Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said people were getting disillusioned with the political process and urged party workers to introspect why people should vote for them.
“We must accept that people are getting disillusioned with the political process. We must introspect why they should vote for the party,” Sonia Gandhi told the All India Congress Committee session on the final day of the ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brainstorming meet) in Jaipur.
“Our answers should be clear and we have to explain it to people with simplicity and confidence,” she said.
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Sonia Gandhi also urged party workers to oppose those who levelled false allegations on politicians, parties and institutions.
The Congress chief also suggested a rethink on electoral reforms, especially political funding, saying she would set up a group in the party to examine the issue and suggest an action plan.
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Calling corruption a “deep rooted malice”, the Congress president said the party must lead the ‘struggle’ to counter its effect.
“Let me reiterate corruption at all levels is a deep rooted malice and all sections of society are affected by it. As a party we must lead struggle to combat its effect,” Sonia Gandhi said at the party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Jaipur.
The ‘Chintan Shivir’, the Congress’ introspective meet, began here on January 18 and will conclude on Sunday.
The Congress president said corruption was the main concern of the nation when the party held its session at Burari in July 2011.
Sonia Gandhi said that a five-point agenda to deal with corruption was given and the party has moved on with it.
The key among the steps taken was introducing Lokpal bill in the parliament and introducing more transparency in the process of allocating natural resources, said the Congress president.
“We have introduced path-breaking legislation for grievance redressal, whistle blowers, and the historic ‘apka paisa apke hath’ (your money in your hands, the direct cash transfer scheme) initiative,” she said.
Youth, women and middle class
The Congress president targeted the youth, women and the middle class in the party’s quest for widening its base ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Opening the AICC session, she also made some plain speaking to her partymen saying they should not indulge in nepotism and should show unity to face the challenge of elections which are 15 months away.
She said party leaders should work for the welfare of all and not restrict themselves to their "favourites".
“I am sure if we make the right efforts with unity, there is no doubt in my mind why we will not get the mandate again,” she said.
Ms. Gandhi said she was happy with the participation of the younger colleagues in the brain storming conclave and hoped that it will help the party project new leadership.