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CPP
Meeting
SPARE
TIME FOR CADRE
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Sonia Gandhi
Following
is the Congress President's address to the Congress Parliamentary
Party in the Central Hall of Parliament on 25 February,
2005
Prime
Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Office-bearers
of the CPP, Fellow MPs,
Welcome
to all of you.
Two
months back, we lost one of our senior-most and valued colleagues
Shri P.V. Narasimha Raoji. Throughout his long and distinguished
career, he made many significant and enduring contributions
at the state and national level. All of us have been associated
with him in some way or the other. He was a political leader
of rare erudition and intellect.
The
President's Address this morning has laid out the broad
agenda of our government for the next year. Various programmes
and projects have been spelt out in considerable detail.
Our manifesto's commitments are reflected in significant
measure. It goes without saying that now the priority must
be on time-bound implementation and strict monitoring. Each
of us _ ministers or MPs _ should get involved in a sustained
manner.
A
few days after the adjournment of the Winter Session on
the 26th of December, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh were
devastated by tsunami. The manner in which our government
responded to this unprecedented calamity both here and also
in our neighbouring countries has been universally appreciated.
There has been an overwhelming response from all sections
of our society, particularly to the Prime Minister's Relief
Fund. Our state governments and elected representatives
have made handsome contributions also to the AICC Rajiv
Gandhi Relief and Welfare Trust. Our special thanks are
due to our defence personnel, state governments and people
at large who rose to the occasion with their characteristic
generosity and efficiency. Teams of party workers stationed
themselves in the most affected areas especially in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Their dedicated efforts drew
praise and gratitude from the affected people, adding prestige
to our Party. However, bigger tasks lie ahead. Rehabilitation
and reconstruction is going to be prolonged. Lakhs of families
have been shattered. Their lives have to be rebuilt and
their dignity, self-pride and livelihoods restored. The
tsunami tragedy underscores the need for us to institute
new systems for effective disaster management in all its
aspects. I have had extensive discussions with the government
on the long-term measures required for disaster preparedness.
I am confident that we will be seeing some major initiatives
in this regard soon.
Just
as the people of Jammu and Kashmir were rejoicing at the
establishment of the bus-link between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar
and as they were participating in the local body elections
held after 27 years, tragedy struck again. On account of
heavy snowfall and avalanches there has been a loss of over
200 lives in the State. I was in Srinagar, Poonch and Jammu
yesterday. The situation was reviewed along with the Defence
Minister. There has been extensive damage and dislocation
but we hope that life in the affected areas would return
to normal soon. Here as well, the armed forces are playing
a vital humanitarian role.
I
was in Itanagar last week on the occasion of statehood day
in Arunachal Pradesh. Our party attaches the highest importance
to fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the northeast
for a life free from militancy and insurgency. In this connection,
we welcome our government's initiatives for negotiations
with all those prepared to abandon violence. We also heard
this morning of measures being taken to accelerate economic
development. The impact must begin to be felt soon.
The
next few days are going to be hectic. Tomorrow is the Railway
Budget and on Monday our government's second General Budget
will be presented. I have been in communication with the
Prime Minister on our manifesto's pledges in key areas like
elementary education, public health, employment, welfare
of kisans and khet mazdoors, women and child development,
handloom weavers, and rural infrastructure. AICC office-bearers
and MPs associated with finance-related parliamentary committees
have also interacted with the Finance Minister. I am confident
that the Budget will fully reflect our manifesto's commitments.
The
legislative agenda based on the CMP will be heavy in the
next few weeks. Many crucial Bills like the "Protection
of workers in the unorganized sector, the establishment
of a Disaster Management Authority and a Model Comprehensive
Law to deal with communal violence will be introduced. We
also expect that Bills that we as a Party have been demanding
for some years like the Rural Employment Guarantee, Right
to Information, and Codification of SC/ST reservations will
be considered and passed before the end of the session.
