Page 345 - Congress

Maharashtra leader Balasaheb Thorat resigns as Cong legislature party chief

Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat on Tuesday resigned as the state legislature party head, a day after his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over friction with state unit chief Nana Patole came out, party sources said. Patole, however, said he was not aware of any such move by Thorat and claimed that his predecessor doesn't speak with us, while the BJP said its doors are open if the Congress leader wishes to switch sides. Thorat, who represents the Sangamner constituency in Ahmednagar district, has sent his resignation to the party high command, said the sources. The Congress leader is the maternal uncle of Satyajit Tambe who recently won the Legislative Council election from the Nashik division graduates constituency as an independent candidate. An aide of Thorat had earlier said that the Congress leader had written to the Congress central leadership citing his inability to work with Patole due to the latter's "anger" towards him. Thorat also said he was n

BJP scared of Left, Congress electoral understanding in Tripura: Ex-CM

Claiming that the electoral understanding between the Left and the Congress has a moral ground in Tripura, CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar said that the ruling BJP is scared of two of its rivals coming together to oust the fascist ruler in the northeastern state. He also accused the saffron party of throttling democracy in the northeastern state during its rule in the past five years. The BJP must be thinking about how its two rivals have joined hands. They are also questioning the morality of the electoral adjustment but the reality is that the people want to oust the fascist ruler from power, he said at an election rally in Dhalai district's Surma assembly constituency on Monday. Sarkar claimed that the Left-Congress understanding is based on the people's aspiration to restore democracy in the northeastern state. Both CPI (M) and Congress are helping each other for restoring democracy, secularism and protecting people's liberty. The electoral understanding between the two parties has

Opposition wants Parliament to function but Modi govt afraid: Congress

Amid the logjam in Parliament over the Adani-Hindenburg issue, the Congress on Tuesday said the Opposition wants the two Houses to function but the government is "afraid" and isn't even allowing it to raise the demand for a JPC probe. The opposition party also alleged that the government is making "no effort" to break the logjam in Parliament. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against the Gautam Adani-led group, which has dismissed the allegations as lies. The Opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the allegations. "Today Opposition parties meet at 10 am to decide the day's strategy. No effort from the government to break the logjam caused by its refusal to allow Opposition to even raise its demand for a JPC into the PM-linked Adan

Cong gives suspension of business notice in RS over LIC's investment issue

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan on Tuesday gave suspension of business notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue of investment by LIC, Public Sector Banks

Won't back down till PM agrees to have discussion in Parl: Digvijaya Singh

Congress is continuously cornering the government over the issue in Parliament forcing the adjournments of both Houses during the Budget Session

PM attacks Congress, says HAL used to target his govt and instigate people

Spread across 615 acres of land, the factory, for which the PM laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH))

AAP, BJP making mockery of people's mandate in MCD poll: Congress

The Delhi Congress on Monday lashed out at the BJP and the AAP, accusing them of stalling the mayoral elections and making a "mockery" of people's mandate in the MCD polls. Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary alleged that the AAP has betrayed the people of Delhi by "disrupting" the poll for the third time. He also accused the AAP councillors of clashing with the BJP councillors on the issue of allowing alderman to vote. The municipal House failed to elect a mayor for a third time in a month on Monday after a ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post. "Why was the AAP rattled by the alderman getting voting rights if the new MCD Act has provision for that? It seems that both AAP and BJP have conspired to disrupt the mayoral elections as the third session of the MCD House at the Civic Centre also ended in a ruckus again. It has been two months since the MCD elections were held and the Capital is yet to get a Mayor," Chaudhary said.

Congress sinking ship, people rejected communist rule: Amit Shah in Tripura

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday held a roadshow from 'Ashram Chowmuhani' to 'Chowmuhani Mode' at Banmalipur in Agartala

Cong's manifesto vows old pension scheme, 50,000 new jobs in Tripura

The Congress manifesto for the Tripura Assembly election promised old pension scheme for government employees, 50,000 new jobs, increase in wages of agricultural labourers and free 150 units of electricity, if the party is voted to power. At the release of the Congress manifesto on Sunday, senior leader and lone party MLA Sudip Roy Barman said a 20-point programme has been chalked out keeping in mind the welfare of poor and middle class people. In the manifesto, the party has focussed on employment, welfare of employees, poor and middle class people, he said. "The old pension scheme for the employees will be brought back if the party is voted to power in the Assembly elections. Besides, government employees will get dearness allowance hike twice in a year ...", Roy Barman said. Employment in the government sector will be done on a regular basis, he said, adding that 50,000 job opportunities will be created in the next five year. "The wages of tea garden, agricultural labourers an

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Tharoor over Musharraf remark

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar hit out at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor after he termed Pervez Musharraf as a 'foe-turned-real force for peace' in his condolence message

