Page 157 - Congress

Tajinder Singh Bittu calls on Nadda after ditching Congress for BJP

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed Bittu in the BJP fold saying that the work done under the leadership of PM Modi was more than what the Congress achieved in the 60 years

PM talks about 'Make in India' but wants Chinese goods in country: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about 'Make in India', he has "destroyed" MSMEs through demonetisation and GST as he wants Chinese goods to be sold in the country and billionaires profit from it. He also the BJP government has created "two types of martyrs" and asserted that if voted to power, the Congress will scrap the Agniveer scheme. At an election meeting here also attended by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the former Congress chief alleged that PM Modi worked with full vigour for 15-20 billionaires in the past 10 years. By diverting people's attention, the "entire wealth of India was handed over to these people. Narendra Modi ji has waived loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of the billionaires", he claimed. "They have waived the loans of 10-15 people. Narendra Modi ji has given lakhs of crores to the billionaires. Today, the situation is such that 22 people possess wealth equal to that of 70 crore Indians... T

LS polls: Undercurrent in favour of INDIA gaining strength, says Congress

A day after polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Saturday claimed that the INDIA bloc is far ahead of the BJP and an undercurrent in favour of the coalition is gaining strength. Polling in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories took place on Friday. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "BJP's Graph: South Mein Saaf, North Mein Half! Here's what we know after the first phase of voting: In the first phase, voting was held on 102 seats in 21 states. Ground reports clearly show the INDIA coalition far ahead of BJP." "We have swept Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and performed strongly in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh," he claimed. Ramesh further said that the BJP's performance in key states has been "remarkably poor". "The BJP leadership is in panic due to these trends - the PM's tweet is an indication of the desperation in their camp," he claimed. Ram

LS polls: Wayanad District Congress Committee general secy quits, joins BJP

The Congress party in Wayanad faced a setback on Saturday as its District Congress Committee general secretary resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Addressing the media after joining the saffron party, P M Sudhakaran said present MP and Congress candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Rahul Gandhi, was inaccessible to even the district leaders of the party. "If he is inaccessible to me, imagine the situation of a common man. He was given five years. If we give another term, it will destroy the development prospects of Wayanad," Sudhakaran said. He also challenged Gandhi to announce that he will not contest from Amethi. Two other "prominent personalities" too joined the BJP today, the saffron party said in a release. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front has fielded senior CPI leader Annie Raja from the Wayanad constituency. The BJP has given the ticket to its state chief K Surendran in the high range constituency. Recently, the UDF convenor of Kottayam District, Sji ...

Powerful people in India, abroad joined hands to remove me from power: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said big and powerful people in India and abroad have joined hands to remove him from power. Addressing a mega public meeting here, he said, "Mothers and sisters have come in a large number here. Your struggle and the challenges you face to nurture your family, Modi has seen this in his house. These days big and powerful people in the country and abroad have united to remove Modi." "But, because of Nari Shakti and Maatru Shakti's blessings and Suraksha kavach (safety armour), Modi is able to move on fighting challenges." "Serving mothers, sisters and daughters and protecting them is Modi's priority," he said, listing out measures taken by his government for women's welfare in ten years, like supporting their self help groups and creating 'Lakhpati Didis'. Former Minister K Sudhakar is the BJP candidate from Chikkaballapur, while its alliance partner JD(S) has fielded M Mallesh Babu from the neighbouring Kolar. The prime minister said the fi

AAP welcomes Congress' support to its candidates in Delhi mayoral polls

The AAP on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Congress to support its candidates in the upcoming Delhi mayoral polls. Addressing a press conference here, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and the party's Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in-charge Durgesh Pathak expressed confidence that the AAP-Congress alliance will win the April 26 polls by a huge margin. "We welcome this move (of the Congress). Together, we will fight against dictatorship and a corrupt government. The AAP and the Congress will together contest the MCD election and win the polls by a huge margin," Pathak said. "The BJP resorted to hooliganism in the last election but still lost the polls. Our only mission is to save the country and its Constitution," he added, accusing the saffron party of asking for votes by telling people that it will amend the Constitution if elected. "The country is going through a very difficult time. Today, when BJP leaders are going to ask for votes, they are openly saying, you give us

Cong against OBC, BJP will not let anyone do away with reservation: Shah

Accusing the Congress of being against the Other Backward Classes, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday said even if the opposition party wants to do away with the reservation given to SC, ST and OBCs, the BJP will not allow that to happen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs to the OBC community, he said, adding that it was Modi who implemented schemes for people of small backward classes. Shah was addressing an election rally in support of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the BJP's candidate and sitting MP from the Kota Lok Sabha seat. "Even if the Congress party wants to remove SC, ST and OBC reservation... we will not allow it. This is Modi's guarantee," he asserted. The Congress is a party which opposes Other Backward Classes (OBC), Shah alleged. "The Congress government did not implement the Mandal Commission report. During a discussion in Parliament on reservation, Rahul baba's father Rajiv Gandhi spoke against it for two-and-a-half hours," he claimed. Shah said Modi worked

Modi govt cares only for super rich, posing threat to Constitution: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday charged the BJP-RSS combine and a handful of billionaires with posing a threat to democracy and the country's Constitution, to which "Dalits, tribals and the poor owe all that they have". Addressing an election rally at Bhagalpur, his first in Bihar, Gandhi also drew a contrast with the previous UPA government headed by his party, claiming the amount of debt written off under the Narendra Modi regime was 25 times the farmers' loans we had waived. I would like to give you some startling statistics. The country has 22 individuals who own wealth that is equivalent to the holdings of 70 crore people. There are 70 crore people in the country who are surviving on less than Rs 100 a day," claimed Gandhi. The former Congress president claimed that Modi has waived debts, of not more than 25 people, which amounts to about Rs 16 lakh crore". "Do you realiSe it is 25 times the amount of farmers' loans we had waived? It may also be seen as equivalent to

