We are at crossroads: Sonia Gandhi to nation

"Today, our society stands at a cross-roads. The Congress ideology and vision, will continue to take us towards a healthy, free democracy open to the light of change and transformation," said Sonia Gandhi in a TV ad speech on Monday evening.

"Their [BJP] vision, clouded with hatred and falsehood, their ideology, divisive and autocratic, will drive us to the ruination of our Bharatiyata, our Hindustaniyat," said Sonia Gandhi. 
She said Congress stands for Indian values.

"What are these values that are the very heart and soul of our motherland? They are Love and Respect, Harmony and Brotherhood. In a word, Non-violence." 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Arun Jaitley  mocked the Congress and called its new slogan as  "Mein Nahin Mom", referring to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's attack on the BJP a day ago in a televised speech.

"The only message yesterday's speech of Sonia Gandhi telecasted on paid television time is that Congress party's new slogan now is 'Mein Nahin Mom'," said Jaitley in his blog holding that the campaign has shifted focus from Rahul Gandhi to her mother Sonia Gandhi.

"As the Congress shrinks further, its campaign has resulted in a naught. The campaign is too abstract and confused. The message is not clear. The Congress Party changed track yesterday. Rahul Gandhi led campaign and the accompanying advertisements were given a backseat. The Congress President Sonia Gandhi herself decided to lead from the front. She addressed the country by booking television time on all channels," said Jaitley.

"As polling date approaches closer in every phase, the groundswell becomes clearer. There are two clear trends in the groundswell, its anger against the Congress and the hope in Narendra Modi. My own view is that the actual poll always results in the front runner getting more than what is projected," he wrote.

He posted: "The desperation was clear. Speeches, interviews and press conferences of political leaders are always covered by the media. The Congress President does not have to buy television time in order to have her speech conveyed to the people. The idea was to change the principle communicator of the party from the son to the mother. This was an expression of lack of confidence in Rahul Gandhi, in as much as his speeches to the people were not working. Messages on paid television time cannot last minute change the electoral agenda."

"Price rise, mismanagement of the economy, corruption, dilution of the office of Prime Minister cannot be a part of either 'Bhartiyata' or 'Hindustaniat'. This message will not click. The only message yesterday's speech of Sonia Gandhi telecasted on paid television time is that Congress party's new slogan now is 'Mein Nahin Mom'".

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the speech is an act of desperation.