Page 399 - Congress

Karnataka: Savarkar posters put up at Congress Party office in Vijayapura

Police removed posters of VD Savarkar put up by unknown persons at the Congress party office in Karnataka's Vijayapura overnight. Security in the area beefed up

Priyanka should campaign across India to bring Cong to power in 2024: Rao

He also said that if she contests from Medak parliamentary constituency like her grandmother, she will definitely win and Congress will taste power in 2024

Anand Sharma quits as chairman of Steering Committee of Himachal Congress

In a jolt to the Congress ahead of assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, its senior leader Anand Sharma on Sunday resigned from the chairmanship of the party's steering committee for the state. Sharma, in a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is learnt to have said that his self-respect is "non-negotiable" and he has resigned from the post, sources said. His resignation comes soon after another leader of the G23 grouping Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as chairman of the campaign committee in Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago. Sharma has told the Congress chief that he has been ignored in the consultation process. However, he told Gandhi that he will continue to campaign for the party candidates in the state. The former union minister and deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha was appointed as chairman of the Steering Committee in Himachal Pradesh on April 26. Both Azad and Sharma are prominent leaders of the G23 grouping which has been critical of the decisions of the par

Left with no choice due to exclusion, insults: Anand Sharma after quitting

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, who quit as the chief of the party panel for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, on Sunday said that he had no choice but to resign

Countdown to elect new Cong chief begins, party says will stick to schedule

As the countdown began for the election of Congress president, the party's election authority on Sunday said it would stick to the schedule of electing a new chief by September 20. Chairman of the party's Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry said it was up to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to approve the final date for the election, which could be any day between August 21 to September 20. However, sections in the party did not rule out delay in the internal poll process, considering the reluctance of Rahul Gandhi in contesting for the top post, lack of a 'Plan B' and the current focus of the Congress on organising 'Bharat Jodo yatra' next month. The CWC had decided that elections for block committees and one member each of the Pradesh Congress Committee will be held from April 16 to May 31; district committee chiefs and executive will be elected between June 1 and July 20, PCC chiefs and AICC members between July 21 and August 20 and AICC president between August 21 a

Process to elect new Congress chief underway; party to stick to schedule

The process for the election of Congress president got underway on Sunday, with the party's election authority saying it would stick to the schedule of electing a new chief by September 20. Chairman of the party's Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry told PTI that it was up to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to approve the final date for the election of the Congress chief, which could be any day between August 21 to September 20. The CWC had decided that elections for block committees and one member each of the Pradesh Congress Committee will be held from April 16 to May 31, 2022; district committee chiefs and executive will be elected between June 1 and July 20, PCC chiefs and AICC members between July 21 and August 20, 2022 and AICC president between August 21 and September 20. 'We will stick to the schedule. We have already forwarded the election schedule to the party leadership and are awaiting a nod from the CWC which will fix the final dates for the Congress ...

Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal demand probe into Punjab's excise policy

The opposition Congress and SAD on Saturday demanded a probe into Punjab's excise policy, alleging it was a "sellout" and the state was "defrauded" like in Delhi where its liquor policy is under the CBI scanner. The demand in AAP-ruled Punjab came a day after CBI carried out searches at 31 places which included premises related to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as well as some bureaucrats and businessmen over alleged irregularities in Delhi Excise policy 2021-22. Congress Legislative Party leader in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa along with other party leaders said they will meet the governor seeking a probe into the excise policy in Punjab. "Like Delhi, the liquor policy in Punjab is a sellout in which the AAP leaders in connivance with some senior officials have defrauded the state of thousands of crores of rupees, besides rendering hundreds of Punjabi traders jobless," Bajwa alleged. He also said the Congress will seek an NIA probe into "illegal sand mining going

