Page 169 - Congress

Failed to put up united Oppn candidates due to politics: Assam Cong chief

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah has asserted that the opposition parties' attempt to contest the Lok Sabha polls unitedly in the state fell apart "due to national politics". He claimed that the AAP contesting separately in the state would be its "biggest blunder", while the TMC's refusal to concede any constituency to the Congress in West Bengal "impacted the alliance adversely" in the northeastern state. "We had formed the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) eight months before the INDIA bloc was constituted. Ours is a 16-party forum and out of these, three are contesting the Lok Sabha polls directly. But it is not due to my leadership or politics in the state, but due to national politics," Borah said in an interview with PTI. Of the total 14 seats in the state, the Congress is contesting 13, leaving one for the UOFA member Assam Jaitya Parishad (AJP). The other UOFA constituents, which have put up candidates in the state, are the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool ..

Cong gets I-T notice of over Rs 1,745 cr, total tax demand at Rs 3,567 cr

In mounting trouble for the Congress, sources in the party said it has received fresh notices from the Income Tax department, raising a tax demand of Rs 1,745 crore for the assessment years 2014-15 to 2016-17. With this latest notice, the Income Tax department has raised a total demand of Rs 3,567 crore from the Congress. According to sources, the fresh tax notices relate to 2014-15 (Rs 663 crore), 2015-16 (around Rs 664 crore) and 2016-17 (around Rs 417 crore). The authorities have ended the tax exemption available to political parties and have taxed the party for the entire collections, they added. The Congress has also been taxed for "third-party entries" made in diaries seized from some of its leaders by probe agencies during raids, the sources said. The main opposition party on Friday said that it has received notices from the I-T department, asking it to pay around Rs 1,823 crore. The tax authorities have already withdrawn Rs 135 crore from the party's accounts for a tax dema

Andhra polls: Cong unveils 9 guarantees', promises Rs 1 lakh annually

The Congress in Andhra Pradesh has announced 'nine guarantees', including Rs 1 lakh yearly to women and Rs 2 lakh farm loan waiver, to be implemented if voted to power in the state in the May 13 Assembly polls. Launching the party's manifesto for the upcoming polls on Saturday, APCC chief Y S Sharmila said if the Congress comes to power at the Centre, it would ensure special category status to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years as its first guarantee. After a lot of brainstorming, the Congress party has brought out excellent guarantees. Every poor family will get nearly Rs 8500 monthly, that is Rs 1 lakh per annum. This will be given to women only under Mahila Mahalakshmi scheme. This will be the party's second guarantee, she said. An additional 50 per cent to farmers on the minimum support price, hike in minimum wage under the Employment Guarantee Scheme to Rs 400 per day, free education from KG to PG are some of the guarantees made by the grand old party. The Congress also promised to .

LS polls: Cong eyes win in 6 seats in Chhattisgarh in which BJP never lost

Six out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh have been the Bharatiya Janata Party's bastions where it never lost the elections since the state's formation in 2000. While the Congress has expressed confidence of breaching the saffron citadels this time, the BJP is hopeful of retaining them and also pocketing the other Lok Sabha seats in the state. Of these six seats, Kanker, Surguja and Raigarh are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, Janjgir-Champa for the Scheduled Castes, while Raipur and Bilaspur are for the general category candidates. In Rajnandagon Lok Sabha seat, the BJP never tasted defeat since 2000 but in a 2007 bypoll, the Congress emerged victorious. This time, the Congress has fielded former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel from Rajnandgaon. After Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, the BJP fared well in both the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. The saffron party ruled the state uninterrupted for 15 years from 2003 to 2018 and came to power fo

Congress callously gave away 'Katchatheevu' island, can't ever trust it: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress "callously" gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. "Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people's minds- we can't ever trust Congress," he said on X, sharing the report. The BJP is hopeful that the issue will come handy to its efforts to gain political traction in Dravidian state as it gears up for the Lok Sabha polls. The report is based on a RTI reply Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai received on the decision of the then Indira Gandhi government in 1974 to hand over the territory in Palk Strait to the neighbouring country. Modi said, "Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting." The report also cites first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's comments on the issue, a source of dispute between India an

Not 'save democracy' but 'save family', hide corruption: BJP on Oppn rally

The BJP on Sunday slammed the opposition INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila ground here, saying it is not a "save democracy" meeting as projected but a "save family" and "hide corruption" rally. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited corruption cases of a host of leaders, including those from the Congress, DMK and the RJD, to assert that all these charges date back to pre-2014 period amid the opposition's accusation that the Modi government is implicating them in graft probes due to its political vendetta. Ramlila ground once hosted "India against corruption" movement under the leadership of Anna Hazare, Trivedi said, adding that it is hosting on Sunday a rally for "everybody with corruption". People who trashed many leaders as thieves and crooks have joined hands with them, and it is a strange and startling sight, he said, in an apparent reference to the coming together of the Aam Aadmi Party with other opposition parties. Their leader is now Lalu Prasad Yadav, a convict in several .

