Be role models in governance: Sonia tells Cong CMs

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday had a stern message to chief ministers of party-ruled states – be role models of good governance or risk losing the support of the people.

After returning as Congress President last month, this was Gandhi's first meeting with chief ministers of Punjab, Puducherry, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the only states where the party is in power.

Of the five states, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have been in the spotlight over intense factionalism that could pose a threat to the stability of the government.

Friday's meeting was attended by Chief Ministers Amarinder Singh (Punjab), V Narayanasamy (Puducherry), Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh), Kamal Nath (Madhya Pradesh) and Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan).

State unit chiefs from the party-ruled states and AICC General Secretaries in-charge of party affairs in the states also attended the meeting.

“The message of the Congress president was to present the state as role models in development and good governance,” a senior leader said.

At a meeting of top party leaders on Thursday, Gandhi had said that the Congress-ruled states must stand out as examples of sensitive and responsive governance, accountable and transparent administration.

“If not, we will lose people’s support with obvious consequences,” she had said.

Meanwhile, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal also held a meeting with AICC secretaries – about 50 of them – to set in motion the directives of agitational politics given by the Congress president on Thursday.

The AICC Secretaries were asked to mobilise support for in the respective areas for upcoming programmes of the party – 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi and the agitation against the Modi government's handling of the economic situation.

The secretaries were also asked to prepare for a training programme on party ideology and principles planned for 10 days later this month.