The Hindu : National : Good work by Government: Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 17, 2004

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National

Good work by Government: Sonia

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 16. With early trends showing clearly that the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party would get a second term in Maharashtra, the scene outside the Congress headquarters here was jubilant.

"It is a victory of all Congress workers and the AICC representatives who worked a lot for it. We are all happy and satisfied winning Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra,'' the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, told correspondents at her 10, Janpath residence this evening.

"We are satisfied with the results, especially in Maharashtra, where the news flowing earlier was different [from the final result],'' she said, adding that the combine had been voted back to power because of the good work done by the Government. "People are happy with the work of the Government.''

A festive mood

For the hundreds of party supporters who assembled at the 24, Akbar Road party headquarters, it was celebration time with drums and crackers turning the atmosphere festive. A huge arc-shaped balloon draped in party colour placed on the AICC lawns swayed in the light autumn breeze while the street outside swathed in festoons.

A steady stream of people, including VIPs, reached Ms. Gandhi's residence. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, some of his Cabinet colleagues and party leaders arrived there and congratulated Ms. Gandhi for the victory.

Credit to Sonia

Dr. Singh gave full credit to the Congress president for the "crushing defeat" of "communal" forces and said the poll outcome had reinforced the verdict given by the people in the Lok Sabha elections in May.

"It is a very happy day for the Congress and its allies in Maharashtra. The people have given a crushing defeat to the forces which were out to divide the nation on the basis of religion and caste,'' Dr. Singh told correspondents at his 7, Race Course Road residence.

Dr. Singh said Ms. Gandhi had campaigned extensively in the State and got the full support from the NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, and his colleagues. "Congress workers and our allies and, above all, the people of Maharashtra deserve the heartiest congratulations,'' he said.

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