In a signal that the party was willing to demonstrate greater flexibility in forging opposition unity, the Congress on Saturday proposed a "pragmatic approach for cooperation" with like-minded parties and evolving a common workable programme with them to defeat the ruling BJP government. Sonia Gandhi, the former party president who led the party for 19 years till December last year, has continued to lead the Congress-led national alliance UPA's efforts to expand its reach. Earlier this week, she had again hosted a dinner for opposition leaders from 20 parties to consolidate the grouping.
