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Blood speech strengthens Sonia's hold on Congress

George Iype in New Delhi

After her dramatic return last night to head the Congress, Sonia Gandhi today consolidated her hold on the party by lambasting Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar for questioning her Indianness.

But under increasing attack from other parties and dissenters within the Congress on her Italian origin, Gandhi refused to offer herself as a prime ministerial candidate at the specially convened All-India Congress Committee session at New Delhi's Talkatora Stadium.

Accusing the expelled party rebels of being hand in glove with communal forces, Gandhi said it was for the Congress members of Parliament to choose their leader after the election in September.

Her first public speech after the resignation drama was peppered with emotion and history and replete with references to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, to which the sympathetic audience reacted hysterically.

"I became a daughter-in-law, a mother and a widow in India," Gandhi said. "When my opponents say I am a foreigner, I don't reply. I believe the Indian public will give them a fitting reply."

Throughout her thirty-minute speech, Gandhi did not once mention Pawar, Sangma and Anwar by name. But she pointed out that it was these same rebels who had requested her to save the Congress a year ago.

"They came to me with folded hands 14 months back, pleading [with me] to save the Congress. These same people are today questioning my integrity as an Indian," she said.

The Congress president said the "overwhelming support, love, devotion and commitment" of party workers from across the country in the last week had forced her to return to head the party.

Taking a cue from her mother-in-law's famous last public speech, Gandhi declared that she would sacrifice her life for India. "India is in my every breath. I will spill the last drop of blood for India," she said.

Overjoyed that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is back at the helm of affairs, the 1,500-odd AICC delegates cheered Gandhi lustily.

But she made two points to strengthen her hold on the party and ward off any future dissidence.

First, she said her priority would be "to rebuild the Congress". "What is important is not winning elections alone. The real winner is one who realises the truth and stands by his principles," she philosophised.

Second, she issued a stern warning to the silent dissenters within the party. "Those who follow me must have faith in me," Gandhi said, hinting that all those who are feeling uncomfortable under her leadership are free to walk out of the party.

Later, a resolution was moved during the session decided to project Gandhi as the Congress's prime ministerial candidate on the plank of stability and secularism.

The resolution, moved by Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir, said the party would fight the 13th Lok Sabha election under Gandhi's leadership.

Rejecting the rebels' campaign that the foreign-born Gandhi should be disqualified from heading the country, the resolution said that is a "non-issue" with the people.

It said raking up the subject of Gandhi's birthplace negates the Constitution of India and the country's culture of tolerance.

More importantly, the resolution cautioned Gandhi against allowing a coterie to form around her. "Internal democracy should be practised in the party and the forum of the CWC should be fully utilised to allow free discussion in the party," it said.

The resolution decried the general practice of leaving everything to the party high command, urging Gandhi to ensure that hereafter the CWC shares the responsibility in decision-making.

It also warned that no attempt should be made to sideline important members of the party and due respect should be given to state leaders who are the backbone of the organisation.

Gandhi's speech and the unanimous adoption of the AICC resolution reposing complete faith in her has ended -- for the time being -- the controversy set off by the rebels.

But many believe the party is in for some changes. They expect Gandhi to revamp the Congress Working Committee and the AICC to marginalise and isolate the silent dissenters within the party.

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