged in diatribe against each other, so far the party high command had given all the positive signals for continuation of the alliance. However, for the first time today, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi dropped a hint that her party may go it alone in the forthcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
During her brief and crisp 14 minute speech at the party’s women conclave here today, Sonia Gandhi kicked the poll campaign for the elections due later this year. She asked people that they should ‘vote for Congress’ on basis of its performance. “I appeal you to overwhelmingly support Congress in the forthcoming elections on the basis of party’s performance in bringing about massive development and ensuring a sense of security in the state.
Nowhere in her speech did the Congress president made any mention of the coalition, though she was not expected to name the Peoples Democratic Party. Her pointed focus on the performance of Congress party and seeking votes for its on the basis of its performance while making no mention of the coalition indicated that things towards an alliance were yet to be formalized.
She said election is round the corner and “I hope people would vote for the Congress.” She said “ek doosrey ki taakat banna hein. For the sake of prosperity and happiness of Jammu and Kashmir and for development and security vote for the Congress and strengthen it.” It was a listless pre-poll campaign which she kicked off while addressing a day-long women convention organized by Mahila Congress.
She spoke for just over 14 minutes and did not make any commitment on mitigating problem of people. However, she said “my good wishes are with you.” She at the same time listed some of the schemes launched by the UPA Government for empowering women and for promoting family welfare and child development programmes.
Sonia Gandhi found time in visiting the Jahti Satellite town project where flats were being constructed for Kashmiri migrants.
Even the Union Home Minister,Shivraj Patil, who had accompanied Sonia Gandhi had nothing to offer to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said “I will not deliver any speech. Let Ms Sonia Gandhiji use the time allotted to me in her speech. |
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