BJP wants to continue loot: Cong on Sitharaman's remarks on electoral bonds

The Congress on Saturday hit out at the BJP over Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's reported remarks that electoral bonds will be brought back after consultations, alleging that after looting Rs 4 lakh crore of public money, they want to "continue the loot." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the BJP came after Sitharaman told the Hindustan Times that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intended to bring back electoral bonds in some form after consultations with all stakeholders if it is elected back to power after the 2024 general election. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has declared that if the BJP returns to power, they will bring back the Electoral Bonds that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional and illegal!" "We know that the BJP looted Rs. 4 lakh crore of public money in the #PayPM scam. Now they want to continue the loot," he alleged. Ramesh listed what he said were the "four methods of PayPM." "Prepaid Bribery - .

Priyanka questions PM's claim about voters rejecting INDIA bloc in phase 1

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday questioned how Prime Minister Narendra Modi can claim that the grand old party and the INDIA bloc led by it have been rejected by voters in the first phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections. The first phase elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories were held on Friday. "How does he know? The results are not out yet," the Congress leader said at the sidelines of a poll rally in this district. She also questioned how the PM and BJP can claim that they will get over 400 seats this time. "I do not know how they can be so confident when the results have not come. We are all working very hard," she told PTI. The Congress leader said that wherever she goes she sees people who want change. "I am sure change will come," she said. On being asked whether she will contest from the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress leader said, "You will see in a few days".

Supplier of 'aatank' now struggling to get 'aata': PM Modi on Pakistan

Referring to Pakistan's high inflation rate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the nation which was a supplier of 'aatank' (terrorism) is now struggling to get 'aata' (flour)

LS polls: In Bangalore Rural, Congress-JD (S) rivalry, two Dr Manjunaths

In a bypoll in 2002, after the sitting Congress MP passed away, Deve Gowda defeated Shivakumar from the seat. The constituency votes in the second phase on April 26

Highlights: Israel warned US about drone strike on Iran, says Italian foreign minister

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LS polls: Cong has not shed its mindset of imposing Emergency, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Congress' mindset of "shackling the Constitution" and imposing Emergency had not changed, and the opposition's INDIA grouping did not have any pro-development ideas. Speaking at a campaign rally here for BJP candidates from Wardha and Amravati Lok Sabha constituencies in eastern Maharashtra, he also said the Congress knows it cannot win the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, and therefore its "yuvraj" (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi) was threatening that the country will be on fire if the BJP won. Against the BJP's development agenda, the Congress and INDIA bloc are bereft of any ideas, the prime minister said, adding that polling for the first phase of the elections, which began earlier in the morning, showed that his government was set to win a third term. "When its 'yuvraj' says the country will be set ablaze, (it indicates that) Congress' mindset of shackling the Constitution and imposing Emergency has not changed," Modi said, ...

LS polls Highlights: Nearly 60% polling till 5 pm in phase one, says EC

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Kept away from BJP, Congress as both cheated people: BSP chief Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Friday said her party stayed away from alliances led by the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress since both had cheated citizens. Addressing a poll rally here, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also claimed the BJP would struggle for victory in the Lok Sabha polls "if EVMs are not tampered". "The BSP did not ally with the BJP or Congress as both these parties have cheated people. Both their manifestos are weak. We are fighting the Lok Sabha polls relying on the strength of Dalits, tribals, Other Backward Classes and Muslims," she said. "After Independence, the Congress ruled the country and states with a casteist and capitalist approach. That party's words and deeds did not match," she added. Mayawati also said the BJP would struggle in the Lok Sabha polls since it had not fulfilled promises. "Even one-fourth of their guarantees have not been implemented. The BJP will not sail through easily in the polls if it is conducted fairly and E

Fight to protect our Constitution, democracy begins today, says Kharge

As the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls began on Friday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged voters to cast their ballots carefully and asserted that a new era of economic empowerment and equal opportunities beckons them. "The fight to protect our Constitution and Democracy begins today," he said in a post on 'X'. "My dear citizens, from 21 States and UTs who are voting in the First Phase of the Lok Sabha elections, I request you to carefully cast your vote. A future where NYAY (justice) awaits you. A new era of Economic Empowerment and Equal Opportunities beckons you," the Congress chief said. "I am sure you will vote for the 'jobs revolution' through YUVA NYAY, rather than a continuation of the past 10 years of record unemployment," Kharge said. He exuded confidence that people would vote for the guarantees of 'NAARI NYAY' which takes concrete measures for the financial independence of women and against the continuation of the backbreaking price rise that has reduced th

Voting begins in first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024: 10 key points

The first phase will see voting in 102 out of 534 Lok Sabha seats, across 17 states and four Union Territories

INDIA bloc will win all 39 seats in TN, says Cong leader P Chidambaram

The former union minister's son, Karti Chidambaram, is the Congress' sitting MP from Sivaganga and he is pitted against the BJP's Devanathan Yadav and A Xavierd of the AIADMK

Highlights of the day: AAP MLA Amanatullah arrested in Delhi Waqf Board-linked money laundering case

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