Mumbai | The All India Congress Committee's Maharashtra in charge Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said the Enforcement Directorate's action in the National Herald case stems from political vendetta and asserted his party "cannot be finished like this" since Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have the backing of the people.The ED has filed a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among others, before a special court in Delhi in the National Herald case for allegedly laundering Rs 988 crore. The prosecution complaint was filed on April 9 under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"It is political vendetta to weaken the Congress. The Congress cannot be finished like this. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have the backing of the people," Chennithala said at a press conference here.

He said the Congress will intensify its agitation on the issue and a meeting of office-bearers has been called in Delhi on April 19.

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders Satej Patil, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Vishwajit Kadam and others staged a protest outside Tilak Bhavan, the party's headquarters here, to protest the ED action.

The leaders were detained and taken to the local police station