The Hindu : Front Page : Party must leave imprint on coalition, says Sonia

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Saturday, Oct 08, 2005

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Party must leave imprint on coalition, says Sonia

K.V. Prasad

"People must be made aware of contribution to CMP"

CHANDIGARH: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday emphasised the need for the party leaving its "distinctive imprint" on coalition governments and making people aware of its contribution to the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).

"A coalition arrangement makes it all the more necessary to carve out a niche for ourselves so that people know what the unique contribution of the Congress is. We have to make people aware that the National Common Minimum Programme mostly reflects the Congress's own manifesto for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. And the achievements of the CMP are, therefore, naturally in fulfilment of our objectives,'' Ms. Gandhi said in her opening address to the two-day Congress Chief Ministers' conclave that started here.

The remarks came a day after Ms. Gandhi wrote the Left leaders requesting them to return to the Coordination Committee. The Left has stayed away from the committee since June charging the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance with violating the CMP on disinvestment in Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

In her 30-minute speech, Ms. Gandhi reminded the Chief Ministers of the need to associate the party at all levels with policy formulation, monitoring and implementation, and called for regular interaction between those in government and the party. Everyone should rise above factionalism and "subjugate personal ambitions" in the larger cause of the party and the people, especially the "deprived, the disadvantaged and the discriminated."

The Chief Ministers of 15 States had 20 minutes each to focus on specific areas and took clarifications from Central Ministers/party general secretaries.

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