Page 353 - Congress

Himachal cabinet expansion after assembly session: Congress' Rajeev Shukla

The Assembly session is scheduled to be held from January 4 to January 6 in Dharamshala, after being postponed last month

Pralhad Joshi makes bogus statements on Rahul Gandhi: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday accused Union minister Pralhad Joshi of making "big and bogus" statements on Rahul Gandhi and demanded he apologise for his remarks that Gandhi was going on a holiday after taking a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra. "C'mon @JoshiPralhad-avare! You make big, bold and bogus statements hoping to get away with it. You have been caught lying! Least you apologised for what you had said on Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Jodo Yatra," Ramesh said on Twitter. Joshi had earlier alleged Gandhi was going on a holiday and that is why his Bharat Jodo Yatra has taken a long break. After Ramesh had attacked the government on the matter in Parliament during the recently concluded winter session, the Parliamentary Affairs minister had hit back saying that "your leader is breaking the (Bharat Jodo) Yatra to holiday abroad and you remembered parliament now".

There will be no probe by Central agencies against CPI-M leaders: Congress

Since the BJP/RSS combine and the CPI-M are two sides of the same coin, there will be no probe against the CPI-M leaders by national agencies, a top Congress leader in Kerala said

BSP chief Mayawati thanks Rahul Gandhi for Bharat Jodo Yatra invitation

Ahead of the resumption of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which is on a winter break, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday thanked Rahul Gandhi for inviting her to join the yatra. In a tweet in Hindi, the BSP chief said, "Best wishes for the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" and thanks to Rahul Gandhi for writing a letter to me to take part in the yatra." However, there is no information as to whether Mayawati will participate in the yatra. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is currently on winter break and will resume on January 3. The foot march began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, has so far traversed more than 2,800 km through 10 states and will conclude in Kashmir this month. The yatra will enter Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on January 3 and make a night halt in Mavikala village in Baghpat. It will pass through Shamli in Uttar Pradesh on January 4 and enter Haryana through Sanauli in Panipat on January 5 evening.

BJP hails SC verdict on demonetisation, asks if Rahul will apologise

The BJP on Monday hailed as "historic" the Supreme Court order upholding the government's demonetisation exercise and asked if the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will tender an apology for his campaign against the note ban after the apex court judgment. The Supreme Court in a 4:1 majority verdict upheld the government's 2016 decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination notes, saying the decision-making process was not flawed. Former law minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also asserted that the demonetisation done in 2016 proved to be the "biggest blow" to terrorism by curbing terror funding. It boosted income tax and cleansed the economy, he claimed. "It is a historic decision and is in the national interest. The Supreme Court has held a decision taken in the national interest valid. Will Rahul Gandhi now say sorry for his campaign against demonetisation? He spoke against it even abroad," he said at a press conference. Prasad also hit out at Congress leaders, ...

Congress high command will decide on who will be the CM: D K Shivakumar

Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar on Monday said the party high command will decide as to who the chief minister will be in the event of the party coming to power in the Assembly elections, likely by April-May. Conveying good wishes to people of the state and all political parties for the New Year, he however wished that the Congress comes to power. "I wish good for media, people of the state for the New Year, I also wish good for all parties, but we (Congress) should get the power," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters here, in response to a question, he said, "It is not that I should become the chief minister, it will be decided by the high command. Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC President), Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi (former AICC Presidents) will decide. What ever they decide is like prasada." With Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah too along with Shivakumar nursing chief ministerial ambitions in the event of the party coming to power in the state, there see

'Bharat Jodo Yatra' of West Bengal Congress resumes from Kolkata

The West Bengal Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' reached Kolkata on Monday with the party's state unit president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury starting a march from Taratala in the southwest part of the city. The yatra, which has been renamed as Sagar Se Pahar Tak' in the state, was flagged off by Chowdhury from Ganga Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district on December 28. Joined by several senior leaders of the party in West Bengal, the long march will pass through important junctions and streets of the city, and may go to Netaji Bhavan at Elgin Road where senior leaders are likely to garland Subhas Chandra Bose's portrait. The yatra is also likely to reach the party's headquarters Bidhan Bhavan' in central Kolkata and will also visit Swami Vivekananda's residence on Simla Street in north Kolkata, where party leaders are scheduled to pay tribute to the monk. The march will then move north to the Shyambazar area, a party source said. The yatra is scheduled to cover around 800 km in diffe

Rahul Gandhi's alternative approach to leadership

Through BJY, Rahul Gandhi has offered the country a style of leadership based on openness, empathy, honesty and assertiveness about his basic political beliefs

How Kamal Haasan's Congress tilt may impact politics in Tamil Nadu

On December 24, 68-year-old Kamal Hasan once again got national attention when he participated in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in New Delhi

Reinstate pre-matric scholarship, Maulana Azad fellowship: Cong to govt

Senior Congress leader Husain Dalwai has appealed to the Centre to reinstate the Maulana Azad National fellowship and the pre-matriculation scholarship scheme for minority community students. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Rajya Sabha member Dalwai said the pre-matric scholarship has been modified from this year and made applicable for only Classes 9 and 10 students, while the Maulana Azad fellowship scheme has been discontinued. Both these decisions will adversely affect the minority community students, he said. Dalwai said the literacy rate among minorities, particularly Buddhists and Muslims, is significantly lower on account of the prevailing poverty within the communities. The poor parents from these communities will be forced to pull out their children from schools. The literacy rate among Muslim girls will drastically fall, he said. Dalwai said the pre-matriculation scholarship for six minority communities should include students from Classes 1 to 8 and

