Page 190 - Congress

White Paper presented by Centre exposed Congress, says Anurag Thakur

Anurag Thakur, during a visit to Dharamshala, said "The White Paper has exposed the Congress...Family was important for Congress. The policies of Congress have caused great harm to the country...

Post TMC-Cong break up, BJP bets on Ram Mandir, CAA for 35 LS seats in WB

Struggling to gain political traction on issues of corruption, the West Bengal BJP is shifting its focus to emotive topics such as the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in a bid to achieve its target of securing 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats from the state. The BJP's strategy is buoyed by the decision of the Trinamool Congress to contest alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, breaking away from the INDIA bloc in the state. This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17% vote share in 2014 to 40% in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats. Despite facing internal strife and electoral setbacks since its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP's attempts to capitalise on corruption allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government have fallen short. With a target of winning 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is now banking on emotive issues lik

We've support of 225 MLAs: Ajit Pawar on Oppn's demand to dismiss Maha govt

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said the state government has the backing of 225 MLAs in the 288-member assembly, amid the opposition's demand to dismiss the Eknath Shinde-led government over the law and order situation. Speaking at an event on Saturday in Mumbai where Congress leader Baba Siddique joined the Nationalist Congress Party led by him, Pawar said no such demand was made after the 26/11 terrorist attacks here, when a Congress-led coalition was in power in Maharashtra. "The opposition today demanded dismissal of the government. Our Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance) has the support of 225 MLAs," he said. "Attempts are being made by some people to create an atmosphere of fear that there is a breakdown of law and order in the state....when the 26/11 terrorist attacks took place, no such demand was made," Pawar said. He, however, also said that he was not defending or justifying the recent incidents of violence over which the opposition has trained its gu

Congress expels Acharya Pramod Krishnam for making statements against party

The Congress on Saturday expelled Acharya Pramod Krishnam from the party for "indiscipline" and making repeated statements against the party. Krishnam, who had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow on a Congress ticket but lost, had recently praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya and criticised the Congress' stance of its leadership skipping the event. "In view of complaints about indiscipline and repeatedly making statement against the party, Congress president has approved the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee's proposal to expel Shri Pramod Krishnam for six years with immediate effect," a statement issued by Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said. Krishnam had also met Prime Minister Modi earlier this month and invited him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on February 19. Of late, he has been criticising some of the decisions of the Congress ...

Congress to come out with people-friendly manifesto, says DK Shivakumar

Taking a jibe at the BJP, he said that during the last 10 years, not a single scheme was launched that changed lives

2024 LS polls should be fought on people-centric issues: Sachin Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections should be fought on issues related to the people and that he has requested the party high-command to allow people with clean image to enter the fray. He said the opposition INDIA bloc wants to do engage in issue-based politics. "I want this election to be fought on issues. The problems people are facing in their everyday lives, a roadmap to resolve the problem. It should be discussed," he told reporters in Tonk. Pilot said the panel of candidates for 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state has been prepared in the recent party's screening committee meeting in Delhi. The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister also said the final decision on this will be taken by the central election committee of the party. "It is expected that a decision will be taken soon," he said. Pilot said he has requested the party that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, new people and those with clean image should be given a chance as this

Telangana govt allots Rs 53,196 cr to fulfill poll promise of 6 guarantees

The Congress government in Telangana presented its maiden budget on Saturday, a vote on account and earmarked Rs 53,196 crore for the implementation of its six poll 'guarantees' with the overall outlay being Rs 2,75,891 crore. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka presented the budget in the Assembly and said 'the budget is to fulfill the Congress government's commitment of establishing 'Indiramma Rajyam' (welfare governance of former PM Indira Gandhi) in Telangana. Alleging that the previous BRS government left the state bankrupt, Vikramarka said the burden of unplanned loans was posing a challenge. "Yet, we will stand by the people with planned developmental goals," he said. "In this budget, we have proposed Rs 53,196 crore, for implementation of these schemes. Provision of additional funds will be made as required, once a complete assessment is made about the schemes," Vikramarka said. The six poll 'guarantees' of Congress include Rs 2,500 assistance per month to women

Congress mastered art of spoiling accomplishments: FM Sitharaman in RS

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday took a dig at the Congress saying the grand old party mastered the art of ruining accomplishments of the previous government as they did while managing inflation during the 10-year UPA regime. Replying to a short duration discussion on 'White Paper on Indian Economy' in the Rajya Sabha, she said there was mismanagement of the economy during 2004-2014 by the Congress-led UPA government. She said the Modi-led government toiled for 10 years to bring the economy back on track, taking India from 'Fragile Five' to 5th largest economy of the world. She said that India is soon going to become the world's third largest economy. Sitharaman said the inflation rate was below 4 per cent in the last year of Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, but it remained significantly high during the 10-year UPA regime. "Gur ko gobar karna inki mastery hai (Congress has mastery of ruining something that has been accomplished)," she said. The finance minister atta

