BJP Govt may collapse: Sonia

Gandhi said there was no ruling alliance partner which did not express displeasure at the way the government was run and, "even within the ruling party as well as its sister organisations, there are deep differences".

She also said, "Certain forces in the government and the BJP are unleashing competitive communalism, trying to outdo one another in targetting the minorities, resulting in brutal killings and destruction of properties." The government, she said, could not absolve itself of "shameful irresponsibility".

Taking a dig at Vajpayee’s one-day fast on January 30 to foster communal harmony, Sonia said, "A day’s fast is not enough to atone for inherent communalism of the ruling establishment."

Referring to the increase in prices of rice, wheat and sugar sold by fair price shops, Sonia said the government resorted to hiking the prices citing fiscal deficit reason but, under pressure from the allies, retraced its step a little. "This economic illusion is not acceptable to us," she said.

The Congress, Gandhi said, would launch a nationwide agitation against the "anti-people policies" of the BJP-led government. Gandhi, in this context, also accused the government of not evolving a consensus on important issues.

She also called for restoring "a stable, sane and sensible government" at the Centre by performing well in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka and some other states later this year.

The Congress president, who virtually kicked off the party’s campaign for the Assembly polls in Karnataka, lashed out at the Janata Dal government in the state for postponing the gram panchayat elections, charging that it was a "violation of the Constitution".

Sonia said striking a balance between demand and supply and controlling the prices was an indication of good economic policy and added that, without realising this, the Centre had increased the prices bringing dissatisfaction to people.

She charged that the Centre had become "worthless" and the morale of the police has fallen. "The strength of communal forces has increased and we are seeing attacks on the minorities," she said.

Atrocities were being committeed on Dalits also and the culprits were going scot-free, she said adding, even the meagre allocation for Dalits and backward classes were not being utilised fully.