Govt compromised security: Sonia

JHARSUGUDA (Orissa), Aug 7 (PTI) — Congress President Sonia Gandhi today launched her party’s election campaign in Orissa here, urging the people to bring to an end the series of weak governments at the Centre.

The BJP government had "compromised" the country’s security while the nation’s image had "plummeted" in the world, she said and claimed the Congress alone had the experience and ability to provide a stable government.

Declaring that she had not entered politics because of lust for power but because of her concern for the poor, down-trodden and backward people and the country’s image abroad, she said the performance of the BJP-led government during the past 16 months showed such parties grabbed power just to "satiate" their own self interest.

The AICC chief said this was reflected by the fact that the country was facing third general election in as many years.

She said the Kargil episode was another example of the "irresponsible" behaviour of the Vajpayee government which watched silently as the Pakistani intruders laid siege to a huge area of the country.

This also resulted in the death of scores of Indian soldiers, she said, adding that such a situation could arise only because of a weak government at the Centre.

A government which could not protect the security of the country was not fit to be in power even for a day, she said.

Asserting that the Congress had a place in the hearts of the people, she said whenever the party was voted to power it had provided stable governments for the full five-year term and the image of the country improved in the international arena.

The Congress government always had pursued a policy which took care of all sections of people and implemented programmes that ensured the development of all, she claimed.

The meeting, which was delayed due to torrential rains, was attended by AICC General Secretary, Madhavrao Scindia, Orissa Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, PCC President Hemananda Biswal and former Chief Minister J.B. Patnaik.

Cong fails to finalise list
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 7 — Plagued by sharp differences among state leaders, the Congress failed to release its first list of the Lok Sabha candidates even today, contrary to party spokesman, Kapil Sibal’s announcement on Thursday.

The party now plans to release the first list on Tuesday.

In the absence of any official list, speculation about names said to have been cleared by the CEC were doing rounds with support of rival factions from various states.

The AICC central election committee which has held four meetings so far is understood to have cleared a majority of names for states where polling is to be held on September 5, including Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi.

While officially the party maintains that the selection of candidates was taking time as each and every case was discussed in detail, reason for delaying publication of the official list lies elsewhere.

Considering the resentment within the party and the infighting with the state units the party high command does not want to provide disgruntled sections any cause of complaint.

The threat of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Mr Sharad Pawar wooing some of those who have failed to secure the Congress tickets to its side is also looming large.

It may be recalled that during the 1996 elections, though the breakaway Tewari Congress had managed to win just four seats, it had damaged the prospects of the parent party in 40 seats. A report this time through the NCP has to be avoided, it is being felt by the party high command.

Meanwhile, for Punjab the party is said to have cleared 11 of the 13 seats which the party’s high command plans to contest leaving the constituencies of Bathinda and Sangrur to the CPI and the CPI (M). Despite the decision there appears to be stiff resistance from the state leadership against the move to leave the two seats for the Left parties.

Apart from nominations to the eight seats that were understood to have been cleared by the CEC earlier this week, party sources said former MP Umrao Singh, would contest from Jalandhar, while former union minister Raghunandan Lal Bhatia got renomination from Amritsar. In Ferozepore, newcomer, Mr Nagpal, who enjoys the backing of Mr Balram Jakhar is said to have got the nod.

But there is no official word just as in the case of three seats from Haryana — Ambala (reserved), Sonepat and Hisar. There are reports that the Congress may arrive at some understanding with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Ambala in return for favour elsewhere.

Of the 10 constituencies in Rajasthan, the CEC is understood to have cleared names for eight. The high command is yet to entertain the request of Mr Jakhar to shift from Bikaner to Sikar.