Punjab food dept official dismissed for negligence in discharge of duty

Amid alleged irregularities in the tendering process of labour, cartage and transportation for lifting foodgrain, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Saturday said his department has dismissed a deputy director rank officer for gross negligence in the discharge of duty. This came days after the registration of a case by the Vigilance Bureau in connection with alleged irregularities in Ludhiana district in the previous Congress government. The role of Deputy Director Rakesh Kumar Singla is being investigated with regard to the irregularities in the tendering process, sources said. Singla is said to be close to former food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu whose role is also under the scanner, they said. Addressing the media here, minister Kataruchak said Singla has been dismissed for wilfully concealing facts and gross negligence in discharge of official duty. Kataruchak said Singla violated the Punjab Civil Services Rules, 1970 by hiding t

Mehbooba slams Congress for anti-AAP protests; Congress MP hits back

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday slammed the Congress, accusing it of failing to rally the opposition in support of the Aam Aadmi Party, whose leaders are being investigated by central agencies. Congress leader Manickam Tagore hit back, saying Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and his "gang" were caught in a "real corrupt act" and deserve to be brought to justice. Mufti took to Twitter also to remind the Congress that its leaders too were "victims" of the "Enforcement Directorate onslaught". Delhi Congress leaders and workers staged a protest on Saturday demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia a day after the CBI carried out raids at his residence in connection with the alleged irregularities in the rollout of Delhi's Excise Policy 2021-22. "Sad that the Congress is unable to rise above party interests because AAP is a formidable opponent. Having been a victim themselves of ED (Enforcement Directorate) onslaught yet they are joining BJPs ...

Bilkis case: 3 Muslim MLAs urge Prez to revoke decision to release convicts

Three Gujarat Congress MLAs have written to President Droupadi Murmu seeking her direction to the state government to withdraw its "shameful decision" to release the 11 convicts serving a life sentence in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case. The three MLAs- Gyasuddin Shaikh, Imran Khedawala and Javed Pirzada- have written a letter to the President, Shaikh said on Saturday. "Gujarat Congress MLAs @Gyasuddin_INC, @Imran_khedawala and Javed Pirzada wrote a letter to the President of India Draupadi Murmu regarding Bilkis Bano case," stated a post on Shaikh's Twitter handle with a copy of the letter. The letter stated the "shameful decision" of the Gujarat BJP government ordering the release of the 11 convicts in the case of gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven members of her family has "tarnished the day (on which such a decision was taken)." "Even though the Central Government has a clear guideline that rape convicts serving life imprisonment should not be released under the policy of .

Nagaland's NDPP, BJP dismiss merger speculation after 2023 assembly polls

Ruling alliance partners in Nagaland, NDPP and BJP, have dismissed Congress's speculation that the two parties will merge after the assembly elections due next year. Addressing a joint press conference on Friday, National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neiba Kronu and BJP national spokesperson Mmhonlumo Kikon said that the speculation put forward by Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie and AICC Nagaland in-charge Ajoy Kumar on various occasions are a "figment of imagination". "The BJP is a national party and has its own principles while NDPP is a regional entity with its own principles. There is neither any agenda nor have we held any discussion over merger with BJP," Kronu, a cabinet minister, said. The two parties had last month announced that NDPP will contest 40 seats and BJP 20 constituencies in next year's assembly elections. "The two parties entered into a pre-poll alliance before the 2018 assembly elections. Since then, both BJP and NDPP

Writing off loans, corporate tax cuts: Cong questions 'muft ki gajak'

Congress asserts that welfare schemes designed to uplift people from poverty are not freebies and alleges that writing off loans is the real freebie

LIVE news: Sisodia says 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be Modi vs Kejriwal fight

Live news updates: Sisodia termed the Excise Policy 2021-22 as the "best policy", and said there was "no wrongdoing" in its implementation

HP: Oppn questions removal of chief secy, HPPSC head's oath ceremony

Congress leader Mukesh Agnihotri has asked Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur why the chief secretary was removed from his post a few weeks ago and why the oath-taking ceremony of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) chairperson was cancelled at the eleventh hour on Thursday. The leader of the opposition in the state Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri in a Facebook post on Friday asked if the chief secretary was removed on the directions of the Prime Minister's office (PMO). This is the right of the public of Himachal Pradesh to know why the chief secretary was removed from his post," the opposition party leader questioned. Ram Subhag Singh was removed from the post of chief secretary in July and appointed as the Principal Advisor (Administrative Reforms). Agnihotri further asked why the HPPSC head's oath-taking ceremony had been cancelled at the eleventh hour. He said that it was the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh when the HPPSC head's oath-tak

