Page 381 - Congress

Gujarat poll dates not out along with HP to give PM more time: Congress

The Congress on Friday alleged that dates for Gujarat assembly polls were not announced along with Himachal Pradesh so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets more time to make "mega promises and inaugurations". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party is not surprised over the development after the Election Commission announced poll dates only for the hill state and not for Gujarat. "Obviously, this has been done to give more time to the PM to make some mega promises and carry out more inaugurations. Not at all surprising," Ramesh said. Earlier in the day, the Election Commission announced that elections to the Himachal Pradesh assembly will be held on November 12. On not announcing the dates for Gujarat assembly polls, it said various factors, including convention, gap in qualifying dates, and weather had been considered before taking a decision. The poll panel also said announcement of multiple state elections leads to longer wait in declaration of results.

Saibaba's acquittal proves urban naxal tag by PM's brigade bogus: Congress

The Congress on Friday said the acquittal of former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case proves that the "'urban naxal' tag invented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brigade is completely bogus". The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday acquitted Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case and ordered his immediate release from jail. A division bench of Justice Rohit Deo and Anil Pansare allowed the appeal filed by Saibaba challenging a 2017 order of the trial court convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment. Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound due to a physical disability, is currently lodged at the Nagpur central prison. "Wheelchair-bound Prof G N Saibaba's acquittal after five years in jail proves that 'urban naxal' tag invented by the prime minister's brigade is completely bogus," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet. "Many others are still in wholly unjustifiable custody. Such smear tactics must be resisted

Congress will restore old pension scheme if voted to power in HP: Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday promised to restore the old pension scheme for government employees in Himachal Pradesh if her party was voted to power in the Assembly elections. AICC general secretary Vadra said this at the 'Parivartan Pratigya Rally' held at Thodo Maidan in Himachal Pradesh's Solan. She said the decision to restore the old pension scheme and provide one lakh jobs to unemployed youth would be taken in the first cabinet meeting if the Congress was voted to power in the state. Earlier, Gandhi paid obeisance at the Maa Shoolini Temple in Solan before formally launching the Congress' election campaign in the hill state. She also released the party's election theme song on the occasion. Gandhi's rally comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed two rallies in Una and Chamba. Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various projects, including flagging off India's fourth Vande Bharat Express from Una. Chhattisgarh Chief Min

BJP, Congress spar over credit for Direct Benefit Scheme after IMF praise

A day after IMF Deputy Director of Fiscal Affairs Department Paolo Mauro praised India's DBT scheme, a political slugfest broke out between the ruling BJP and Congress

Rahul Gandhi lead Cong's Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Andhra Pradesh

Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi will enter Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Flanked by former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and top leaders of the party, Gandhi resumed the march from Rampura here in the morning after a night halt. The former Congress president will have a brief stay at Obalapuram in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, party workers said. "Another remarkable day at hand! Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka - wherever the #BharatJodoYatra goes, love follows. Join us as we briefly step into Andhra Pradesh for another action-packed day," the Bharat Jodo Yatra team posted on its Twitter handle. After a brief stay in Andhra Pradesh, Gandhi would return to Karnataka later in the day. According to Congress office bearers, Rahul Gandhi would enter Andhra Pradesh through the Jajirakallu toll plaza, where he would halt till 4.30 pm and then resume onwards. The Congress leader will also halt for a while in Obalapuram village in the evening. After returning to

Previous Congress govt was like ATM for party high command: Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday alleged that the previous Congress government in the State was like an ATM (any time money) for its high command, and money from the State was taken in suitcases by that party to fight elections elsewhere. He accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of betrayal, recalling that she had fought and won the Lok Sabha elections from Ballari in 1999 by making false promises, and then giving up the seat in favour of the Gandhi family bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, the other constituency from where she had contested and won that polls that year. "They (Cong) allege BJP government here is giving money to its high command. The former Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) is saying such things out of his experience, as he has had the practice of giving money to Congress high command for five years in the past (2013-18). Such a culture doesn't exist in the BJP, if there is such a tradition and history it is in the Congress party and its high ...

Some leaders openly supporting Kharge disturbs level-playing field: Tharoor

Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor on Thursday lamented that some leaders had openly come out in support of his poll opponent Mallikarjun Kharge and even summoned meetings in his favour, saying it disturbed the level-playing field. The Thiruvananthapuram MP also said several PCC chiefs and senior leaders were not available for a meeting with him during his visits to their respective states, but they warmed up to Kharge when he visited them seeking support. Seeking votes from delegates at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) here, Tharoor said he wanted to bring a "change" in the organisation. He also said aimed to "bring back" the voters who did not support the Congress in the 2014 and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "I want to bring a change in the party. I want to bring back those voters who didn't stand by our side in 2014 and 2019," he told the delegates. Tharoor further rued that he could not meet some delegates as their contact details were "missing" from the li

Rahul Gandhi resumes Bharat Jodo Yatra from Karnataka's Bommagondanahalli

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi resumed the Bharat Jodo march' from Bommagondanahalli in Karnataka's Chitradurga on its 36th day on Thursday.Rahul Gandhi has been leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra since September 7 aiming to cover the distance of 3,500 km from Kanniyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir.So far, the convoy has covered a distance of 925 km.Today, the Padyatra began from BG Kere Underpass in Bommagondanahalli at 6.30 am and will observe its first halt in Konsagrara at 11 am. After resuming the march around 4 pm, the padayatra is scheduled to take another break at KEB Circle in Molakalmuru. It will night stay at a Ground near New Hotel Amrutha and Lodge in Chitradurag's Rampura.Karnataka Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and State Congress chief DK Shivkumar were also present with Rahul during the Karnataka leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra on its 35th day on Wednesday.Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivkumar also wore a t-shirt highlighting the 'unemployment' problems during the Karnataka leg of ...

