Stop wasting time on factionalism: Sonia

The Congress chief`s firm message came at the day-long meeting of the CWC that saw Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda calling for a Kamraj Plan to revive the party ahead of the coming electoral challenges.

While Gandhi defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the government from Opposition and civil society attacks on corruption charges, several state leaders attacked some Union Ministers on various grounds.

Telling partymen that unity is the need of the hour, she said the strength of the organisation would grow doubly if partymen use half the energy that they waste on factionalism and petty issues.

"This is a test for us as a Congress worker. Not to understand this will be a big mistake. It is a matter of caution, warning and challenge for all," Gandhi said.

The Congress President said she was confident that partymen could take on any challenge but "the only condition is that we do not demoralise them (party workers) in our political game."

In his speech, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the "situation may be difficult but we would be able to retrieve.

We will retrieve the situation. We have done it in the past".

The meeting earlier saw a larger number of party leaders, mainly the PCC chiefs and CLP leaders, flagging concerns over rising prices and corruption.

Hooda said it is time for a shake-up in the party on the lines of Kamraj Plan and the old leadership should step down to pave way for the takeover by young ones. Kamraj Plan was effected by Jawaharlal Nehru under which senior ministers had resigned from the government to make themselves available to work for the organisation.