Sonia Gandhi reiterates the need to address the issue of corruption more seriously

Taking serious note of middle class protesters taking to the streets over corruption, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said the lifestyles of leaders is giving rise to questions about the source of their wealth.

Speaking at Congress's chintan shivir in Jaipur, SoniaGandhi said, "Celebrating weddings, festivals and happy events is one thing, what of lavish and ostentatious displays of wealth, pomp and status? Does this not beg the question, where is this wealth coming from?"

Her direct remarks caused a hush to descend on the meeting. "Our citizens are rightly fed up with the levels of corruption that they see in public life at high levels, but equally with the corruption they have to deal with in their daily lives,'' said Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi also urged the party not to lose touch with the middle classes that backed the Congress in the 2004 and 2009 general elections. The party cannot afford "our growing educated and middle classes to be disillusioned and alienated with the political process".

The candid references to the middle class drift away from Congress, the need to keep alliances intact, a commitment to make women feel safer, and erosion of party's base in traditional strongholds were key aspects of her speech as she set out the political tasks for her party.