If Rahul's aura continues this year, political change likely in 2024: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed last year gave a new "aura" to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's leadership and if the trend continues in 2023, the country may see a political change in the next general elections. In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', Raut also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should not sow "seeds of hatred and divisiveness." The Rajya Sabha member said the Ram temple issue has been settled, so no votes can be sought on the matter. "Hence, a new 'love jihad' angle is being explored. Is this weapon of 'love jihad' being used to win elections and create fear among Hindus?" he asked. Referring to the death of actor Tunisha Sharma last month and the murder of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by her boyfriend, Raut asserted these were not cases of "love jihad", but maintained that no woman from any community or religion should face atrocities. "Love jihad" is a term often used by right-wing activists

UP Cong chief promises statewide revival of party 'within six months'

When asked about the party's preparation for the urban body polls, Khabri said that the Congress would contest with full vigour and win in the municipal corporation

No problem with Congress pushing for Rahul as PM candidate: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear that he had "no problems" with the Congress, his ally in the state, pushing for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) leader also reiterated that he was "not a claimant" for the top post though he reaffirmed his commitment to galvanising parties opposed to the BJP with which he had snapped ties nearly five months ago. Kumar was responding to queries from journalists about the recent averment of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath that Gandhi will be the "opposition's PM face" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Siddaramaiah slams Shah as trader who takes in corrupt people into BJP

Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for calling the Congress corrupt by terming the latter a "political trader" who inducted tainted people in the state BJP. In a series of tweets on Friday night, Siddaramaiah sarcastically "commended" the hypocrisy of Shah for talking about corruption despite retaining leaders in the Karnataka unit of BJP who are steeped in wrongdoing by charging 40 per cent commission in recruitment, transfer, promotion, allocation of grants, implementation of works and payment of bills. "It is funny that the Home Minister @AmitShah, a political trader, who has put the post of Chief Minister for sale for Rs 2,000 crore, is accusing the Congress party of corruption," Siddaramaiah tweeted. "Since its inception, the BJP government, which is an illegal child borne out of the Operation Lotus, has gifted death to the poor and wealth to the corrupt and turned Vidhana Soudha into a den of corruption. What is your share

Opposition should work in a coordinated manner for 2024: Rahul Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that the opposition should coordinate properly in order to fight against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

LIVE: Oppn should work in a coordinated manner for 2024, says Rahul Gandhi

Live news updates: "My main focus right now is for a united India, we should fight against hatred. My focus is only to unite India," he said.

Cong high command asks party MLAs to take back resignations in Rajasthan

With almost a year left for the state Assembly elections in Rajasthan, the Congress high command has geared up to resolve the differences between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot camps.

CPI(M) decides to bring Cheriyan back into cabinet; Cong criticises move

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala has decided to bring MLA Saji Cheriyan back into the cabinet, a move which was criticised by the Congress which said on Saturday the Left party ought to have waited for the final outcome of the case against him before taking a decision. Cheriyan, in July, had resigned from the cabinet over his alleged remarks against the Constitution during a speech in Pathanamthitta district and the lodging of a criminal case against him in connection with that. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Saturday confirmed that the state secretariat of the party, a day ago, took the decision to bring Cheriyan back into the cabinet. "All that remains is for the Chief Minister and the Governor to decide on a date for the oath taking ceremony," Govindan told reporters. He also claimed that "all decisions" have come from the court in connection with the issue and nothing more remains to happen. On the other hand, senior Congress leader and MP K Muraleedharan said that the Chie

Rahul Gandhi to be Oppn's prime ministerial face in 2024 polls: Kamal Nath

Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath on Friday said Rahul Gandhi will be the opposition's prime minister candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In an email interview with PTI, Nath lauded Gandhi for leading the Congress' countrywide Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying he is not doing politics for power but for the common people of the country. "As far as the 2024 Lok Sabha election is concerned, Rahul Gandhi will not just be the face of the opposition but will be its prime ministerial candidate too," he said. Nath also said that no one in the history of the world has undertaken such a long 'padayatra'. No family other than the Gandhi family has given so many sacrifices for the country, the Congress leader said. "Rahul Gandhi does not do politics for power, but for the people of the country who make anyone sit in power," he said. The Madhya Pradesh chief minister is the lone leader to have come forward in favour of Rahul Gandhi's candidature for the

Shah seeks support for BJP in K'taka's Mandya, calls Congress, JDS corrupt

Hitting the ground running in poll-bound Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called Congress and JD(S) "parivaarvadi" (dynastic politics) and "corrupt", and urged the people of Mandya and Old Mysuru region to support the BJP by forming a government with majority in the state. The BJP is considered to be weak in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region, and is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in 2023 Assembly polls. "Enough of JD(S)-Congress, Congress-JD(S). This time Mandya, the Mysuru region should make BJP win with full majority. Congress and JD(S) are both parivaarvadi (dynastic politics) parties, they are corrupt parties," Shah said. Addressing a massive public meeting as part of the ongoing 'Janasankalpa Yatre' of the state BJP, he said: "We have seen administration of both parties. When Congress comes, Karnataka will become Delhi's ATM and when JD(S) comes, it becomes ATM for a family. Repeatedly, these two parties through corruption have stopped