Cong divided over timing of LS polls

Except showering accolades on the UPA Government for the Indo-US nuclear deal and Congress president Sonia Gandhi8217;s rejection of the 8220;quota system...

Except showering accolades on the UPA Government for the Indo-US nuclear deal and Congress president Sonia Gandhi8217;s rejection of the 8220;quota system8221; in favour of 8220;qualification8221; in the ticket distribution exercise, the extended Congress Working Committee CWC meeting on Saturday was devoid of any self-introspection or policy guidelines on crucial issues ahead of the Assembly and general elections.

While Sonia took a dig at the Nitish Kumar Government saying that floods in Bihar were 8220;compounded by neglect8221; and criticised the BJP and its sister organisations for their 8220;carefully orchestrated ploy8221; to 8220;inflame religious prejudices and passions8221; in Orissa, the seven-hour-long meeting left many leaders disappointed as they were expecting detailed discussions and specific policy guidelines on contentious issues 8212; like the Amarnath land row, terrorism, Ram Sethu, anti-North India campaign in Maharashtra, to name a few 8212; and on party8217;s alliance with regional parties, including the SP.

The ruling party at the Centre was divided on the timing of the next parliamentary election with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda favouring simultaneous Assembly and general elections to take advantage of anti-incumbency factor in opposition-ruled states and Tamil Nadu PCC chief K V Thangkabalu rejecting his suggestion citing inflation as the reason.

The Congress president 8220;unequivocally8221; rejected the 8220;notion of a further division of J038;K8221;, as advocated by the RSS. 8220;There is also no question of pandering to or being soft on the separatists,8221; she said at the meeting. Congress leaders Saifuddin Soz and Mangatram Sharma gave a bleak picture of the party8217;s present standing in J038;K saying it had lost out in both Jammu and Kashmir regions as also among the Hindus and Muslims, according to sources present in the meeting.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought to allay apprehension about the controversial correspondence between the US President and the US Congress regarding the uninterrupted supply of fuel, said sources. The PM said India was bound by 123 Agreement only and what went on between the US Congress and the Executive was their internal matter. Nothing stops us from exercising the right to conduct nuclear tests, said the PM. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said there were many US court judgements indicating that international treaties prevailed over domestic laws, said sources.

Sonia attributed the success of negotiations both at the IAEA and the NSG to the Prime Minister8217;s 8220;leadership and sustained efforts8221;.

Mukherjee informed the CWC that as per AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi8217;s suggestion the central manifesto committee has asked the PCCs to get a feedback from different sections of people, including farmers, labourers, artisans, youth, and even NGOs, on their expectations.

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Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the Government8217;s measures to contain inflation had started paying dividends as inflationary trend has started showing a decline.

MP Congress chief Suresh Pachauri stressed on the need for 8220;unity8221; among 8220;big leaders8221; and said it should 8220;come from the heart8221;. His remarks came in the backdrop of senior leaders Digvijay Singh and Subhash Yadav projecting Kamal Nath as the party8217;s chief ministerial candidate at a rally in Chhindwara recently.