Cong has vision to run India, says Sonia

"To run the country, vision and dedication is needed and only Congress has this. So help us form a new India,” Congress president Sonia Gandhi appealed at a public meeting in Rajgarh on Thursday. Padma Shastri and Sandeep Vatsa report.

“Your vote can change the nation’s destiny. It is time to have a look at what our opponents have contributed to the country’s development. To run the country, vision and dedication is needed and only Congress has this. So help us form a new India,” Congress president Sonia Gandhi (63) appealed at a public meeting in Rajgarh on Thursday. She attended two more public meetings at Ratlam and Ujjain.

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While she solicited votes for Congress candidate Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi from Dhar Lok Sabha seat, she reminded the 25,000-strong gathering of the Nehru-Gandhi legacy.

“It’s the Congress which fought for India’s independence. And Indiraji subdued nation’s enemies and changed India’s course of progress. Rajivji granted voting right to youth of 18 years,” she said as she read out a written speech. “And Manmohan Singh (76) during his able leadership in the last five years gave NREGS (National Rural Job Guarantee Scheme) and Tribal Rights Act,” she added.

A dust storm interrupted her 20-minute speech briefly but she resumed it with an attack on the BJP.

“BJP says something and does something else. Our government signed the civil nuclear deal with US, which BJP opposed and stopped Parliament sessions for months. Now the BJP has accepted that the deal is needed to overcome the power crisis,” Sonia said as the audience, mostly tribals, listened at Rajgarh, where people are used to nine hours of power cut a day.