Katni, May 23: Stepping up her attack against the policies of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today charged the partners of NDA with having come together not for country's progress but to achieve power. Addressing a large public meeting at the local police ground here, she claimed that farmers, tribals, the poor and all other sections of society were unhappy with the policies of the NDA government. "If every section of society is unhappy, then what was the rationale behind the existence of the NDA government," she asked. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi promised to create one crore jobs but as per the Centre's own economic survey, job opportunities had come down by 68 lakhs, she said.

Sonia said ever since the NDA government assumed office, the condition of the country had deteriorated.


There were no ideological similarities between the partners of NDA because of which they quarrel amongst themselves, she said.


Sonia came here by road from Jabalpur and on the way visited five villages, where she enquired from people their problems.


Others who addressed the meeting were Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and senior Congress leaders Arjun Singh and Kamalnath.
Bureau Report