Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will unveil before the party MPs her strategy to counter Opposition’s fierce attack on the UPA over a range of issues on Monday. In the first interaction with her MPs during the Budget Session, Gandhi will address Congress parliamentary party’s general body meeting at a time when corruption, inflation and pull out threats have plagued the UPA Government.
Scam in purchase of VVIP choppers, Italy’s refusal to return two marines charged with killing Indian fishermen and DMK’s threat to snap ties with UPA on Sri lankan Tamil issue has exposed the UPA to a bitter attack from friend and foes.
While the first two issues do not pose major challenge to the existence of the UPA, DMK’s muscle flexing has potential to upset Congress applecart. If the Southern party having 18 MPs in the lok Sabha decides to walk the talk, it could reduce the UPA
to a minority.
After Trinamool Congress (19 MPs) walked out of the UPA in September last year, DMK became the second largest constituent of the
ruling coalition.
TC’s ouster from UPA brought its number down to 254, 19 short of the half way mark of 273. The UPA survives on the outside support of Samajwadi Party (22) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (21).
The meeting also assumes significance ahead of six Assembly elections this year and the 2014 lok Sabha polls. This is the first meeting of the CPP after Rahul Gandhi became Congress vice-president.
Signalling a generational change in the 127-year-old Congress, Rahul is gradually expanding his role as the party prepares for a series of elections. He has already met AICC functionaries and state leaders, including chief ministers and a large number of party MPs over the past few weeks.