We will fight every battle with grit and determination, collectively turn the tide: Sonia Gandhi

Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Gandhi also charged the NDA government of pursuing a policy of political vendetta which, she said, was evident in the government keeping former finance minister P Chidambaram in prison for 100 days.

Calling on Congress leaders and workers to be united in their resolve to stand up to the Modi-Shah regime, Gandhi said her party would fight every battle with grit and determination and would collectively turn the tide.

She said the Congress workers have been holding rallies and agitations across the country to highlight the colossal failures of the government on the economic front, which would come to a climax on Dec 14 with a rally in New Delhi.

Accusing the BJP of indulging in a 'shameless attempt to subvert democracy in Maharashtra', Gandhi said the Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP are united in their resolve to defeat BJP’s manipulations .

Gandhi, speaking about the developments in Maharashtra over the past few days, charged Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari of acting in 'an unprecedented and most reprehensible manner'.

''We are meeting this morning against the backdrop of what can only be described as a shameless attempt to subvert democracy in Maharashtra. The Governor behaved in an unprecedented and most reprehensible manner. There is no doubt that he acted under the instructions of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,'' Gandhi said.

She said the Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP are united in their resolve to defeat BJP’s manipulations .

''The BJP’s pre-poll alliance did not hold because of its own arrogance and over-confidence. Every effort was made to blatantly sabotage the three-Party alliance government formation, but we appealed to the Supreme Court and the Modi-Shah Government was totally exposed. Let me assure you, we three parties are united in our resolve to defeat the BJP’s sordid manipulations,'' Gandhi said.

Charging the NDA government of of complete mismanagement of the economy, she said, ''It is clear that the Modi-Shah government is bankrupt of decency and is clueless on how to manage the grave problems facing the country. The economic crisis is deepening by the day. Growth is declining, unemployment is growing, and investment is not happening. There is worsening distress among farmers, traders and small and medium businesses. Consumption, especially in rural areas, is falling."

''Exports are declining. And prices of essential food commodities are rising, causing hardship to households. Instead of tackling the problem, the Modi-Shah Government is busy fudging statistics or, indeed, not publishing them at all! The public sector has been put on the block, in all probability, to be sold off to a few favoured business people. What will be the fate of the thousands of workers at those enterprises? Lakhs upon lakhs of salaried and ordinary families are worried about their deposits in banks.''