PM Modi maintaining studious silence on key issues affecting UP: Congress

The Congress on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of maintaining a "studious silence" on key issues affecting the people of Uttar Pradesh, as it alleged that he has "failed" women, farmers and youth. Ahead of the prime minister's rally in Meerut, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions for him on behalf of the people of Uttar Pradesh. To avoid having to come clean on his real intentions, he has maintained a "studious silence" on these key issues so far, Ramesh said and went on to list the issues which he claimed the people of Uttar Pradesh are hoping to hear from the PM on. "Publicly, PM Modi loves talking about women's empowerment and 'Nari Shakti' but he has repeatedly failed Indian women, even within his own party. Just two weeks ago, the BJP Mahila Morcha's National Vice President quit the party, citing that female party workers were being 'insulted' and 'treated harshly'," Ramesh said. "Another female leader, the President of the Mahila Morcha in UP'

LS polls: Cong slams BJP over setting up manifesto panel at 'last moment'

The Congress on Saturday announced that it will release its manifesto on April 5 and took a swipe at the BJP over it setting up a manifesto committee at the "last moment". The BJP on Saturday announced a 27-member committee, which included several Union ministers and chief ministers, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to prepare its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Congress released its 'Paanch Nyay', 'Pachees Guarantees' on March 16 and its 'Ghar Ghar Guarantee' campaign to distribute eight crore guarantee cards across the country will begin on April 3. The manifesto will be released on April 5, he said. "The BJP's manifesto, begun at this last moment, is merely an exercise in ticking boxes. It reflects the contempt with which the party sees the public," Ramesh alleged. The Congress manifesto was compiled after carrying out nationwide consultations and after receiving thousands of suggestions

Seems country being run not by govt but criminal gang: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "strangling" democracy and said it seems the country is being run not by a government but by a "criminal gang". Gandhi's attack on the government came a day before the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance's (INDIA) public meeting at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan which the Congress has termed 'Loktantra Bachao Rally'. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "Narendra Modi wants to strangle democracy and take away the option from the people to choose a government of their choice." "On one hand, the BJP, which is doing 'chande ka dhanda', is running an 'extortion government' in the country, while on the other hand, by freezing the accounts of the main opposition party, putting chief ministers in jail and suppressing every independent voice, it is not allowing opposition to contest the polls in a fair manner," Gandhi said. "Whoever is not with BJP - jail him. Whoever donates to BJP - bail him out. With th

Congress can't be intimidated by tax terrorism': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the BJP is wrong if it thought that it can intimidate the Congress Party with "tax terrorism". Reacting to the Income Tax Department's fresh notice to the party asking to pay Rs 1,823 crore, Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP is afraid of losing the Lok Sabha elections and hence "terrorising" the party by misusing central agencies. "The Bharatiya Janata Party, fearful of impending defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, has been misusing autonomous institutions like the IT Department, ED, and CBI to undermine the Congress Party. "As part of this tactic, they have unleashed tax terrorism' on our party. The BJP is under the illusion that by weakening our party, it can win the election," Siddaramaiah said in a statement. Quoting Congress leaders, the chief minister said that between 2017 and 2018, the BJP obtained contributions from 92 undisclosed donors and from 1,297 donors lacking address details. "Should the same criteria

Saina Nehwal targets Karnataka Cong MLA Shamanur over 'anti-woman' remarks

Star shuttler Saina Nehwal on Saturday lashed out at Shamanur Shivashankarappa, veteran Congress leader from the state, for making "sexist jibe" at Gayatri Siddeshwara, a BJP candidate from the Davangere constituency. Shivashankarappa, a 92-year-old sitting MLA from Davangere South, had said that Gayatri, wife of former Union Minister and incumbent MP Siddeshwara GM, "belonged to the kitchen". Taking exception to his remark, Nehwal posted on her X account: "Women should be restricted to the kitchen this is what a top Karnataka leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa ji has said. The sexist jibe at @bjp4india candidate from Davanagere, Gayatri Siddeshwara ji is least expected from a party that says Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon." The 34-year-old Nehwal, who had won the bronze medal during the 2012 London Olympics, said such misogynistic remarks were upsetting when women in the country are aspiring to leave their mark in every field. "When I won medals for Bharat on the play field what would .

