Shimla, July 07: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said her party was ready to face Lok Sabha elections anytime this year or next year and was confident that the people will reject the BJP-led NDA government. Addressing a Congress conclave here, she referred to the talk of advancing Lok Sabha elections due next year.

"We are ready to face the elections either this year or next year whenever they are held. I am confident that the people will reject the incompetent NDA government led by BJP," Gandhi said. She said the government was exploiting the issue of terrorism and was using it to divide the people. Charging the NDA government at the Centre with failure on security, economic and foreign policy fronts, Gandhi said the time was up for it and the congress have to reclaim its rightful place.

Asserting her party would safeguard the country`s secular fabric at all costs, she said organisations like VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal were trying to divide society by portraying a distorted picture of Hinduism. "We will take up the challenge," she said.

Gandhi said the NDA government was even trying to "poison" the education system by bringing changes in it.

Bureau Report