By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday promised party workers that “quotas and patronage system” would not have a role in selecting candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. “Quotas and patronage system must not have a role to play in ticket distribution. We must beware of ‘Aayaram and Gayaram’ also,” Gandhi said in her concluding remarks at the national convention of the party’s district chiefs and grassroots workers at the Ramlila Ground here.
“You have given valuable suggestions. They are valuable not only for elections but also for the party. I am aware of your complaints and problems also,” she added.
Talking about the coalition politics, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson said, “Sometimes alliances and seat adjustments are important but that should not come in the way of strengthening the party.”
She appreciated the work done by Youth Congress, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the party’s general secretary Rahul Gandhi. “I believe that their caravan is not going to stop anywhere,” she added.
The congress workers also took a pledge, ‘Sankalp 2009’, reaffirming their faith in the party’s ideology, democracy, secularism and equality and justice.
The party workers pledged that they will remain fully dedicated to philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and said they will fight against forces that undermine fundamental human values.
“Now we should start working with full dedication and determination for the elections. We have a lot of work to do. We have to go to people to seek a fresh mandate. It’s a big test and it’s up to us how we pass the test,” Gandhi said.