Centre's policies come under fire at CWC meet

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (C), Chief of India's ruling Congress party Sonia Gandhi (R) and her son, lawmaker Rahul Gandhi, attend a meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee in New Delhi January 16, 2014. After years in the shadows as a reluctant heir-apparent, India's Rahul Gandhi is set for his own tryst with destiny, to lead the ruling Congress party in elections due by May that it has only a slim chance of winning. Congress, in power for the last decade, is struggling in opinion polls with a string of corruption scandals and a reputation for poor governance engulfing its administration. A resurgent opposition and a neophyte anti-corruption party appear to have a stranglehold on public opinion. REUTERS

Congress leaders attacked the economic policies of their own UPA government at the Centre contending that frequent hikes in petrol prices and the decision to cap subsidies on cooking gas cylinders would cost the party dearly in the elections.

A number of leaders made strong demand for a review of the economic policies of the government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. They were of the view that the economic policies were responsible for the Congress defeat in four states which went to polls in November-December.

“There was a clear message from the leaders – mend your ways,” a CWC member said on the condition of anonymity. He said the Prime Minister, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily sat with “sullen faces” through out the meeting. None of the three leaders spoke.

AICC general secretaries Madhusudan Mistry and Mukul Wasnik, Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh and Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala demanded that the number of subsidized LPG cylinders available per connection should be raised to 12 from the existing nine.

Chennithala is learnt to have opposed the decision of FDI in multi-brand retail and also the move to link LPG subsidies with the Aadhar number.

“We need liberalisation with a human face. The economic policies of the Central government need a review,” was the refrain of the Congress leaders.

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