Chhindwara (MP): Accusing previous Congress regimes of having "pushed the country backward and diminished its status abroad", Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today (Mar 20, 2004) asked Congressmen to seriously ponder over their leadership and values.

"Congressmen should seriously think about their values and leadership. They have to consider what will be good for the country and its people," he said addressing a public meeting after his 'Bharat Uday Yatra' entered Madhya Pradesh.

Advani said India's leadership role across the globe was lost during 45 years of Congress rule and would soon be regained following concrete initiatives taken by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Mounting a scathing attack on Congress, he said, "It not only failed on all fronts when it was in power but also performed as an irresponsible Opposition party."

Referring to the Congress' boycott of the function to unveil Veer Savarkar's portrait in Parliament house, Advani said, "Now people of the country will boycott Congress."

He strongly favoured two-party system saying it would be good for a country like India.

He claimed the Vajpayee Government not only put the country back on the path of progress but also demonstrated its ability in achieving political stability.

The country saw one Prime Minister during the past seven years, while between 1988 and 1998 there were as many as seven Prime Ministers.