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Mallikarjun Kharge
The Congress on Tuesday attacked the Modi government over the filing of a fresh FIR in the National Herald case and said it is confident that the judiciary will see through this "political vendetta and mindless attempts to hound". Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 12 years on, and suddenly, there is a new FIR in the old case on the Gandhi family targeting the Congress party. "Simply because the Modi government and the ED have exhausted their supply of fresh smears. When facts ran thin, theatrics stepped in: selective prosecutions, recycled allegations, and a thinly veiled attempt to keep opponents in the dock," Kharge said on X. "We are confident that the Judiciary will see through this political vendetta and mindless attempts to hound!" he said. The Congress had on Monday also slammed the Centre over the FIR, describing the move as "harassment" by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a tactic by the Modi government to divert public attention from real issues. Speaking to
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said he will call for a meeting of senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in New Delhi to discuss the raging leadership issue in Karnataka. He said the leaders will discuss on the way forward and settle the issue, and there by put an end to the "confusion" that is there. The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculations about chief minister change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, in the backdrop of an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023. "After going to Delhi, I will call three-four important leaders and discuss. After the discussion, we will say how to go ahead; there by put an end to the confusion," Kharge told reporters here. Asked of the CM and his deputy will be called to Delhi, he said, "we should certainly call them and discuss.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said Justice Surya Kant's elevation to the post of Chief Justice of India comes at a critical juncture for the justice system, and expressed confidence that under his leadership, constitutional values, and public trust in the rule of law will be further reinforced. Justice Kant, who has been part of several landmark verdicts, including on abrogation of Article 370 removing Jammu and Kashmir's special status, took oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday. He succeeded Justice B R Gavai. "Extending my warm wishes to Justice Surya Kant on taking oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India. His elevation marks the beginning of a 14-month tenure at a critical juncture for our justice system," Kharge said on X. "I am confident that under his leadership, Constitutional values, institutional strength, and public trust in the rule of law will be further reinforced, advancing the promise of justice for every citizen," the Congress chief ...
A day after facing a severe drubbing in Bihar, the Congress on Saturday questioned the role of the Election Commission in the poll process while its top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, went into a huddle to discuss the poll outcome. Kharge and Gandhi were joined by AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, party treasurer Ajay Maken and AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, sources said. According to the sources, the leaders met to discuss the Congress' poor performance in Bihar, where the party won only six of the 61 seats it contested, its second-worst show in the state after 2010, when it won only four seats. Gandhi did not speak to the media persons after the meeting, as the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan, of which the Congress is a part, remained in a state of disbelief after the NDA swept the polls. Asked about the Bihar poll outcome and the party's poor performance, Venugopal sought to put the entire blame on the Election ...
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday rubbished Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's predictions of the NDA's victory in the Bihar assembly polls, pointing out that their 400 plus claim in the Lok Sabha elections was way off the mark. He spoke to PTI Video in Gaya, where he insisted that "all was not well" in the BJP-led coalition, as there were doubts that Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president and longest-serving chief minister, would be backed for another term in office. "The Prime Minister can say anything. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, they kept saying 400 paar," said Kharge, pointing to the performance of the BJP in last year's general elections, when it fell short of a majority and became dependent on allies like JD(U) and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's TDP for survival in power. When his attention was drawn to the fact that Shah, the most trusted aide of Modi and the BJP's principal strategist, has been claiming that the
Hectic campaigning in poll-bound Bihar is set to continue on Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge scheduled to address a host of public rallies across the state. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also address two poll rallies at Sonbarsa and Lakhisarai, and hold a roadshow at Rosera. While the PM will address public rallies in Saharsa and in Katihar districts, Kharge will address a public rally in Vaishali. Shah will take part in rallies in Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Madhubani during the day. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also scheduled to address four public rallies in Patna, Saran and Muzaffarpur on Monday. Modi led a mega roadshow in Patna on Sunday evening, besides addressing back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts. The Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 1
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kanhaiya Kumar and Independent MP Pappu Yadav are among the party's 40 star campaigners for the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls. AICC in-charge of Bihar Krishna Allavaru, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and Syed Naseer Hussain, as well as senior leaders Ashok Gehlot, Tariq Anwar, Gaurav Gogoi, Mohammad Jawed and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, are also on the list. The Bihar polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14. The opposition INDIA bloc, which has RJD, Congress and Left parties as the main constituents, on Thursday declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav its chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar polls. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Meira Kumar
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday accused the Modi government of "systematically corroding" the Right to Information (RTI) Act and "hollowing out" democracy and citizens' rights. In a post on X, Kharge said that 20 years ago, the Congress-led UPA Government, under the leadership of the then prime minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, ushered in a new era of transparency and accountability by implementing the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005. "In the last 11 years, the Modi Government has systematically corroded the RTI Act, thereby hollowing out Democracy and citizens' rights," he said in his post. The Congress chief claimed that in 2019, the Modi government "hacked away" at the RTI Act, seizing control over Information Commissioners' tenure and pay, "converting independent watchdogs into servile functionaries." "The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, gutted the RTI's public interest clause, weaponising privacy to shield corruption and stonewall ...
The Congress on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking "sole ownership" of the amendments made to the GST regime and said the current reforms were inadequate, with no resolution to the states' demand for an extension of compensation for another five years. The opposition party slammed the reforms as "applying band-aid after inflicting deep wounds" and said the government should apologise to the public for its GST on essential items. A day before reduced GST rates come into effect, Modi made a strong pitch for promoting 'swadeshi' goods and asserted that the next generation GST reforms would accelerate India's growth story, increase ease of doing business, and attract more investors. In his address to the nation, Modi said a 'GST bachat utsav (savings festival)' will begin from the first day of Navratri, and coupled with the income tax exemption, it will be a "double bonanza" for most people. Reacting to his address, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said he has spoken to India's foreign secretary about the violence in Nepal and he has assured the safe return of around 1,000 Indian citizens stranded in the neighbouring country. He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Congress party's 10-day training camp organised here. Nepal descended into chaos after deadly anti-government demonstrations rocked capital Kathmandu and other cities of the Himalayan nation this week, forcing Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday. Kharge said, "The government should protect the Indian tourists who are stranded in Nepal. Many people are at the airport, many are on roads and in hotels. I spoke to the foreign secretary yesterday, and he said that around 1,000 Indians stranded there will be brought back soon." At least 25 people, including three policemen, were killed during the violent anti-government protests led by the 'Gen Z' group in the last two days in Nepal. The Nepal
Referring to the US tariff issue, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday claimed that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be friends, but alleged the latter has become "an enemy of the nation". Addressing reporters in Kalaburagi, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said Modi and Trump could be good to each other because they sought votes for one another. Kharge claimed the Modi-Donald Trump alliance had come at India's cost. "He (Trump) and Modi can be friends, but Modi has become an enemy of the nation. He spoiled the atmosphere," he alleged. Commenting on the impact the US tariff had on India, Kharge charged, "Trump imposed a huge tariff. After a 50 per cent tariff, he destroyed our people". "You walk on your ideology and protect the people of the country, because the nation comes first and your friendship is secondary," he insisted. Kharge also urged the Prime Minister to realise that India had followed a foreign policy of neutrality a