Declaring that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was her boss too, Sonia Gandhi said the process to revive the party’s fortunes had begun and she would work with “like-minded parties” to ensure the BJP’s defeat in the next elections. She was addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting.

The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson launched an all-out attack on the BJP and the Modi government and alleged that the government was orchestrating violence against minorities to polarise society for narrow political gains.

He is now my boss too—let there be no doubt about that – and I know that all of you will work with him with the same dedication, loyalty, and enthusiasm as you did with me. : Smt Sonia Gandhi

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 8, 2018

This would be seen in Karnataka too, which goes to the polls in a few months, the former Congress president, who handed over the party’s reins to her son after 19 years in December last year, told the CPP. Sounding an upbeat note, Gandhi told party MPs to work with dedication, loyalty and enthusiasm with Rahul Gandhi to strengthen the party and said he was her boss to.

“We have elected a new Congress president and on your behalf and on my own, I wish him all the very best. He is now my boss too – let there be no doubt about that – and I know that all of you will work with him with the same dedication, loyalty and enthusiasm as you did with me.

“I am confident that we will work cohesively under his leadership to revive our party’s fortunes. That process has begun,” she said. Gandhi also dubbed the Modi government as one not in sync with reality. This, she said, was evident in the prime minister’s speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. As CPP chairperson, she said she would work with the Congress president and other colleagues “in discussions with like-minded, political parties to ensure that in the next election, the BJP is defeated and India is restored to a democratic, inclusive, secular, tolerant and economically progressive path”.

Minorities, the Congress leader added, feel unsafe and are subjected to barbarous attacks, even as Dalits have come under renewed and widespread atrocities, as have women.

“In many cases this violence, specially against minorities and Dalits is not sporadic or random, but orchestrated to polarise our society for narrow political gains.” This was witnessed in both Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and would no doubt be seen again in Karnataka, she said.

In many cases this violence, specially against minorities and dalits is not sporadic or random, but orchestrated to polarize our society for narrow political gains. : Smt Sonia Gandhi

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 8, 2018

“Such polarisation is criminal in a democracy, yet those in power look the other way,” she said.

(With PTI inputs)