NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, dubbing the recent attacks on him “unfortunate”.
At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) here, she also called for unity in the party.
“The manner in which the opposition parties and some anti-Congress elements are single mindedly levelling unfounded allegations against the PM, the UPA government… that is really unfortunate,” she said.
Her comments come in the backdrop of allegations of corruption in the coal ministry when Manmohan Singh headed it.
Team Anna headed by Anna Hazare has demanded an independent investigation into the allegations against the prime minister and select cabinet ministers.
On Sunday, yoga guru Ramdev asked the prime minister to ensure his “political honesty”.
Gandhi said the attacks on the prime minister and the government was “part of a conspiracy”.
She stressed that the Congress should stay united.
“If we spend our efforts on party building instead of groupism, our party will be strengthened,” she said.
Besides Manmohan Singh, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi also attended the meeting.
“We have on our agenda the political and the economic situation. Other matters raised by party workers are also likely to be discussed,” Congress leader Janardan Dwidedi told reporters ahead of the meet.
The extended CWC meeting is being attended by party chief ministers, state party chiefs and special and permanent invitees.