30 Apr : Sonia Gandhi on Thursday claimed that only Congress had an able candidate for the top post in Manmohan Singh who had proved his calibre during his five-year stint.
Highlighting the achievements of the UPA government, Sonia said that Congress-led dispensation had fulfilled majority of the promises it had made in 2004 and pointed to the farm loan waiver and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) for generating employment in the rural areas.
"Our policies have always been for the benefit of aam admi and our endeavour is to provide a stable government. It has become a fashion by many parties to nominate prime ministerial candidates," Gandhi said.
She claimed that only the Congress can provide a stable government under Manmohan Singh, who was an experienced person. Attacking the previous BJP-led NDA government, Gandhi described its rule as "an era of darkness" and alleged that it had failed the common man.
Accusing the BJP of indulging in the "politics of hatred and division", she hit out at the saffron party for "not having matched" its claims of decisive government with action when it was in power.