Sonia Gandhi woos youth, women and middle class at Congress Jaipur declaration

A A

Agencies: Jan 20 2013, 10:48 IST

A day after Rahul Gandhi's anointment as party's Vice President, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today targeted youth, women and middle class in the party's quest for widening its base ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Opening the AICC session here after the two-day chintan shivir, she also made some plain speaking to her partymen saying they should not indulge in nepotism and should show unity to face the challenge of elections which are 15 months away.

She said party leaders should work for the welfare of all and not restrict themselves to their "favourites".

"I am sure if we make the right efforts with unity, there is no doubt in my mind why we will not get the mandate again," she said.

Gandhi said she was happy with the participation of the younger colleagues in the brain storming conclave and hoped that it will help the party project new leadership.

With apparently the huge middle class in her mind, she spoke of women's empowerment in the context of the gang rape of the Delhi and of the need to fight corruption in public life.

Gandhi said after the Burari session of Congress, the UPA government had stepped up its fight against corruption and has introduced various measures in Parliament including the Lokpal Bill.

She said the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, nicknamed 'aapka paisa appke haath' (your money in your hands) will benefit people by transfer of money meant for pensions and scholarships directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

The DBTS will eliminate corruption by middlemen,

... contd.

Ads by Google

Single Page Format

1 | 2 | 3 | Next

Previous Story Fiscal crisis, budget battle mark Leon Panetta's tenure Next Story Insurance firms lingering on settling claims: Consumer forum

Reader's Comments (9)| Post a Comment

Rahul Gandhi

Gurminder | 20-Jan-2013Reply | Forward

Congress's hugely over acted Chitin Shivir fanfare produced little for the nation, 2nd position announcement a mere rubber stamp on reality. Another Congress reactionary attempt to confuse the Indians from the real issues of gross corruption, mega ghaflas, non performing justice system for ordinary citizens of India, burden of vulgar VIP and VVIP culture. Just look around at the youth that surrounds Rahul to find any face from ordinary India? The same old privileged class and their descendants paying homage to a dynastic family rule to preserve their own self interests. Middle class and the common man will no longer be fooled, thanks to the media in exposing the political mutual sham of the powerful, corrupt and criminality working hand in glove with the administrative machinery of India. Its belated lip service to much needed change that Congress has no intention of delivering.Rahul Ji if you really mean to serve India then eliminate the cancer of systematic Nepotism first.

Empty Declarations, No concrete Action Plan

KS Raghunathan | 20-Jan-2013Reply | Forward

The Jaipur declaration ought to have tabled action taken by the party regarding CWG scam, Adarsh Society scam, 2G Spectrum scam and Coalgate scam, which are in limelight, rather than dodging by simply saying the party would struggle to combat corruption. In any case,the question is, who is going to struggle to combat the evil ? How can the very men and women involved in it neck deep fight the evil ? They can only find ways and means to cover up themselves. The educated middle class are unlikely to be swayed by such empty enunciations. The congress party's only hope in 2014 is the uneducated poor "aam aadmis" struggling for their daily wages, with generous "freebies" before the election". As far as "dancing to the tunes of US and wester countries" in reviving the economy is concerned, these can be "performed" by any party. There is hardly any issue of "125 years of legacy" involved here,in being somebody's "whipping boy".

Congress and secularism

S.J.Akhtar | 20-Jan-2013Reply | Forward

Secularism has lost its relevance as far as minorities in general and Muslims in particular are concerned. During last 65 years Muslims have been relegated to background socially,economically, educationally and politically. The so-called secular Govts. have failed to provide basic amenities like security, sanitation,education and employment to them. Anti riots bill is yet to be introduced in parliament. Reports submitted by Sachchar committee and Rangnath Mishra are accumulating dust. Muslims participation in Govt. jobs has been reduced to 2%. It will be better if they do not proclaim their commitment to secularism as a ritual. It is not going to help them anyway.