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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000247 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM IN
SUBJECT: BHARAT BALLOT 09: SONIA GANDHI SOUNDS ELECTION 
BUGLE, IS INDIA LISTENING? 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi 
kicked off her party's 2009 parliamentary campaign on 
February 9 articulating three broad themes: safeguarding 
secularism, inclusive economic growth and the fight against 
terror.  Speaking to a conclave of Congress Party 
functionaries, Gandhi trumpeted the achievements of the 
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition over the last 
five years and attacked the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party 
(BJP).  She called the Indo-U.S. Civil Nuclear Initiative, 
"one of the most important achievements" of this government. 
Foreign Minister Mukherjee and Home Minister Chidambaram also 
spoke to the rally focusing their comments on terrorism and 
Pakistan.  The political classes have clearly started gearing 
up for the April-May elections, but without a deep animating 
issue (as evidenced by Gandhi's well-worn rhetoric) or a 
juicy head-to-head personality clash, the Indian public has 
yet to take much notice.  End Summary. 
 
Safeguarding Secularism 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Launching the Congress Party's 2009 Lok Sabha 
campaign, Chairwoman of the UPA Sonia Gandhi burnished her 
party's secular credentials while attacking the BJP.  She 
called the Congress Party a "voice of social justice, 
communal harmony and inclusiveness."  Not mincing words, she 
referred to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as a 
"voice of polarization, of division, of hatred."  She 
chastised the BJP for promising to build a temple to Lord Ram 
in Ayodhya and accused the party of "mobilizing people on 
religious lines." 
 
Inclusive Economic Development 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Gandhi highlighted several of the UPA's economic 
programs including the massive 2008 farm loan waiver program 
and recent cuts in fuel prices.  She acknowledged the 
worldwide recession but said under the UPA India "was 
demonstrating its resilience."  In her only foreign policy 
comment beyond Pakistan, the Congress Party matriarch lauded 
the Indo-U.S. Civil Nuclear Initiative as "one of the most 
important achievements of the Manmohan Singh government." 
Gandhi concluded her thoughts on the economy on a populist 
note, deriding the BJP as the voice of a "privileged few" 
while stating that the Congress Party speaks for the "aam 
admi" ("the common man"). 
 
Fighting Terror 
--------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Gandhi directed her comments on terrorism first 
against the BJP and then against Pakistan.  The Congress 
Party, she said, did not seek political gain from fighting 
terror.  She then launched into why Congress is better suited 
than the BJP to fight terror - her party draws support from 
"all sections of society."  With an eye on her Muslim vote 
bank, Gandhi promised the UPA would fight terrorism "without 
any discrimination."  She concluded by castigating the 
opposition for creating delays and obstacles in passing 
recent anti-terror legislation. 
 
Sonia Invokes Indira on Pakistan 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) In a reference to the triumphant 1971 war with 
Pakistan when India was led by her mother-in-law Indira 
Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi told the delegates, "Nobody should 
construe India's patience as weakness.  Those who are aiding 
and abetting terrorism from across the border will get a 
befitting reply.  Our inspiration is Indiraji."  Following 
Gandhi, Foreign Minister Mukherjee and Home Minister 
 
NEW DELHI 00000247  002 OF 002 
 
 
Chidambaram repeated several lines on Pakistan from previous 
statements.  Mukherjee demanded the Mumbai plotters be 
brought to justice and reiterated his warning to Pakistan 
that "all options are open."  Chidambaram said the UPA would 
act "swiftly and decisively" in the event of another terror 
attack.  As India's top domestic law enforcement officer, 
Chidambaram broadened the rhetoric against terror, telling 
the party workers, "Irrespective of religion, whoever takes 
to the gun, to the path of terror, is an enemy of the state." 
 
Comment: Politically Nothing New Here 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Sonia Gandhi said nothing the Indian voter hasn't 
heard before in all previous elections between the UPA and 
the NDA.  Her de rigueur attacks against the BJP for 
communalism could have been made any time since the BJP's 
founding.  While the BJP still charges the Congress Party 
with being soft on terror, its overheated rhetoric during 
state polls right after the Mumbai attacks did not play well 
with voters.  The Congress Party - though it still feels the 
need to rebut such charges - no longer just plays defense on 
terrorism, as witnessed by Gandhi's strong comments about 
Pakistan.  So the national election campaign has begun for 
the political parties, but without a deep animating issue or 
a tabloid-worthy head-to-head personality clash - such as the 
battle between Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi in the 2007 
Gujarat state election - the Indian public has yet to take 
much notice.  In fact many of the media outlets which 
televised the Congress Party conclave featured delegates 
snoozing through the proceedings. 
MULFORD