Early
last month, our party decided to celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the historic salt satyagraha between March
12th and April 6th. A large number
of functions have been planned including the recreation
of the "Ahmedabad to Dandi March" itself by 79
party workers drawn from all over the country. I am sure
you will be happy to associate yourselves with the celebrations.
This is an important occasion for reflecting once again
on what Gandhiji's life and message and for rededicating
ourselves to promoting his values and legacy. I have also
written to the Prime Minister requesting that a suitable
memorial be established at the site where Gandhiji picked
up the salt on the beach.
After
a hectic campaign, in which so many of you took active part,
we now await the election results in Haryana, Bihar and
Jharkhand with confidence. Panchayat election results in
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh indicate that we are recovering
lost ground. In Jammu and Kashmir, despite calls for a boycott,
the turnout in the recent municipal polls was very impressive.
Our performance has been commendable. However, there are
states where clearly we have to work much harder.
As
you are all aware, we are in the midst of organizational
elections. We are firmly committed to completing elections
upto the AICC level by April 30th. I would urge
all of you to actively participate in this process. This
is a time to implement what I have often emphasized, and
that is to bring in young men and women from all walks of
life, particularly from the weaker sections of society in
much larger numbers. Once the election process is complete,
we must begin agitational, mass contact and other programmes
in those states where we are in the opposition. Some of
our PCCs have started orientation and training sessions
for younger Congressmen and women. Such initiatives are
needed all over the country to keep the party momentum going.
Soon
after this session ends, we will complete one eventful year
in office. Contrary to our detractors' expectations, the
coalition has worked well. We in the Congress have been
very sensitive to the challenges of running a coalition
government, accommodating diverse points of view so to ensure
the cohesive functioning of the coalition. We will continue
to do so.
I
want to end by expressing how concerned I have been by frequent
complaints from our party workers to the effect that they
are simply unable to get access to our minister. Senior
AICC office-bearers have expressed similar sentiments. Let
it not be forgotten that it is the effects of the party
as a collective entity that enables us to form a government.
I urge all of you heading ministries to ensure that some
of your time is set aside to meet our Party workers.
I
wish you all the best in the weeks ahead.
| Congress
BagS Two Seats in Meghalaya |
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TURA
(MEGHALAYA): Congress Party won two out of three Meghalaya
Assembly bye-elections held in the last week of February,
2005. The Congress victory in Selsella seat was unexpected.
All along the feedback from Selsella had indicated
a strong finish between NCP’s Conrad Sangma and Independent
candidate Atul Marak. Congress candidate’s Clement
Marak had figured in the fourth position during much
of the campaigning period. Shri Marak defeated Sangma,
younger son of strongmen Purno K. Sangma, by a margin
of 182 votes.
In
Songsak, former MLA and Congress candidate Tonsing
Marak defeated independent candidate Anderson Sangma
by a margin of 630 votes. Third seat of Mawprem went
to an independent candidate.
Meghalaya
chief minister, Shri D.D Lapang said, “he was very
happy” with the Congress winning two of three seats
in the Assembly bye-polls. Shri Lapang said the victory,
“indicates the people’s confidence in the Congress-led
coalition government of the State.”
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| Congress
Leads in Civic Polls |
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DODA
\ UDHAMPUR: The Congress led in the Udhampur district
civic polls held on 12 February, followed by the National
Conference. The Congress emerged as the single largest
party in various Municipal bodies.
Of
the results declared till evening, the Congress won
38 seats followed by the National Conference which
got 25. the Panthers Party, an ally of the Congress,
secured 14 seats, while the BJP got 13. The People’s
Democratic Party also notched up three seats.
In
the 13 ward Reasi Municipal body, the Congress won
six seats. In Katra, the Congress won seven seats
and in Udhampur town, the Congress got seven seats.
In Bhaderwah, the hometown of the Union Minister and
Congress leader, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress
performed well winning 11 seats.
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