Opposition won't let probe into Adani stock market crash come up short

Probe into Hindenburg report promises to be government-led, for the moment

First Budget of Congress govt will be people-centric, says HP CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday in Nadaun said that the first budget of his government will be "people-centric" and the change will be for all to see in a year. The government was maintaining financial discipline considering the overall fiscal position of the state and few stringent decisions will have to be taken to bring it back on track, he said. "Wait for one year, you will find change in the system," Sukhu said addressing people in his home constituency, which he reached five hours ahead of the schedule. The Chief Minister said the government was committed to work for the welfare of every last man in the state. He assured the people that there won't be a dearth of funds for the construction of Dr Radhakrishnan Medical College in Hamirpur and it will be equipped with the latest technology to become the model health institution from the state. The government will open a nursing college in the premises of the medical college, he added. Earlier i

Congress releases second list of four candidates ahead of Nagaland polls

The Congress on Sunday released its second list of four candidates for the Nagaland assembly polls. The party has fielded Meshenlo Kath from Kohima town, Alem Jongshi from Mokokchung town, Chenithung Humtsoe from Bhandari and P Mulang from Noklak. All four are seats reserved for scheduled tribes. The Congress on Saturday had released its first list of 21 candidates for the Nagaland assembly polls, fielding its state unit chief K Therie from Dimapur-I. Elections to the 60-member Nagaland Assembly will be held on February 27 and the results declared on March 2. The last date for filing of nominations is February 7.

Congress to hold countrywide protest tomorrow over Adani vs Hindenburg row

Amid the ongoing Hindenburg-Adani row, the Congress will launch protests from the Parliament to the streets on Monday

BJP will fight Congress' Tughlaqi decrees through campaign: Jai Ram Thakur

Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said that the BJP will fight hard against the state Congress government's "Tughlaqi" orders of closing down of several institutions started under his dispensation. A continuous process of closure of hundreds of institutions opened by the previous BJP government for "public welfare" is underway and the BJP will restore these institutions with the help of the public through a signature campaign, he asserted. Addressing the State Working Committee, he said that BJP lost the previous state election by a margin of 0.9 per cent, and that this was the first ever time in the state's history that a government was formed on the back of such a slim margin. "It will not last long." Highlighting the previous BJP governments works, he said they were successful in getting the state a Bulk Pharma park, a medical device park, AIIMS, medical colleges, and also managed to construct 5,000 km of roads. He said that

Congress' 85th plenary session to be game changer for politics: Venugopal

All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday claimed the three-day 85th plenary session of the party to be held in Raipur from February 24 will be a "game changer" for Indian politics. Venugopal along with senior party leaders Pawan Bansal and Tariq Anwar reached Chhattisgarh's capital to take stock of preparations for the plenary session to be held at the Rajyotsava Sthal in Nava Raipur. Talking to media persons at the airport here, Venugopal said, We have come here to take stock of the preparations for the plenary session scheduled to be held from February 24 to 26. This plenary is going to be a game changer of Indian politics." To a query, he targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre said, ''The BJP is only spreading lies in the country. They talked about Bharat Jodo Yatra too. The yatra became one of the biggest political movements in the country. The entire BJP was against it. The BJP can do politics." The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congr

Cabinet expansion CM's prerogative: Congress after Tejaswi Yadav's denial

Reacting to Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav's statement ruling out the possibility of cabinet expansion in Bihar, PCC Chief Akhilesh Singh said that the cabinet expansion is the chief minister's prerogative

Congress to ask three questions daily related to Adani issue to PM Modi

The Congress on Sunday said that it will ask three questions a day related to Adani issue to the Prime Minister. The Congress said that after Panama Papers leak no action was taken despite assurance

Modi, govt cannot hide from questions saying Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun: Cong

The Congress on Sunday stepped up its attack on the Centre over allegations against the Adani group, alleging that the Modi government's "loud silence" over the issue "smacks of collusion". Adani group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. In a statement, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said that starting Sunday the Congress will pose three questions a day to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. He said that amid the allegations against the Adani Group, the Modi government has maintained a "loud silence which smacks of collusion". Ramesh said that in a response to the Panama Papers expose on April 4, 2016, the Ministry of Finance had announced that Modi had personally directed a multi-agency investigative group to monitor financial flows to and from offshore tax ...

Re-examine your theory on housing loan: Chidambaram to Finance Secy

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Sunday urged Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to "re-examine his theory" that a housing loan is not a saving. Somanathan, in an interview to The Hindu while talking about the old tax regime, said that if one looks at the structure of the tax deductions, half of them are for savings and half of them are for dis-savings like housing loan or interest on housing loan. "The Finance Secretary asks 'Is the housing loan a saving?' His answer is 'No'. I wonder how many people will agree with the Finance Secretary," Chidambaram said on Twitter. The payment of interest and the installments of the loan is indeed an expenditure, but it is expenditure which is converted into an asset, which is a saving, the former finance minister argued. "Suppose you spend the same money on a holiday or at a race course: there will be no asset at the end," he said. "The Finance Secretary should re-examine his theory that a Housing Loan is not