In a subtle yet strong signal to her allies on the Congress’s increasing weariness with UPA coalition management, party president Sonia Gandhi said today that the party could not cede its political space for the sake of a coalition and had to regain its supremacy of the past. At the same time, though, she made it clear that neither she nor Rahul Gandhi has a “magic wand” to revive the party — and there is no alternative to the politics of struggle.Addressing the one-day AICC session at Talkatora stadium here today, she said that the Congress was committed to run the UPA but coalition meant “positive cooperation” on the part of all parties. “.Working in a coalition does not mean that we should cede our political space forever. I admit in front of you that it is a balance, a political challenge. But it is my firm opinion that we have to take the Congress to its past heights,” she said.Underlining this message — expected to be heard loud and clear for parties like the RJD, the DMK and the Left — Sonia counted Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal as “the most difficult challenges” facing the Congress. “There (in these three states), we have no alternative other than forgetting our internal differences and standing on our feet,” she said. As for Uttar Pradesh, the chronic problem state for the Congress, she once again stressed the need to “rebuild the party from the ground level up,” in that state.Since the Shimla session in 2003 where she said that a coalition was “unavoidable,” this is the first time that the Congress president has emphasized on the need of the party to avoid a coalition.The AICC resolution later reinforced this message: “The AICC is clear that such a coalition cannot be at the cost of revival of the Congress itself, particularly in the states where its base has been eroded. In the long term, there is no alternative to a revived Congress coming to power on its own.” Referring to the Nandigram incident, the resolution condemned the “culture of violence and the cult of armed cadres”. “All this is the natural outcome of a system where the interests of party cadres are placed above the interests of the people at large and the law and order machinery is not allowed to function professionally,” it said. In his debut speech as general secretary at the AICC session, Rahul emphasized the need for the party to develop as a “meritocratic” organisation in which the key to a young man’s progress in the party hierarchy is “performance”. He said that if the Congress has to truly represent the youth, it has to be open and relevant to the broad range of young Indians. He stressed on the need to connect India physically through roads, electricity, telecommunication, railway and other infrastructure. Addressing the session earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed confidence that “the young leaders of the Congress party like Shri Rahul Gandhi can win the minds and affection of our youth and take the Congress party and the nation to new frontiers and new heights of glory.” Rahul said that the PM’s guidance was “an inspiration” to young leaders. Sonia’s remarks came in the backdrop of differences among UPA constituents and Left allies over Indo-US nuclear deal. The DMK had also gone public with its reservation about the deal while the RJD has been foiling Sonia’s attempt to to deliver on her promise of Women’s Reservation Bill. Indirectly referring to DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s eulogy of LTTE leader Tamilselvan, who was killed recently, the AICC resolution said, “The LTTE.deliberately assassinated our beloved leader in a brutal manner. The sentiments of all Congressmen and women are bound to get hurt if the LTTE is eulogised in any manner.” Her remarks on coalition politics came nine years after the Pachmarhi Declaration that had pledged to restore the party to its primacy in national affairs and decided that a coalition would be considered only when “absolutely necessary”. At the Vichar Manthan Shivir in Shimla in 2003, the Congress had expressed preparedness to enter into arrangements with secular parties “on the basis of mutual understanding but always without compromising its basic ideology”. Slamming the NDA for what she called its “obstructionist politics,” Sonia said the Congress was the only pan-Indian party with faith in secular values. While reminding party workers of Lok Sabha election in 2009, she said anti-incumbency could be avoided if the party is active and in touch with the people. Deliberating on the three other resolutions adopted at the AICC session — 150 Years of the First War of Independence, 60 Years of Independence and 100 Years of Satyagraha — Sonia launched a scathing attack on Narendra Modi government in Gujarat. “Gandhian ideas, ideals and institutions are under threat in our country. They are under sustained assault in the state of its birth itself and in other BJP-ruled states,” she said. Congress leaders, including the PM, sought credit for reducing communal tensions during the UPA regime. In the backdrop of galloping international crude oil prices, the resolution also called upon the government to “exhaust” all options before passing on any price burden to consumers. The PM said later that the government had managed to keep inflation under control in the face of many difficulties. “The Congress President has told me time and again that we should try to control inflation. I can assure you that the government will do its best,” he said.Reminding the AICC delegates that global prices of basic food commodities had seen a rapid rise, the PM said, “It will be our constant endeavour to ensure that essential food items are available to the poor and needy at a reasonable cost.”Very clear who’s The Boss — and who’s The Son• HRD Minister Arjun Singh: “In his short speech he (Rahul) made it clear what his political thoughts are.We are very happy and I congratulate him for this. I also saw a slight streak of Rajivji in him.” • AICC General Secretary Margaret Alva: Soniaji was “the most appropriate symbol” to take Mahatma Gandhi’s message to UN General Assembly “for her spirit of tyag”. • Power Minister Sushil Shinde: When I was a general secretary and Soniaji was sitting there (down the dais), I had requested her to come forward. I am telling the same to Rahulji (sitting in the back row on the dais) today to come forward.• Beginning his speech, Union Minister Anand Sharma said: “Adarniya Soniaji, aadar ke yogya pradhan mantriji.”(Respected Sonia, worthy-of-respect Prime Minister)
