Page 390 - Congress

Sonia, Priyanka Gandhi to participate in 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Karnataka

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would participate in the Karnataka leg of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" led by Rahul Gandhi that will be entering the state on September 30, state party chief D K Shivakumar said on Friday. Noting that the Karnataka Congress has made preparations for the yatra by giving responsibility to leaders, Shivakumar said Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will be participating in the yatra here; they will be giving dates. "...I will announce the dates in the future." AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal along with another AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Congress President Shivakumar and a host of leaders on Friday participated in the party's review meeting on the yatra. "In Karnataka, Congress President Sonia Gandhi may attend the Bharat Jodo Yatra some day, and Priyanka Gandhi will also be joining separately," Venugopal said. Noting that the Karnataka leg of the yatra will begin at Gundlupet

PM must answer why govt failed to address unemployment, debt crisis: Cong

Ahead of his youth rally in Himachal Pradesh, Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he must answer why the BJP-led government failed to address issues of unemployment and the debt the state's burdened with. Modi is slated to address a youth rally at Paddal Maidan in Mandi on Saturday, to be organised by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. Congress In-charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla said the state government is "misleading" the prime minister by calling him for a youth rally when the young population is in dire straits with about 5,20,000 of them jobless. "I request the prime minister to pull up the BJP-led Himachal Pradesh government before addressing the rally, as the state is reeling under a 70,000 crore debt, rising by 51 per cent under the current government. "He (Modi) should answer why so many are unemployed and even with 67,000 posts vacant," Shukla said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here. He also alleged t

Nitish Kumar backstabbed BJP on wanting to become PM, says Amit Shah

In a bid to become prime minister, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar backstabbed the BJP to join hands with RJD and Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed on Friday. Asserting that the BJP will form a government with full majority in the state, Shah alleged that Kumar does not have any ideology, so he gave up socialism in faovour of the caste-based politics. "Nitish-ji, you did the same thing in 2014. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the people of Bihar will rout this Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. BJP will form a government with full majority after the 2025 assembly polls," Shah claimed at his party's rally in Purnea. "We believe in politics of service and development, instead of selfishness and power. Wanting to become prime minister, Nitish Kumar backstabbed, and is now sitting in the lap of RJD and Congress," he added. He said the Bihar chief minister has only one ideology -- "my chair should remain intact". Shah, who is on his two-day visit to Seemanchal region of Bihar,

New Congress chief will be proxy of Gandhis, remote-controlled by them: BJP

The BJP on Friday claimed the new Congress president will be a "proxy" of the Gandhi family and will be remote-controlled by them "like" former prime minister "Manmohan Singh was". BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla cited the comment of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, seen as the likely next Congress president, that a call on his replacement will be taken by the party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi and its in-charge for the state Ajay Maken. "What capacity will she have as she will become a former president? Shouldn't Congress MLAs decide? If Gandhis will have the remote control then why this sham election," he said, referring to the ongoing poll process for the next president of the opposition party. He noted that Congress leader P Chidambaram had said recently that whoever be the next president, Rahul Gandhi will have a preeminent position in the party. "This was a proof that the next president of Congress will be a proxy of the Gandhis and will be remote controlle

One-man, one-post commitment expected to be maintained: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi's statement comes amid speculations that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor might throw their hats into the ring

In Kochi, Rahul Gandhi reminds Congress leaders of one man-one post rule

The statement came after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot showed interest in running for the post of party chief

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Mamata ready to bury differences with Cong to form anti-BJP front: Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee is ready to bury her differences with the Congress in the national interests, and come together to form an alliance of opposition parties ahead of the 2024 general elections. Speaking to reporters here, Pawar also said he and some leaders from other states, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdulla were not averse to join hands with the Congress to form a front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next polls. Replying to a query about the TMC supremo's alleged differences with the Congress after it independently contested elections in West Bengal, Pawar said, "Mamata Bannerjee had personally said that her party is ready to come together in the national interests and work with Congress to put up a proper challenge before the ruling BJP." According to the former Union minister, Banerjee has also said

Gehlot meets Sonia after hinting he could enter Congress prez poll fray

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi here on Wednesday, hours after he indicated that he may enter the AICC presidential poll fray. Sources said the Congress presidential poll was on the agenda during the discussions between Gehlot and Sonia Gandhi. The Rajasthan chief minister met Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence and is expected to fly to Mumbai later in the day. He is expected to reach Kochi on Thursday and make a last-ditch effort to convince Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the party. Talking to reporters after landing here from Jaipur, Gehlot, in a clear indication that he could throw his hat in the ring for the Congress presidential poll, said he will file his nomination if the party people wish so and fulfil any responsibility given to him. However, he also said he will make a last-ditch effort to convince Rahul Gandhi to take up the party president's post. Gehlot said he will take decisions with which the Congress is ...

