The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday resolved to seek a mandate for change in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “cynically exporting people for electoral gains”.
Held in Ahmedabad, the crucial assembly of top Congress leaders, attended by party president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, sought the mandate for mike minded parties and Congress allies and also appealed to progressive forces to unite against the BJP.
Reiterating its commitment to the AICC Plenary which resolved to forge alliances with like-minded parties to defeat the BJP, CWC said the Plenary resolution on alliances stands.
Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, party spokesperson Anand Sharma said: “The stand on alliances was delineated in the plenary resolution. We draw our strength from the Plenary. The CWC asked for people’s mandate for all Congress supporting parties and allies. Alliances were not discussed separately today”.
That the Congress May soften its stand on pre poll pacts which are hardly on track was evident from the tweet Rahul Gandhi posted while he was still at the CWC meeting.
He said no sacrifice is too great to defeat BJP.
“On the anniversary of Gandhi Ji’s historic Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/ BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger & divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great in this endeavour; no effort too little; this battle will be won.”
On the anniversary of Gandhi Ji’s historic Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/ BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger & divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great in this endeavour; no effort too little; this battle will be won. pic.twitter.com/w6PhAIbYMs
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 12, 2019
Later in the day the CWC passed a political resolution that reaffirmed party’s commitment to unity in times of crisis such as Pulwama, and attacked prime minister Modi for exploiting people’s emotions to divert people’s attention from the failures of his government.
“We won’t let people forget that the Modi Government has been all about betrayal,” Anand Sharma said.
On post Pulwama events the CWC resolution noted: “The CWC sends a stern and unequivocal message to India's enemies that India stands united and resolute as one nation to confront and defeat their nefarious agenda. India is a resilient democracy, proud of its brave Armed Forces. It shall never be defeated by forces of violence and terror”.
The Congress Party expresses its strong disappointment that the Prime Minister is cynically exploiting the issue of National Security, on which we are all united, to divert attention from his colossal failures, bogus claims and persistent falsehoods.”
The meeting also resolved to expose the BJP government’s “falsehoods” and said the Congress will seek a mandate for change with all humility.
The party added that it will remind people of how the Congress led UPA kept the promises of economic growth, social inclusion and development and in the recently won three states the promise of farm loan waiver.
“We will go to the people and talk about how Congress does what it says while the BJP makes false promises. We won’t let the BJP fool India again,” Sharma said.
Rahul, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh addressed the CWC meeting. Priyanka Gandhi also spoke and is learnt to have given her suggestions on the Congress’ manifesto promise of basic income for the poor.
Earlier the top Congress leaders offered prayers at Sabarmati Ashram.
The CWC meeting was symbolically held in Gujarat, the home state of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel to coincide with the 89th anniversary of Dandi March today and also to mark the ongoing 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.
The CWC also paid respects to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre in the centenary year of the tragedy.
Congress said BJP was trying to appropriate the icons of the freedom movement because they have none of their own.
“But the BJP is the opposite of everything Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel stood for. CWC reiterated its commitment to the values shown by the two great sons of Gujarat,” Anand Sharma said.
CWC meeting was the first major political event of Congress after the declaration of general elections this Sunday.