New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Feb 4, 2004) asked the Vajpayee Government to avoid taking any policy decision after Lok Sabha was dissolved on February 6, as it would be a "caretaker Government".

"My party and I sincerely hope that your Government will not offend the highest traditions of our democracy by taking any decision that impact significantly on policy, investment and the vital interests of the people in general. Such decisions should be held in abeyance till the institution of the 14th Lok Sabha," Gandhi, in a letter to Vajpayee, said.

Pointing out that his Government had recommended dissolution of the 13th Lok Sabha on February 6, Gandhi said, "After the dissolution, your Government will take the form and character of a caretaker Government."

"We have been hearing that the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government is also trying to rush through the adoption of recommendations of long pending reports of various committees like the Naresh Chandra Committee on Civil Aviation. Such actions will amount to major policy decisions in vital sectors like infrastructure," Gandhi said.

"We have seen in the past few weeks how your Government has announced massive sops in taxation, signed major defence deals and sanctioned mega projects in railways and other sectors," she said.

"Apart from the ethical question involved in taking such decisions in view of the fact that your party and the Government had already decided to go in for early elections, all precedents have been violated by proper Budget to Parliament," Gandhi said.

"The intent appears to have been to reap political mileage without having to face the responsibility of balancing the Budget and controlling the fiscal deficit," she added.