NEW DELHI -- India's ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has completed four years in its second consecutive five-year term in power amid allegations of corruption scandals and a sharp slowdown in economic growth.

In his report card presented to the people late Wednesday evening, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted that those involved in corruption scams would be dealt with strictly and pledged to bring the economy back on track by ensuring at least eight per cent growth rate if the coalition was returned to power in the general elections slated for next year.

The Prime Minister highlighted 12 major themes of the government's priority -- economic resurgence, internal security, education, health, child rights, food security, women empowerment, weaker sections and minorities, rural renewal and foreign relations. He also said the government's determination to fight terrorism and deal with left-wing extremism "firmly" while addressing developmental issues.

Claiming the government was determined to fight the scourge of communalism, he said, "We will ensure that this great, liberal and plural nation of ours is not weakened by hatred and bigotry."

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi firmly backed the Prime Minister, rubbishing reports of a rift between Singh and the Congress party. "The government has the greatest respect for the Prime Minister who is carrying out his responsibilities with greatest dignity in the face of unrelenting hostility," she said.

Gandhi also came down heavily on the country's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for disrupting Parliament proceedings under the garb of protests against scams.

"We are disappointed that Parliament is not allowed to function. We are unable to fulfill our duties due to the obstructionist approach of the opposition. There has to be a calculative approach to control the spread of innuendos and misinformation," she added.

However, the BJP was not at all impressed. "The government has manipulated things to be in power. People are tired of this corruption and misgovernance," senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Political analysts say that the photo session at the UPA's meet in the national capital was there, but the spirit was missing.

"It was clearly visibly. It was like a defeated UPA meeting. One of its coalition partners, the ruling Samajwadi Party of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, skipped the meet. This also shows that all may not be that well among the alliance partners," Delhi- based political expert Prof Ajay Sharma said.

The general elections are due next year and the analysts predict that it would be hard for the UPA to come back to power for the third time in a row.

"The government is entangled in a series of corruption scandals like the Commonwealth Games scam, telecom scam, coal-gate and rail- gate. Some of its Ministers had to resign for their alleged involvement in the scams. It's tough time for the UPA," Prof S.K. Gupta, a political analyst, said.

He added, "Moreover, the UPA has failed to rein in rising food prices. It has only enriched the lives of the rich and impoverished the poor. Despite its recent media campaign to showcase the achievements of the government, the people of this country would be finally decide its fate in 2014."