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Divest Congress of money and muscle power, says Sonia Hyderabad | January 23, 2006 4:15:06 PM IST Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday urged her colleagues to steer politics away from money and muscle power, avoid pompous lifestyle and strengthen the party even while being in a larger coalition. "We should not ignore the criticism (about politicians). There is a fault in the system. We will have to end the influence of money and muscle power. We will have to take stringent action against those who misuses politics for self-progress," Gandhi said in a stirring address at the party's 82nd plenary meet. "The Congress party has to set a new standard of morality," she declared, speaking in Hindi and English at the conclusion session before 20,000 delegates from all over the country. Gandhi, who had earlier warned party chief ministers and state presidents against lavishness and ostentatious lifestyle, reiterated her concerns. "The lifestyle of many our colleagues have been very pompous. They conduct weddings and birthdays with such ostentatious manner that pains me a lot," she said. "It appears that they are making fun our commitment to the poor." She was quick to add: "Don't take me wrong. I am also willing to share your joy of the important moments in your life. But I am against pompous exhibition of wealth and power." Amid thunderous applause, she went on: "Many of our colleagues, who are in responsible posts, do not lead life according to the ideology of our party. Their life is in sharp contrast to the lives of our founding fathers and freedom fighters. "Congress men should follow a code of conduct, which makes our party acceptable in public life without bothering self-interests," she said. As Gandhi ended her 45-minute speech in which she highlighted the achievements of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government, the entire leadership seated on the dais gave her a standing ovation. The prime minister was in fact the first to get up. Gandhi, who had keenly heard all the delegates Sunday, said the plenary session was a time for introspection. Reacting to the concerns her party leaders from Kerala and West Bengal, she declared: "Let our colleagues from Kerala and West Bengal have no doubts - in these states we are opponents (of the Left) and we will fight as opponents." The Congress president, who reiterated her commitment to the common minimum programme (CMP) of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, asked everyone to strengthen the efforts to build the country's oldest political party. Admitting that she was aware of the workers' disappointment over diminishing opportunities in a coalition, she said: "But coalition does not mean abdication of party building. There is no doubt in my mind that though we run coalition governments, we must at the same time strengthen our party at all levels." Gandhi accused the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of playing "partisan" and "divisive" politics. "Unlike BJP we do not play partisan politics when it came to addressing the sufferings of our people. "More importantly this means you will have to ensure these programmes (the welfare schemes introduced by UPA government) are not subverted by non-Congress state governments." (IANS) -- May your God be with you. Gabe Menezes. London, England Remark: I trust the Congress wallahs in Goa are listening!