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I will form alternative government, says Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asserted that she will form an alternative government at the Centre but declined to spell out whether it will be coalition or a minority regime with other parties supporting from outside.

''Yes, I am going to do so'', Gandhi said in reply to a question to newspersons after presiding over the parliamentary party meeting at Central Hall of Parliament.

Gandhi said she was holding discussions about the modalities of the next government with her party's senior leaders and leaders of secular parties.

Earlier in the day, the Congress cleared yet another formality to facilitate the formation of an alternative government at the Centre, when its parliamentary party authorised party president Sonia Gandhi to take necessary steps in this regard.

The Congress Working Committee had given a similar authorisation to the party president two days back.

In her 20-minute address at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting this morning, Gandhi assured her partymen that steps would be taken to avert a mid-term poll, indicating that an alternative government would be in place in the next few days.

Gandhi also made it clear that the Congress had no role in the fall of the Vajpayee government. It had fallen under its own weight, with one of the allies withdrawing support.

A resolution adopted at the meeting, while stressing the need for strengthening unity among the secular forces, placed on record its appreciation for the solidarity displayed in ousting the ''communal'' BJP government from power at the Centre.

The meeting also appreciated the able guidance provided by the party president in handling the situation leading to the fall of the BJP government.

Gandhi said the Congress would fully cooperate in the passage of the Union Budget, since it was keen that the country did not face any financial problems.

Gandhi also spoke about the misgovernance of the country by the BJP government and said now that it had fallen, the Congress would shoulder its constitutional responsibility.

UNI

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