Rajiv's single term as PM will be remembered for achievements: Congress

The Congress on Saturday paid rich tributes to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary, saying his single term as PM will be remembered for far-reaching achievements, including deepening the foundations of IT revolution that has transformed India. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited their father's memorial, Veer Bhumi, and paid homage on his 78th birth anniversary in the morning. "Papa, you are always with me, in my heart. I will always try to fulfil the dream that you saw for the country," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. He also shared a video and picture montage on Rajiv Gandhi. In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said his single term as prime minister will be remembered for numerous landmarks and far-reaching achievements of which six stand out for his personal drive, commitment and leadership. First, he deepened the foundations of the IT revolution

Kejriwal on rise, so targeted by BJP: Sibal on CBI raid on Sisodia's house

Former East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit alleged that the AAP and BJP were hand in glove to damage the Congress, "but it seems that the BJP does not require AAP now so the raids are being conducted".

Post matric scam: No need to hand over probe to central agency, says Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said the state's investigating agencies were fully capable of investigating the alleged irregularities in the post matric scholarship scheme and there was no need to hand the over the probe to a central agency. He also told leaders of the Valmiki community that services of 'safai sewaks' were being regularised and they soon will be taken off the contractual system. On the alleged "multi-crore" post matric scholarship scam, Mann reiterated his government's commitment to ensure stern action against the culprits. The alleged scam had surfaced during the Congress rule in 2020, following a report by the then additional chief secretary, who had flagged misappropriation of Rs 55.71 crore. The report had also questioned the role of the then social justice minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in shielding those involved in the scam. The then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had directed a panel led by the state chief secretary to conduct a thorough

Misuse of probe agencies erodes their credibility, helps corrupt: Congress

After the CBI raided Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday, the Congress said the "relentless misuse" of investigation agencies against political rivals erodes their credibility and can help the corrupt to get away, even though its Delhi leaders claimed the raids exposed the AAP leader's "corrupt face". Delhi Congress leader Alka Lamba said Sisodia should face the action by the probe agency instead of "running away" to the cool climes of Himachal Pradesh. She also claimed the "corrupt face" of the self-acclaimed "truly honest" minister of the Aam Aadmi Party today stands exposed. She also accused Sisodia of ignoring norms in opening liquor vends in the national capital and thrusting the youth into liquor by reducing the legal age for drinking from 25 to 21 years. Another Delhi Congress leader, Abhishek Dutt, accused the AAP government of indulging in corruption in the liquor policy and granting licences to those who were close to them. He also shared pictures of Sisod

Accused in arson case at Salman Khurshid's house acquitted: Uttarakhand HC

The Uttarakhand High Court has acquitted the two main accused in the November 2021 case of vandalism and arson at the house of senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid. Kundan Chilwal and Rakesh Kapil were acquitted of the charges by senior Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra on Thursday on the basis of a letter of settlement produced by the caretaker of Khurshid's property, who was also the complainant in the matter. On November 15, 2021, arson, vandalism and firing were reported at Khurshid's house in village Puda in Mukteshwar, causing damage to the property. On the complaint of the caretaker of the house Sundar Ram, the police had registered a case against Chilwal and Kapil. Earlier, the court had stayed their arrest. On Thursday, an agreement was presented before the court on behalf of Chilwal, Kapil and caretaker Sundar Ram. Based on this, the court disposed of the case. The agreement states that these people were not involved in the incident which was carri

'BJP treated bimari, now beneficiaries get 100% funds', BJP's Goa incharge

He said that the BJP has 'niti' (Policy), 'neta' (Leader) and 'niyat' (intent)