Hyderabad Mayor Vijaya Laxmi joins Congress to help party in LS polls

In a shot in the arm for the Congress in Telangana, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijaya Laxmi R Gadwal joined the party here on Saturday. Vijaya Laxmi joined Congress in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana Deepa Dasmunsi and other leaders. Vijaya Laxmi joining Congress is expected to help the party in the GHMC limits in the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress did not win any of the 24 seats that fall under the limits of GHMC in the recent Assembly polls, though it won a majority. Vijaya Laxmi's father and BRS Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao, who had served as PCC president earlier, said on Friday that he would return to the Congress fold. Keshav Rao met the CM and state Congress chief Revanth Reddy on Friday. Noting that he worked in the grand old party for 55 years, the 85-year-old leader said he would do 'ghar vapsi' (returning to home). Asked if he is quitting BRS due to any differences with the region

Priyanka Gandhi accuses govt of 'pressuring' judiciary after bonds verdict

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the Centre of "pressuring" the judiciary after the Supreme Court struck down the electoral bonds scheme and wondered whether the Narendra Modi government does not approve of an independent and strong judiciary. The Congress general secretary's remarks come two days after Prime Minister Modi criticised the grand old party in reaction to more than 600 lawyers writing to the Chief Justice of India, alleging that a "vested interest group" is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts. Modi on Thursday said it was a "vintage Congress culture" to browbeat and bully others. In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The manner in which the judicial system is being pressured by getting letters written after seeing the layers of scams being exposed by a decision of the Supreme Court on electoral bonds (which the public is calling 'extortion racket'), and then the prime minister himself entering the arena and making

Kejriwal arrest: AAP plans mega rally, INDIA bloc to attend; details here

Lok Sabha elections 2024: AAP organises mass protest following Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, ahead of the general elections

Maharashtra Congress wants 'friendly fights' on six seats, says Naseem Khan

Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan on Friday said the unilateral announcement of candidates by the Shiv Sena (UBT) had angered his party workers and the state unit was keen on "friendly fights" in six Lok Sabha constituencies. The Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) comprise the Maha Vikas Aghadi. "We met today and decided to communicate to the central leadership that we will have friendly fights on six seats, namely Sangli, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North West and some more places. The manner in which Shiv Sena (UBT) announced candidates on seats claimed by Congress has angered our party workers," Khan said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) announced its candidates in Sangli, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North West, while the NCP(SP) is claiming Bhiwandi.

After Congress, CPI gets Income Tax dept notice for Rs 11-crore dues

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has received a notice from the income-tax department, asking it to pay "dues" of Rs 11 crore for using an old PAN card while filing tax returns during the last few years, sources said on Friday. They said the Left party is consulting its lawyers to challenge the notice of the tax authorities. The sources said the "dues" to be paid to the I-T department include penalties and interest due to authorities for "discrepancies" in the use of an old PAN card by the party. "We are seeking legal assistance and consulting our lawyers," a senior CPI leader told PTI. Earlier, the Congress said it has received I-T notices, asking the party to pay dues of more than Rs 1,823 crore for discrepancies in tax returns filed for previous years. Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale has also claimed that he has received 11 I-T notices in the last 72 hours. The Congress has been alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre is trying to "cripple" the opposition

Cong to stage nationwide protest on Rs 1,800 cr Income Tax notice tomorrow

The Income Tax department served a fresh notice of Rs 1,823 crore to the Congress for discrepancies in tax returns for previous years

UP ranks first in custodial deaths, all cases warrant probe: Cong's Pathak

Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Pankhuri Pathak on Friday called for a judicial probe into every death in police custody, saying the state government and the police administration "becoming so uncontrolled" is "extremely worrying and dangerous". Pathak, the chairperson of the Congress's social media wing, also claimed that Uttar Pradesh occupies the top spot in the country in terms of custodial killings. Her remarks came after jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's death at a hospital in Banda district of the state on Thursday. Ansari (63) was lodged in the Banda jail and died of a cardiac arrest. The family of the five-time MLA has alleged that Ansari was subjected to slow poisoning in the jail, a charge denied by the prison authorities. "There are reports of deaths in police custody/custodial killings every day in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh ranks first in the country in terms of custodial killing. No part or section of the state has remained untouched by this. A

Modi govt trying to make Congress party bankrupt: AICC gen secy Venugopal

The Congress on Friday sharply reacted to the Income Tax Department's notice to the grand old party to pay a penalty of over Rs 1,750 crore and said the officials were being used as the "gundas" of the ruling BJP. Addressing the media here, AICC general secretary in-charge of the organisation, K C Venugopal, lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government and accused it of trying to "financially strangulate" the opposition parties during the election time. Venugopal said the Modi government was trying to make the Congress party bankrupt. The Income Tax Department has served a notice to the Congress to pay over Rs 1750 crore, hours after the Delhi High Court had rejected its petitions challenging the tax reassessment proceedings against it. "Usually, the political parties are exempted from paying taxes. However, this penalty is in the name of delay in filing returns. The Narendra Modi government is doing this with the specific purpose of bankrupting the Congress party at a time w

I-T serves Rs 1,700 crore tax notice to Congress after HC rejects plea

The Income Tax department's notice for the assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21, will add to the worries of Congress, which is already facing a cash crunch on the account of frozen bank accounts