HYDERABAD: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday asked the party to fight the Left parties as "opponents" in the coming Assembly elections in Kerala and West Bengal and saw no contradiction in taking on the parties supporting the United Progressive Alliance at the Centre.

"True, in some States we are opposing the very same parties that are supporting us at the Centre. We see no contradiction in this. National challenges demand that we cooperate. But State-level issues and concerns are different. Let our colleagues from Kerala and West Bengal have no doubts — in these States, we are opponents and we will fight as opponents," Ms. Gandhi told the delegates at the party's 82nd plenary being held at Gachibowli.

The Congress president said that while being in coalition was a new experience, the party had adapted well and followed the discipline and decorum of a coalition. At the same time, she said running coalition governments in some States did not mean "abdication of party-building" and suggested work to strengthen party at all levels.

Besides providing the political thrust, Ms. Gandhi utilised the occasion to convey her views on the party's achievements since the 2001 Bangalore plenary; the work done by the Manmohan Singh Government; and the organisational weaknesses that need to be corrected.

Interpreting the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Ms. Gandhi said people came out to express their resentment on the divisive politics of the BJP and their opposition to the elitist economic policies. She listed the number of steps taken by the Manmohan Singh Government and said the party had restored the secular foundations of governance, fought terrorism without targeting any particular section of society and transformed public debate to focus on the day-to-day concerns of the people.

On the organisational front, she expressed concern over the manner in which politics and politicians were ridiculed. She said while politics afforded an opportunity to an ordinary person to take on responsibilities and rise to positions of eminence, criticism could not be ignored.

The Congress president emphasised it was time to end the influence of muscle power and money power in politics and take action against those who take to politics for personal promotion.

"As a party we remain dedicated to high ideals and probity in public life,'' she said.

Ms. Gandhi also reiterated the need to avoid ostentation and vulgar display of wealth by party members in organising social functions such as marriages and birthday parties.

Speaking up for the grass roots workers, she said they were the backbone for the party and reminded the Assembly the need to take care of them at all times.

Turning to States where the party was weak, she said, the only way out was through struggles and taking aggressive positions on issues of concern to the people.

She said the State leaders would have to take decisions based on ground level requirements and draw programmes to benefit the entire party and not just a few individuals.

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