Cong prez poll: Office-bearers barred from voting in assigned states

The Congress' Central Election Authority (CEA) has barred the party general secretaries and other office-bearers from voting in their assigned states in the party's presidential poll

BJP to observe 4th anniversary of Congress govt in Rajasthan as 'Black Day'

The BJP in Rajasthan will observe the fourth anniversary of the Congress government on December 17 as 'Black Day' and hold demonstrations in the state's 200 assembly constituencies and district headquarters from next month. The state unit of the BJP has also planned a state-level protest and 'jan aakrosh rally' here in December. The party will hold protests against the state government in November and December, BJP's national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh said. It will also issue a "black paper" against the alleged failures of the government in its four-year rule. Another BJP leader said that the party has set a target of two to three lakh people for the 'jan aakrosh rally' for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and other central ministers will be invited.

I appreciate that I'm seen as the underdog in Congress election: Tharoor

Political career spent defending the values of inclusive India, allegations of disloyalty to Nehru Gandhi family malicious: Congress MP

CM, Yediyurappa having breakfast at Dalit's house photo-op: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday termed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and state BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa having breakfast at a Dalit's house, as a "photo-op" for the sake of votes, ahead of assembly election next year in the state. While Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah hit out at the ruling BJP for not doing enough for the sake for dalits and other backward communities so far, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala took a dig at Bommai government by highlighting an incident where over a dozen Dalit workers were allegedly assaulted and held captive at an estate in Chikkamagaluru. "As elections are approaching, they have started remembering Dalits, backward classes, SCs and STs, till now nothing has been done for their welfare by this government. Now for the sake of election and votes, they are visiting areas where Dalits and backward communities live," Siddaramaiah, who is here to take part in 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi, told ...

Will call for CWC elections if elected Congress chief: Shashi Tharoor

Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday asserted that if he becomes the AICC chief, he would fully implement the party's existing constitution which requires CWC elections and revival of the parliamentary board that has been dormant for a quarter-century. In an interview with PTI, Tharoor also said the Congress must decentralise authority and truly empower the grassroots office-bearers of the party. The Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram said he would fully implement the Udaipur Declaration which was unanimously agreed at the party's Chintan Shivir earlier this year. Asked about his plans for the party if he wins the electoral contest against Mallikarjun Kharge for the top post, the former Union minister said, "I think an important first step would be to call for elections to the Working Committee to spread our inner-party democracy even further." "I am going to implement fully the existing Constitution, which requires CWC elections and the revival of the ...

Odisha Cong MLA alleges heckling by security at Women's World Cup stadium

Veteran Congress MLA Suresh Routray alleged that he was heckled by security personnel at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar when he went there to watch the opening ceremony of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Routray, a six-time legislator, blamed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the insult meted out to him. He alleged that a foreign security guard misbehaved with him, even though he produced a pass provided to him as he is the president of the Khurda district athletic association. "The Odisha government issued a pass to me. The security guard not only misbehaved but shoved me by holding my arm near the gate," he told reporters after the incident on Tuesday. "I was really hurt. Had it not been my state, I would have shown him my ability. I did not make any noise because an international event was going on in my state and my city," Routray said. He said that some local police personnel, on spotting him, invited him to the stadium but he was too hurt over the incident because of wh

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi to meet 2,000 unemployed youth in Karnataka

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from the Challakere town, Chitradurga in Karnataka today

Cong president poll: Kharge to visit Bhopal today, Tharoor on Oct 14

Veteran Congress leader and party's presidential poll candidate Mallikarjun Kharge will visit the state capital today as part of his campaign for the October 17 election

Merger of group of 8 Cong MLAs with BJP in Goa as per constitution: Speaker

The recent move by a group of eight Congress MLAs in Goa to merge with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was as per the constitutional norms, state Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said. Tawadkar told PTI that the political dynamics has changed in recent times and politics is now more "vibrant". On September 14 this year, eight out of the 11 Congress MLAs in Goa joined the BJP. They had passed a resolution to merge the Congress Legislature Party with the BJP. Asked about the last month's political development, Tawadkar said the merger was as per the constitutional provisions. A group of two-third MLAs split from the party and merged with the BJP. Everything went as per the rule book, he said. Tawadkar said when the split took place in the Congress, he was in Delhi but rushed back to Goa capital Panaji the same day and completed the formalities. It happened all of sudden. I presume even they had taken the decision suddenly, he said. Asked whether it is healthy in a democracy for

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Laskar named Congress coordinator of north-east states

The Congress has appointed Sharif Uz Zaman Laskar as coordinator of northeast states for organising sub-yatras there parallel to the main Bharat Jodo Yatra. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who heads the Bharat Jodo Yatra organising panel, appointed Zaman, who is currently vice president of Assam PCC. The Congress is organising sub-yatras in states where the main Kanyakumari-Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra is not passing through. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had last month announced that Assam would start its Bharat Jodo sub-yatra on November 1 from Dhubri to Sadiya town.

Bharat Jodo Yatra nothing but 'relaunching' of Rahul Gandhi: Karnataka CM

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra by the Congress party is nothing but "relaunching" of Rahul Gandhi and is not meant for the common people

Will give 50% tickets to youth to contest polls: Cong prez candidate Kharge

Congress party's presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge said he will give 50 per cent tickets to youth to contest elections if he becomes the chief of the party