Varanasi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), worried over by "rising" popularity of her party, was trying to incite communal hatred in the country in the pattern of what was witnessed in Gujarat.

Addressing party workers as part of her campaign to revive the party in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said developmental activities across the country had taken a back seat during the reign of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

Launching a scathing attack on BJP, she said it was "perturbed" over the "rising popularity" of Congress and "is now trying to incite communal hatred in the country as was witnessed in Gujarat recently".

Admitting there was groupism in Congress, especially in its Uttar Pradesh unit, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president said this has not only damaged the party but also provided a chance to fundamentalist forces to raise their head.

She appealed to party workers to shun differences and work for enhancing the support base of Congress.

Commending the performance of Congress governments in several states, Gandhi said, "The people's faith in the party has grown over the years."

Senior Congress leaders, including AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, former Chief Minister Ram Naresh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Arun Kumar Singh Munna were present on the occasion.

PTI