BJP got Rs 1,300 cr via electoral bonds, over 7 times what Cong received

The ruling BJP received nearly Rs 1300 crore through electoral bonds in the 2022-23, which was seven times more than what the Congress got in the same period through the same route. The BJP's total contributions stood at Rs 2120 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal, of which 61 per cent came from electoral bonds, according to the party's annual audited report submitted to the Election Commission. In FY 2021-22, the party's total contributions were to the tune of Rs 1775 crore. The party's total income in 2022-23 stood at Rs 2360.8 crore, up from Rs 1917 crore in FY 2021-22. The Congress, on the other hand, earned Rs 171 crore from electoral bonds which was down from Rs 236 crore in FY 2021-22. The BJP and the Congress are recognised national parties. The Samajwadi Party, a recognised state party, had earned Rs 3.2 crore through electoral bonds in 2021-22. In 2022-23, it received no contributions from these bonds. Another state recognised party, the TDP, earned Rs 34 crore through electo

Congress slams govt on White Paper on economy, terms it 'white lie paper'

Chidambaram said the appropriate answer to the so-called white paper is the hard-hitting document titled '10 Saal, Anyay Kaal, 2014-2024'

Chandigarh Mayor Elections: Murder of democracy, says SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said the Returning Officer of the Chandigarh mayoral elections should be prosecuted for tampering with the ballot papers and called the incident a "murder of democracy".

National security compromised, leadership failed in 10 years of UPA: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said national security was compromised, environmental clearances delayed and leadership failed during the previous Congress-led UPA government. Replying to a debate in Lok Sabha on the White Paper on India's economy and its impact on the lives of people, Sitharaman said the UPA government indulged in "glaring mismanagement" of the defence sector and its highlight was the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland scam. "Critical shortage of ammunition & defence equipment was the main feature of 2014 when we inherited the economy. Bullet proof jackets were not available for our soldiers. Night vision goggles were not available," Sitharaman said. She said 'Jayanti Tax' during the UPA tenure delayed environment clearances for projects up to a year. The average time to clear projects increased to 316 days from 86 days between 2011 and 2014. She said 10 years of dedicated efforts of the Modi government have put the economy back on rails. "We correcte

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may soon retire from public life

Health issues have reportedly hindered the 91-year-old leader's ability to perform his parliamentary duties

Poor in Rajasthan will continue to reap benefits of Cong's policy: Gehlot

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that the poor will continue to benefit from the Rajasthan Minimum Income Guaranteed Act implemented by his government. Gehlot in a post on X said that social security pension has never been the priority of the BJP but due to the Income Act implemented by the previous Congress government, there was an automatic increase of 15 per cent in social security pension in the vote on account presented in Rajasthan Assembly yesterday. State Finance Minister Diya Kumari had presented the vote on the state's behalf on Thursday. "The poor and the needy will continue to benefit from Congress' rights-based political philosophy," Gehlot said. "During the tenure of the Congress government in Rajasthan from 2008 to 2013, we had started a social security pension for the elderly, widows and disabled," he said. "The government changed in 2013 in the state. Despite rising inflation in the last five years, there was no increase in the social security pen

Budget Session: Discussion on 'White Paper' expected to rock LS today

It said the economy grew fast between 2004 and 2008 largely due to the "lagged effects" of the reforms of the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee

LS polls: BJP to take 'White Paper' against Cong-led UPA to every state

The source told ANI that the BJP has firmed its strategy and electoral roadmap for the high-stakes Lok Sabha polls

10 saal anyay kaal: Cong releases 'black paper' on Modi govt's failures

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge unveiled the 54-page 'black paper' at 10.30 am, hours before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the government's 'White Paper' in Parliament

A 'pop-up yatri' introspects

If you are keen to explore what Rahul Gandhi's politics of love might look and feel like, scientist-turned-journalist Dilip D'Souza's book offers just that-from the ringside

FM Sitharaman tables 'White Paper', blames UPA for 'mountain of bad loans'

The 'White Paper' states that the UPA government failed miserably to facilitate economic activities and created hurdles that held back the economy

Money laundering probe against Soren: ED summons Cong MP Dhiraj Sahu

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Dhiraj Prasad Sahu for questioning in a money laundering case in which the central agency arrested former chief minister Hemant Soren, official sources said Thursday. Sahu, 64, was in the news after the Income-tax department in December recovered Rs 351.8 crore cash, an all-time high seizure, during raids against Odisha-based Boudh Distillery Pvt. Ltd. (BDPL), promoted by the family of the Congress legislator. Sources said the ED wants to question and record Sahu's statement in connection with his purported links with Soren and a BMW SUV that was seized by the agency from the JMM leader's house in Delhi sometime back. The agency raided a premise in Kardarpur village in Gurugram on Wednesday on whose address this Haryana number plate bearing SUV was registered, the sources said. Two locations in Kolkata were also searched in the same case on Wednesday. The ED suspects this vehicle to be allegedly linked