NEW DELHI: Drawing the Government's attention to the need for keeping a close watch on the prices of essential commodities and not allowing them to come under speculative trends, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said it was also time to monitor wheat supply.

With the United Progressive Alliance Government coming under attack from the Left over its decision to import wheat and linking it to food security, Ms. Gandhi told the Congress Parliamentary Party here: "While we must ensure that there are sufficient buffer stocks, the interests of wheat growers must be protected from the impact of any large-scale import."

This was the time of the year when everyone looked at the skies "often praying" for rain. She expressed confidence that the Government would not allow the prices of essential commodities "to be subject to speculation on the fate of the monsoon."

With the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance Government set to complete two years, Ms. Gandhi said it was a "milestone on which we can certainly derive some satisfaction."

The party called a convention of 200 District Congress Committees here for May 26 to review implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.Recounting the steps taken by the Government for various sections, Ms. Gandhi said it was time for concrete policy action on social security for workers in the unorganised sector.

Support in Tamil Nadu

On the recent Assembly elections, she said that while in Assam the party had a mandate to continue with its political and economic agenda for the welfare of the State, in Tamil Nadu it was clear that there was still support for the Congress despite its having been out of power for four decades. "If we function cohesively, our party can do even better in the future."

The results in West Bengal were "very disappointing", while in Kerala, the Congress was unable to break with the pattern of verdicts though its share of popular vote was "solid and significant".

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