Zee Media Bureau
Kochi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday kicked off the party`s Lok Sabha poll campaign in Kerala and said the upcoming elections are crucial to defend national ideals like unity and secularism.
At a special convention held here, Gandhi tried to infuse energy into party functionaries as well as the rank and file for the crucial upcoming electoral battle and urged them to fight to protect “our constitutional ethoes of secularism”.
In a virulent attack on BJP, the Congress president said the “idea of secular India is under threat by those who don`t just seek to rule but to change India`s very heart and soul”.
“We want unity, they want uniformity. Our idea joins India together, their divides...The choice is between India of all or India of some serving the interest of few,” she added. “You have a choice to build India of 21st century, or an India that is a prisoner to an ideology.”
Holding that the Congress stood for the unity of the nation, Gandhi said "the choice before us is very clear. Whether you want to support the united India or that divided by hatred."
"The Congress` ideology is the ideology of one nation. It doesn`t matter what language you speak or what caste you belong. What only matters is whether you are an Indian.”
Talking about the upcoming General Elections, Gandhi said: “2014 elections isn`t about achievements...2014 is the most important elections because it`s about what kind of India you want.”
Launching the poll campaign of the United Democratic Front (UDF) it heads in Kerala, Gandhi also had some sharp comments against the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.
In Kerala, the choice will be between a party that stands for 21st century and one whose ideology is irrelevant, she said.
She also berated the CPI(M), though without naming it, as a party that does not believe in non-violence. This, she said, was in contrast to the Congress, which had always stood for consensus and dialogue without deviating from its basic principle of non-violence.
"Our principal opposition will argue that after ten years of the UPA rule, it is time to change. I want to ask a change to what? Do the people of India really want to give up the long-cherished values for lies and untested promises," she said.
"What do you want? A party stands for development? or a party sticks to ideology that became irrelevant."
She also accused the Left of resorting to violence, in an apparent reference to the murder of Marxist rebel TP Chandrasekharan.
"They settle differences through violence, brutal acts and murders. They believe in outdated ideals and dogmas of past. They had been shouting against corruption from rooftops. But had they taken any action against their corrupt leaders in states ruled by them?" Gandhi asked.
On different support groups within Congress in Kerala, Gandhi said: “To me there is only Congress and that`s how we will face this election. The only group is - Congress group and no other group.”
“I sincerely hope that Kerala will rise to the occassion and protect the basic tenants of Constitution,” she added.
The convention assumes significance since it is the first major event after VM Sudheeran took over as the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, replacing Ramesh Chennithala who joined the Oommen Chandy Cabinet as Home Minister last month.
Chandy and Sudheeran were among the leaders who addressed the convention attended by functionaries from the booth level upwards.
Though Sudheeran was handpicked by the High Command, overlooking suggestions of Chandy and Chennithala, his elevation has been welcomed largely by the rank and file cutting across factional lines.
It is evident from the reaction that the rank and file looked at Sudheeran as capable of galvanising the party ahead of the elections as a leader with a clean track record and firm determination.
Later, Gandhi will address the national meet of INTUC at Kollam in south Kerala, reports PTI.
In 2009, the Congress contested 17 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state and won 13. Its allies Indian Union Muslim League bagged two seats and the Kerala Congress (Mani) one, taking the UDF tally to 16.
The remaining four seats were bagged by the CPI(M) while its partner CPI drew a blank.
Congress is keen to contest all 17 seats this time also.
But the UDF constituent Socialist Janata Democratic, which broke away from LDF on the eve of last Lok Sabha polls, has staked claim for one seat this time-- Kozhikode or Wayanad, both held by the Congress.
Similarly, the Kerala Congress (M) is eyeing an additional seat, preferably Idukki, also won by Congress last time.
Soon after the convention, the Congress would be bilaterally and collectively holding discussions with the partners to settle these issues, sources said.
Though the BJP is not a force to reckon with in Kerala`s bipolar scenario, its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was in the state last week.
Addressing a big rally here, he blamed the UDF and LDF that have alternated in power as responsible for the problems of the state and said "God`s own country" was badly in need of a third alternative led by his party.
(With PTI inputs)
