GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI, 14 April — The main opposition Congress party President Sonia Gandhi yesterday said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had “lost his mental balance” for suggesting that her party was trying to force a midterm election.

“It seems he (Vajpayee) has lost his mental balance and hence is making charges that the Congress is trying to bring down his government and force a general election,” Sonia told reporters in this northeastern city.

She accused Vajpayee and his Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exposing their “communal face” by refusing to sack Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who has been charged with letting the sectarian violence in his state spiral and claim over 900 lives since February-end.

“The BJP is a communal party and the mask of the prime minister of trying to project a secular image is totally exposed and gone,” she said.

Sonia was in Guwahati to attend a two-day conclave of 14 chief ministers of Congress-ruled states. The meeting concluded yesterday.

Sonia, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the central government led by the BJP would “fall” due to “contradictions” within its coalition constituents.

“The contradictions within the BJP and the coalition partners have widened to such an extent that very soon the government would fall under its own weight.”

She said the Congress would open channels of communication with “secular parties” to discuss the formation of an alternative government at the appropriate time.

“When the time is ripe, we shall discuss the issue and talk with other parties, including those presently supporting the BJP,” the Congress president said. “Talks with the Trinamool Congress and other such parties can start. Why not?” On the possibility of early elections in troubled Gujarat, she said her party was “ready” to face the people and was hopeful of “winning.”

Sonia said the biggest challenge before the country today was from the “communal forces” spearheaded by the BJP, posing a threat to secularism.

“The Congress is the only party that could provide and ensure protection and security to people of all faiths,” she said. “The people of India are fed up with the complete failure of the present coalition government and they are looking back to the Congress for good governance.”

The two-day conference concluded with a 10-point resolve to strengthen the party with an eye on approaching polls in seven states and the general election due in 2004.

Echoing the views of his other Congress chief ministers Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said his state would not enforce the new anti-terror law that his party has branded “draconian.”

“We are not going to enforce POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) as existing laws in the state are enough to deal with insurgency,” Gogoi said on the sidelines of the party’s conclave in Guwahati.

“There is a possibility of the act being misused by security forces, hence nothing doing.”

The Vajpayee government maintains the new law would provide more teeth to the security forces in curbing terrorism.