Will abide by wishes of Congress people: Gehlot on party presidential poll

In a clear indication that he is likely to throw his hat in the ring for the Congress president polls, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said he will file his nomination if his party people wish so and fulfil any responsibility given to him. However, Gehlot, who is set to go to Kochi later in the day, said he will make one last-ditch effort to convince Rahul Gandhi to take up the party president's post. Speaking with reporters after landing here from Jaipur, Gehlot said he will take decisions with which the Congress is strengthened. "The party and high command have given me everything. I have been on posts for 40-50 years. For me no post is important, I will fulfil any responsibility given to me," he said. He also asserted that not only the Gandhi family, but scores of Congress members have faith in him. "I am very fortunate that I have got love and affection of Congress men and women across the country and they have faith in me," Gehlot said. "Therefore, if the

Gehlot meets party MLAs, hints filing nomination for Cong president post

In a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party, Rajasthan Chief MInister Ashok Gehlot has indicated that he will file his nomination for the post of national president of the party

Ahead of Delhi visit, Rajasthan CM Gehlot summons meeting of Cong MLAs

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called a meeting of Congress MLAs on Tuesday night, a sudden move ahead of his Delhi visit amid speculation that he may contest for the post of party president. The Congress Legislature Party meeting was scheduled to begin at the CM's residence at 10 pm, after a dinner being hosted there for Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, ruling party sources said. Some party leaders say the meeting is merely meant to discuss the ongoing assembly session. Gehlot will leave for Delhi on Wednesday. He may then proceed for Kochi to participate in the party's Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi. The process of filing nominations for the organisational elections in the Congress begins on September 24 and will end on September 30, and Gehlot is increasingly being seen as a top contender for the post of the party's national president. The Rajasthan CM, however, has so far denied that he is a candidate and said he will try to convince Ra

Bharat Jodo Yatra should have started from Gujarat: Prashant Kishor

Former political strategist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday said that Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' should have started from Gujarat or any other BJP-ruled state. He was speaking on the sidelines of a program where he met local leaders and activists supporting the cause of the separate Vidarbha state. "It would have been better had the Congress started its Bharat Jodo Yatra from Gujarat where elections are due later this year, or other BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh," Kishor told PTI when asked about the ongoing campaign. The Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, began from Tamil Nadu. Notably, there was a buzz earlier this year about Kishor joining the Congress, but he later said that he declined the offer to head its election strategy. Interacting with pro-Vidarbha supporters, he called for a united effort by people of the region to realize the dream of a separate state. Former BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh had organized the programme to formulate a strategy to achieve ...

BJP wants a handful of people to control entire country: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for wishing to build a country where a "handful" of people "control" the entire country

Arrested AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan receives support from ex-Cong legislator

Former Delhi Congress MLA Asif Khan on Monday come out in support of AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan, who was arrested by the ACB, saying the BJP government at the Centre is "misusing" its agencies to "harass" minorities. Amanatullah Khan was nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on September 16 in connection with a graft case. The ACB is probing alleged irregularities in the recruitment in the Delhi Waqf Board, which Amanatullah Khan heads as the chairman, and conducted raids at four places, including his residence in Okhla. Asif Khan claimed that the raids by the ACB at the AAP leader's house and other places has created panic among the local people in the area. However, he clarified that he was not giving a clean chit to the AAP MLA. "Why is the ACB harassing Khan's family and creating panic in Jamia Nagar area? I am totally against the misuse of agencies, particularly against minorities, by the BJP government at the Centre," said the Congress leader. The ACB had claimed

Tharoor gets Sonia's 'approval' to run for Congress President: Report

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday met Sonia Gandhi and expressed his intention to contest the upcoming AICC chief polls, while the Congress president conveyed that she would stay "neutral" in the elections, sources said. Gandhi welcomed the idea of more people contesting the polls and dispelled the notion that there would be an "official candidate", they said. The feedback by Gandhi on Tharoor's desire to contest is being seen by many as an encouragement to him to contest and he could announce his candidature in the next few days. With regard to Tharoor's meeting with Gandhi and the speculation over it, the Congress said no one needs a nod to contest the presidential election as it is an open, democratic and transparent process. "Anybody who wants to contest is free and welcome to do so. This has been the consistent position of Congress President and Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is an open, democratic and transparent process. Nobody needs anybody's nod to contest," AICC ..

Congress slams former party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad over Article 370 stand

The Congress on Sunday accused its former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad of changing his stand on the Centre's move to abrogate Article 370 provisions after quitting the party and said his "lies" on the issue should be exposed. Azad has stated that he will not mislead the people over the issue of Article 370 as only a government with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can ensure the restoration of the provisions. The former Union minister has also said he will not raise issues over which he has no control. Responding to a tweet by J&K Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir asking if Azad had signed the Congress Working Committee resolution following the Centre's move abrogating Article 370 provisions, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Of course he did." "I was sitting behind him in Parliament when he spoke the previous day against abolition of article 370. His lies should be exposed," Ramesh said in a tweet. In an article in the Indian Express, senior Congress leader and former

Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is no walk in the park for Congress

In Congress' defence, it said that a total of five routes were considered and this route was selected based on geography, logistics, and security

Dilemma continues as Cong loyalists mount pressure on Rahul to take charge

With the notification of the Congress president polls just days away, Gandhi family loyalists and state units have stepped up efforts to mount pressure on Rahul Gandhi to take the party's reins amid indications that he was unlikely to change his earlier stance of not being AICC chief. The Congress units in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the only two states where the party is in government on its own, have passed resolutions that Gandhi be made the party's president. This comes days after the party said the Pradesh Congress Committee delegates would pass resolutions authorising the incoming Congress president to appoint state chiefs and AICC delegates. On Sunday, while passing the resolution authorising the incoming Congress president to appoint state chiefs and AICC delegates, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) also passed a resolution that Rahul Gandhi be made the party's president. The Rajasthan PCC passed both the resolutions on Saturday. Interestingly, while other

Rahul should 'rethink' about his decision to be Congress chief: Baghel

The chorus for making Rahul Gandhi Congress president again grew louder as Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan passed resolutions to support him to take on the mantle of party chief