The Congress on Sunday night sought to downplay the remarks of its president Sonia Gandhi [Images] at a public meeting in Haryana that the opponents of India-United States nuclear deal were enemies of development.

The party said the comments were not directed at the Left parties.

AICC sources said whatever Gandhi had said was in the context of Haryana.

Most of the Left parties had reacted sharply to Sonia's remarks at the rally in Jhajjar with Communist Party of India general secretary A B Bardhan saying the Congress is going into the election mode.

However, The CPI-M adopted a soft line towards her utterances and said there was nothing to take umbrage at them.

In a sharp but veiled attack on the Left, Sonia at a public meeting in Haryana strongly defended the nuclear deal and alleged the elements opposed to the country's progress were enemies not only of the Congress but also of the nation's development.