Shun groupism to strengthen Congress: Antony

KOZHIKODE: Congress Working Committee member and Defence Minister A K Antony Sunday exhorted rank and file to work unitedly to strengthen the party in the country.

Talking at a Special Convention organised by the Kozhikode District Committee here, he called upon the party men to shun groupism to face rigorous challenges ahead. 'We will have to work unitedly to face challenges ahead,' he said apparently referring the coming general election in the country. Stating every party was affected by factionalism, but it was serious in nature in the Congress, he said urging faction leaders to avoid discussion on matters relating to the party publicly. He said there are appropriate fora in the party to air their grievances where they can deliberate and settle issues amicably.

Describing the Congress as the 'great wonders' of the world, he said many of its detractors had several times written obituary of the party. Without naming, he said a top political leader in the state had said that the Congress would not survive after 1967. This prediction came when the Congress, which faced setbacks throughout the country simultaneously, was able to muster only nine seats in the 1967 Assembly poll, he said.  The history proved such prediction as wrong because the party was able to tread ahead without compromising on principles based on democracy, secularism and social justice, developmental issues and correcting mistakes.

He said the party under the stewardship of All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi was able to implement many development projects for the welfare of the people. It was not prepared to compromise on the issues of development despite facing economic crisis, he said, adding as part of this policy United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government was planning to introduce the Food Security Bill in the forthcoming Parliament session. The much talked about Lokpal Bill would also be introduced in the forthcoming sessions, he added. The convention was presided over by DCC President K C Abu.