Page 313 - Congress

May 13: The JD(S) steps into the future

The party's defining feature, secularism, is fairly flexible, raising questions about the future nature of its politics. The answer will likely know by close of business, today

BJP confident of winning, Cong says results will open Delhi's door in 2024

The voting for the assembly elections ended on Wednesday with a 69.95 voter turnout. The counting of the votes will be held on May 13

Investors expect Sebi will fulfil mandate of protecting interests: Congress

The Congress on Friday said lakhs of investors expect that SEBI will faithfully fulfil its mandate of protecting their interests, and ensure transparency and accountability while probing the "opaque network of shell companies" that have allegedly funnelled crores into Adani companies. The Congress' assertion came after the Supreme Court said it may consider granting three more months to SEBI for concluding its probe into the allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group and lapses in regulatory disclosure, and listed a batch of PILs and plea by the market regulator on May 15. Tagging a media report on the Supreme Court's observations in the matter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, "Supreme Court has given time till August 15th for SEBI to submit its report on the Adani Group." "Lakhs of investors expect that SEBI will faithfully fulfil its mandate of protecting their interests, and ensure transparency and accountability while probing the opaqu

When BJP comes to power, it stops Congress' projects: Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday alleged that whenever a BJP government is formed in the state, it stalls the projects started by a Congress government. He cited the Barmer refinery project as an example to make his allegation, saying the project has incurred additional expenditure due to the delay. Addressing a gathering in Alwar district, Gehlot said the BJP had envisaged the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) to ensure drinking and irrigation water for 13 districts, including Alwar, and his government is continuing the project. He said the project was started by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. He, however, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to declare ERCP a project of national importance and he had written letters to him on the matter but he is yet to receive a reply. "When a BJP government is formed in the state, projects started by the Congress are stalled by them," he said, according to an official statement. The chief minister inaugura

Pilot's 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' is a 'personal' one, keeping eye on it: Cong

Sachin Pilot's 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' is a "personal" one and the party "is keeping an eye on" it, Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said on Friday. He said a discussion on all issues would be held when Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge returns from Karnataka. Randhawa made the remarks after a meeting with state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra and co-in-charges Qazi Muhammad Nizamuddin, Amrita Dhawan and Virendra Rathore, among others, at the party's Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Road office where Pilot's march, organisational issues and preparations for the assembly polls this year were discussed. "I met the three secretaries attached to me and the Pradesh Congress Committee chief here. This was our first meeting together as we were busy with the elections in Karnataka and the Jalandhar bypoll. The strengthening of the organisation and appointments for the frontal organisations in the state were discussed," Randhawa told reporters after the meeting. Asked about Pilo

Congress will win at least 141 seats, form majority govt: D K Shivakumar

Congress state president D K Shivakumar on Friday junked the exit poll results in which the party, though it gains the highest number of seats, has to contend with a hung Assembly. He insisted that the party will win at least 141 seats and form a majority government. There was a wave in favour of the Congress, Shivakumar said, a day ahead of Saturday's counting of votes of the Assembly election. He also ruled out the possibility of return of 'resort politics' saying that "era ended 25 years ago". "I don't trust exit polls. I have trust in 141 seats. Our sample size is much bigger. Exit poll sample size is small. There is a major wave in favour of the Congress," Shivakumar told reporters here. Stating that the exit poll results fluctuate by 20 seats, the Congress state chief said the number he has given will only increase and not decrease. "I am not disputing the exit polls showing results in our favour. I thank them but we will get a clear majority. This is my firm belief," he ...

BJP creating concentration of economic power, MSMEs suffering: Congress

The Congress on Friday targeted the Narendra Modi government, saying it has created an "unprecedented concentration of economic power" where some large companies, particularly a "chosen few", are prospering while MSMEs are suffering. All India Congress Committee general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh also posted on Twitter a chart, sourced to some financial firms, that shows a trend of profit after tax (PAT) and free cashflow to equity of the top 20 PAT generators in the country over the last few years. "Reality of 'Mitr Kaal' MSMEs suffer while very large companies prosper, especially the PM's chosen few business houses," he said. "Modi government has created an unprecedented concentration of economic power. Top 20 firms in India generate 80 per cent of total profits. It was less than 50 per cent a decade ago," Ramesh tweeted while sharing the chart titled "Profit after tax and free cashflow to equity of the top 20 PAT generators in India". The Congress has been accusing

K'taka polls: Cong, BJP vying to contact winnable independent candidates

This time due to rebellion and denial of tickets many potential candidates have contested as independents and have a good chance of winning

Stage set for counting of votes in Karnataka Assembly poll tomorrow

The counting of votes polled for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls, which witnessed a fierce fight between archrivals BJP and the Congress, besides the JD(S) will be taken up on Saturday as the parties are waiting with bated breath to know their fate over the possibility of a hung assembly. The electoral fortunes of top leaders-- Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP, Congress heavyweights Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar and JD(S)' HD Kumaraswamy, among many others will be known on Saturday. The counting will begin at 8 am in 36 centres across the state, and poll officials expect a clear picture about the outcome is likely to emerge by mid-day. Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the State, especially in and around the counting centres, to avoid any untoward incidents, official sources said. The State registered a "record" turnout of 73.19 per cent in the voting on May 10, to elect representatives to the 224 member Assembly. With most exit polls predicting

