Congress must now embark on an agitational agenda: Sonia Gandhi

The Indian Express
New Delhi, Sep 12: Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi Thursday accused the BJP government at the Centre of misusing its mandate in the “most dangerous” fashion.
In a meeting with top Congress leaders in New Delhi, Gandhi expressed concern over the “grim” economic situation in the country and asserted that the BJP government was testing the resolve and resilience of the Congress, which must now embark on an “agitational agenda” to reach out to the masses in exposing the Modi-led NDA government.
The meeting was attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC general secretaries and in-charges of various states, state government chiefs and CLP leaders, among others. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was not present in the meeting.
This is the first meeting that Sonia Gandhi chaired after she took over as Congress chief from her son Rahul. During the meeting, the party leaders also discussed plans for Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations.
Sonia Gandhi noted that the democracy was at peril under the Modi government and alleged that it was misusing and abusing its mandate in the “most dangerous” fashion, the sources said. The Congress president, the sources added, accused the government of appropriating the legacy of freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and B R Ambedkar. The BJP is “misrepresenting” their true messages to further its “nefarious agenda”, she said.
While Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy were present at the meeting, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel did not attend.
Among other leaders present were Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, A K Antony, K C Venugopal, Mallilkarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
(With inputs from PTI)