Friday, November 25 2005 15:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Breaking her silence on the Bihar defeat, Sonia Gandhi today (Nov 25,2005) had a veiled message for both Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Supremo Lalu Prasad implying that division between them was responsible for the 'disappointing results'.

In an apparent reference to Paswan, whose party contested the polls separately despite being part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Center, she told the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting that the result was 'a signal for secular forces to remain united to more effectively propagate the principles of equity, democracy and development'.

Her reference to 'development' during the address to the general body of the CPP was also seen as a criticism of Lalu Prasad under whose leadership the Congress fought the Bihar polls.

Gandhi, who is also the CPP Chairperson, however, said that the big challenge ahead in Bihar lay 'many opportunities' for strengthening the organization.

After the brief reference to Bihar, she turned to the next round of Assembly polls due in five states including West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu early next year saying it was time for preparing the organization for them.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Plenary, she said, was being held from January 20 to 22 in Hyderabad and this would provide an occasion for imparting a new momentum to the organization.