Karnataka polls: Congress asks 'leading' candidates to reach Bengaluru

The exit polls have predicted a hung Assembly but the BJP and Congress are claiming they will win a comfortable majority

Don't want to be MP CM, Kamal Nath will get top job if Cong wins: Digvijaya

Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh on Thursday expressed confidence his party will form the next government in Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of former CM Kamal Nath and mocked the ruling BJP, calling it a divided house in the central state, where Assembly polls are due by the year-end. Singh said the saffron outfit is divided in three factions -- "Shivraj BJP (Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan), Maharaj BJP (a reference to Jyotiraditya Scindia who hails from a royal family) and Naraj BJP (disgruntled members in the party)". The Rajya Sabha MP said he does not want to be chief minister again. I don't want to become chief minister, but MP Congress president Kamal Nath will be the chief minister (if Congress wins). Poll tickets would be given on the basis of a survey for which a team is on the job, the veteran Congress leader told reporters here while responding to a query on whether he would become the next CM if his party wins. There are three types of saffron people in the

Sachin Pilot to get CRPF security cover for his 'Jan Sangharsh Padyatra'

The DGP,RPF has also been asked to ensure the safety of Pilot's train journey

Sachin Pilot steps up pressure on Cong, begins 5-day yatra over corruption

Dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot began a 125-km foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur on Thursday, challenging Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the party's top brass as assembly elections in Rajasthan approach. A month back, the former deputy chief minister had defied a warning from the party to hold a daylong fast targeting Gehlot on inaction over alleged corruption when the BJP was previously in power. The just-begun five-day yatra mounts further pressure on the party leadership as it hopes to retain the state in the elections at the end of the year. I am taking out this yatra to raise my voice, to hear your voice, and to become the voice of the people, Pilot, who was sacked as the state Congress chief in 2020 when he led a revolt against the CM, said at the start of the padyatra. Referring to the scorching heat as aag ka dariya, he told his supporters, This is a river of fire, we have to swim across it. The Tonk MLA was welcomed by them when he reached Ajmer by train. He address

Manipur violence seems pre-planned, President's Rule must be imposed: Cong

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Manipur violence seemed "pre-planned" and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state to help restore peace and normalcy. Congress spokesperson and the party's in-charge for Manipur, Bhakta Charan Das, also demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the violence and Rs 5 lakh for those whose houses were destroyed. The injured should be treated immediately and safe space needs to be created for people to return to their homes and neighbourhoods, he told a press conference. "The BJP government has utterly failed to control the situation (in Manipur). It has been unable to stop violence, unable to stop weapons from being looted or recover them, unable to rescue innocent people and unable to provide facilities to those in relief camps," Das said. "In this situation, we demand that President's Rule be immediately imposed to stop these incidents (of violence) which are happening even now," he said

Sonia Gandhi never spoke of Karnataka sovereignty: Congress deletes tweet

The Congress Party has clarified that Sonia Gandhi had never used the word "sovereignty" in her speech during election campaigning for Assembly elections in Karnataka

Karnataka Assembly Elections: Exit polls give Congress the edge over BJP

Voter turnout may be lower than the record 72% seen in the previous election

Karnataka CM rejects exit poll results giving Congress edge over BJP

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday rejected the exit poll results, which gave Congress an edge over the ruling BJP in the assembly elections and asserted that his party will win with clear majority. He also said the high voter turnout always favoured the BJP and not the Congress as some rival leaders have been claiming. Exit polls are exit polls. They can't be 100 per cent correct. There will be variation that can change the whole scenario, Bommai told reporters in his home constituency Shiggaon, from where he is contesting the election. Our ground report says we will win with absolute majority. Let us wait till May 13 (when the counting will happening), the CM said. To a question about the Congress being buoyed by the voter turnout, and seeing it is a positive sign for the party, Bommai replied that it is the other way round. "See, more number of voters turning out is always better for the BJP, not the Congress. It shows that lot of people who otherwise do not

Karnataka elections 2023 LIVE: Exit polls predict close BJP vs Cong fight

Voting will be held today for 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka with 2,615 candidates in the fray

Parties make slew of announcements ahead of elections in Madhya Pradesh

While the BJP is pitching up the Ladli Behna and farmer loan waiver schemes, the Congress has introduced the Nari Samman Yojana

K'taka polling ends: Rahul thanks voters, lauds Cong for dignified campaign

As polling wound up Wednesday evening in the Karnataka assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi thanked the voters of the state and lauded party leaders for a "well-run, dignified and people-oriented campaign" Voting came to an end for the Karnataka Assembly elections at 6 pm, with data showing a turnout of 65.69 per cent till an hour before that. "I want to thank the Babbar Sher workers and leaders of Congress for a well-run, dignified and solid people-oriented campaign. Thank you to the people of Karnataka for coming out in large numbers to vote for a progressive future," he said in a tweet. According to the voter turnout figure for the polls to the 224-member Assembly, Ramanagara recorded the highest turnout of 78.22 per cent, while the lowest polling was from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South limits (parts of Bengaluru city) at 48.63 per cent, election officials said. The state is mainly witnessing a three-cornered contest between the ruling BJP, the Congr