Accusing the BJP of making “political bread and butter” by holding Parliament to ransom by “blackmail”, a combative Congress President Sonia Gandhi today took the battle to the Opposition camp and asked the party to “stand up and fight aggressively”.

Rallying the party behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the coal block allocation issue, she accused the BJP of acting with “wanton irresponsibility”.

“We will not be deflected by the intemperate Congress bashing by the Opposition. Let us stand up and fight. Fight with a sense of purpose and fight aggressively. We have many achievements. We have nothing to feel defensive about,” Gandhi said.

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) here, she prefaced the remarks by flagging the party is now “entering a period in which elections will consume much of our time”.

With the monsoon session nearly washed out over the CAG report issue, Gandhi laid the blame squarely on the BJP alleging that holding Parliament to ransom was the political bread and butter of the Opposition party.

“It’s targeting of the Prime Minister on the coal issue is entirely politically motivated. The Prime Minister has laid a detailed statement...That statement is clear, comprehensive and cogent. It completely exposes the BJP and its false propaganda,” the Congress chief said.

She wondered as to “how many times will we have to witness this deliberate and cynical disruption that the BJP has made a habit of?”

Gandhi asserted that the Government and the Prime Minister are always prepared for debate and discussion on any issue, on any CAG report or for that matter on “any perceived shortcoming on their part”.

“But the proper forum for this is an acting and involved Parliament, not one that is held to ransom by blackmail, which has become the political bread and butter of the BJP, much to the concern of even some of its allies”.

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