Kolkata: Sending wishes to Mamata Banerjee for organising “United India” rally, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi termed the rally an “important attempt to galvanise leaders across the political spectrum against the BJP.

Mrs Gandhi and her son, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, decided to give the rally a miss, but had sent party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a show of solidarity to the gathering

Mr Kharge read out Mrs Gandhi’s message to start his address.  “The upcoming Lok Sabha election will not be an ordinary one. This will be an election to restore the nation’s faith in democracy, defend our secular ethos and our heritage and defeat the forces that are trying to subotage the Constitution of India. This rally marks an important attempt to galvanise leaders across the political spectrum to fight the arrogant and divisive Modi government. I wish it all the success,” Mrs Gandhi said in her message

Mr Kharge also said that his party president Rahul would raise issues relating to Rafale, farmers' distress, unemployment, demonetisation and interference into autonomous bodies like CBI by the Modi government in the budget session of Parliament.

Qouting Sonia, Mr Kharge said, “As envelope of crisis looms on our farmers to our borders, the youth are jobless. Rice and jute farmers are in distress and fishermen are in deep loss. The country at large is under immense strain. Economically, our citizens have been squeezed. Politically, our institutions have been undermined and socially our pluralistic fabric stands vitiated.”

As Mr Kharge completed his address, Ms Banerjee told him, “Khargeji, I am thankful to Soniaji that she and Rahulji sent you alongwith Abhishekji. You delivered such an important speech besides calling upon all to work together.”