BJP, a defeated army with vanquished generals: Congress

Describing the Bharatiya Janata Party as a defeated army with vanquished generals, the Congress on Monday said it was the only party of governance and that the people of Maharashtra would repose their faith in its coalition with the Nationalist Congress Party.

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said Maharashtra had an important role to play in leading the country to become a superpower.

"The state has always been the economic engine of India. Hence, it is important to have the same party government at the Centre as well as the state," Tewari said.

On the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's 'Marathi campaign', he said the Congress did not ignore the fact that locals should get prominence in jobs and education.

"Our government has already made a legislative provision to this effect many years ago. We believe politics is a medium of uniting the society and not dividing it," he said.

Apparently taking a dig at Raj Thackeray, Tewari said, "I would urge my friends who speak of the Marathi cause to undertake a constructive agenda and work to strengthen national unity."

Tewari blamed the "wrong policies" of the Shiv Sena-BJP for power shortages in Maharashtra. "They mishandled the Enron project and sent negative signals to investors".

"The government is sensitive to the issue of farmers suicides and has already announced a series of measures to reduce their hardships," he said, adding the Centre had pulled the country out of economic recession.