New Delhi, Dec 19 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday described the decision of the Delhi people to vote the party to power for a third term was a “rejection of a vicious propaganda” by the Bharatiya Janata Party to politicise the Mumbai terror attacks.

“The results of the Assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan and Mizoram have enthused and re-energised our workers everywhere. The BJP had predicted that the Congress would lose all the States. It had politicised the Mumbai terror attacks in a most provocative way. The people of Delhi rejected such a vicious propaganda and have given our party yet another term even after 10 years in office,” Ms. Gandhi said at the general body meeting of the party in Parliament.

Lack of unity

]There were a number of reasons for the party’s setback in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, but lack of unity and coordination among party colleagues was the main factor for the debacle. The party, however, had increased both seats and vote share in the two States. All party men should learn appropriate lessons from these reverses, she said.

Ms. Gandhi pointed out that the party scored a resounding victory in Mizoram after being in the opposition for a decade and in Rajasthan, it was back in power after a disappointing show in 2003.

J&K polls

Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir elections, she said that despite considerable violence and sharp polarisation following the Amarnath Yatra issue and calls for boycott of the polls, the State people have sent a strong and unambiguous signal that they have full faith in the democratic process and they yearned for peace and development.

Ms. Gandhi said Parliament was scheduled to meet some time in mid-February 2009 and thereafter it would be time for general election.

“So, there is no time to waste. There are many serious challenges to be met. All of us have to work very hard, both individually and collectively in cohesion.”

Sinlung News