Women power to stage ‘comeback’ for Cong

• Sonia attacks BJP for showing people false dreams and "trapping" them
• Women members should become a "tsunami" and contribute actively: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi asserted that her party will stage a comeback as she attacked BJP, saying it had woven "false dreams" and people got caught in the "trap".

She targetted the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of copying the schemes and programmes of the UPA dispensation and taking credit for the same.

Addressing a convention of 'Mahila Congress' here, Sonia along with Rahul Gandhi sought to reach out to women by promising a larger electoral role for them at all levels and making a strong pitch for reservation for them in Parliament and state Assemblies.

Rahul told the convention organised on the occasion of 70th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi that women members of the Congress should become a "tsunami" and contribute actively in the battle between ideologies.

Targeting the Modi dispensation, Sonia said, "those who have come in government are showing an altogether different picture to the nation in accordance with their habit. They are implementing as their own schemes and plans, which were launched by Congress."

Rahul Gandhi motivated workers for elections that are coming up in states like Haryana and Maharashtra.

"Every scheme of the UPA has helped empower the common man," said Gandhi, 44, referring to the government that was anchored by the Congress and voted out in May.

Rahul focused a large part of his speech on urging his party to ensure the safety of women. "In India, we worship goddesses," he said. "But the same people who go to temples to pray to goddesses molest you in buses. Every woman in India has been oppressed at some point."

Aiyar goes ‘crazy’ again
New Delhi: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar added a new comment to his insults for PM Narendra Modi. He said woman power can "drive Modi to Gujarat, right up to the sea."

The ruling BJP retorted immediately that the Congress was "drowning in the sea" because of Aiyar and his "tea-vendor" barb at Modi before the national election.

"Women who have proved that they can work for the public...if we bring them into the Congress, then Modi-ji will be forced to return to Gandhinagar tomorrow. Aur agar aapne aage samundra tak pahuncha diya to aapko bahut bahut Mubarak (And if you can drive him to the sea then congratulations to you!)," Mr Aiyar said, addressing a Congress women workers' meet.

He challenged, "Let us see the results of the elections in four states. We will know where the Congress stands."

In the middle of a heated election campaign in February, the 74-year-old outspoken Congress veteran had been widely criticised for his jibe at Modi's tea seller past during a Congress conclave. He had said that "There is no way he can be PM in the 21st century... but if he wants to come and distribute tea here we can make some room for him (at the conclave)".