Sonia blames price rise for Cong defeat

Gandhi holds rising prices as the key reason for the party's defeat in state elections.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday held rising prices of essential commodities as a key reason for the party's defeat in state elections in Uttarakhand and Punjab.

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Addressing the Congress parliamentary party in New Delhi, she also urged her colleagues to gear up for upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, party sources said.

She condemned the disruptions in Parliament caused by the Opposition protesting on a variety of issues.

But despite saying rising prices had angered the electorate in Punjab and Uttarakhand, Gandhi praised Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for presenting "common man-friendly budgets", the sources said.