Page 89 - Congress

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BJP gave 33 of 68 tickets in Jharkhand to political families: Congress

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Pariwarwaad' remark, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Monday claimed that the BJP itself indulged in dynastic politics, and gave out tickets for 33 of the 68 seats it is contesting in Jharkhand assembly elections to those belonging to political families. The BJP is contesting 68 of the 81 assembly seats in the state, leaving the rest for its allies. PM Modi, during an election rally in Garhwa earlier in the day, said that the JMM, Congress and RJD believe in 'Pariwarwaad' (dynastic politics). Addressing reporters here, Shrinate said, "The BJP in Jharkhand has given 33 out of 68 tickets to those who come from political families. For example, former Union minister Arjun Munda's wife, former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das's daughter-in-law and Champai Soren's son were given tickets. So, the BJP has no right to say anything about 'Pariwarwaad'." She also alleged that the central government is sitting over Jharkhand's Rs

Waqf properties' row: BJP's protest nothing but politics, says Siddaramaiah

Upping the ante following allegations by a section of farmers in certain parts of Karnataka that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, BJP on Monday held a state-wide protest, accusing the ruling Congress government of indulging in "land jihad". The opposition party also demanded the sacking of Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan from the Cabinet. The BJP has decided to go ahead with the protest despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directing officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified. There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, and similar charges have surfaced from few other places. While BJP state President B Y Vijayendra led the protest in Ballari, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka took part in it at K R Puram here. Similarly, various party leaders have ..

Priyanka slams BJP for 'politicising' landslide disaster in Wayanad

Continuing her criticism of the BJP, Congress leader and UDF candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday that the saffron party has politicised the landslide that struck this hill district in July, claiming numerous lives and displacing many residents. Kicking off her second day of campaigning, she addressed a corner meeting at Kenichira in the Sulthan Bathery Assembly constituency. "Even a disaster that caused immense pain to people was politicised by the BJP. And this is where we start today. We stand in a place where you must think about your country, your own needs, and the kind of politics you want in our nation," the Congress general secretary remarked. Taking a dig at the saffron party, Priyanka said the BJP's politics, "which is spreading across the country, is characterised by hatred, anger, divisiveness, and destruction." She stated that real issues facing the people are being overlooked, and their problems remain unresolved. She fur

Rajasthan bypolls a test for CM Bhajanlal Sharma led months-old BJP govt

The upcoming Rajasthan Assembly bypolls will be a crucial test for the Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government, which will complete one year in office next month. A month after Sharma assumed office in December last year, the BJP lost the Karanpur assembly seat. In another embarrassment for the party, it lost 11 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the general elections. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, all seats had gone to the BJP. These outcomes put a question mark on the performance of Sharma, a first-time MLA who was picked by the party high command over prominent leaders like Vasundhara Raje, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Diya Kumari and Kirodi Lal Meena. The November 13 bypolls will also be the first test for Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore, who took over the party reins after the Lok Sabha election results were announced in June. The seven seats going to polls in the state are Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Chorasi, Salumber and Ramgarh. Of these,

Congress questions PM Modi over promises made to people of Jharkhand

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll campaign in Jharkhand, the Congress on Monday asked him about the promises he has made to the people of the state and said he should fulfil them before seeking a single vote. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed a set of three questions to the PM, reminding him of his promise of setting up the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines, besides setting of engineering and medical colleges in Jharkhand. Assembly elections in Jharkhand are due in two phases on November 13 and 20, where the BJP is seeking to wrest power from the JMM-Congress combine. "The non-biological PM is in Jharkhand today. Three questions he should answer before seeking a single vote - Where is the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines," Ramesh asked in a post on X. He said the people of Lohardaga and Chatra have been demanding better rail connectivity for years as it would improve locals' access to education and employment opportunities. "Sadly,

Govt job crisis: Congress poll promise hits caste hurdle in Telangana

Recruitment to Telangana state civil services has turned into political battleground. Aditi Phadnis tracks issue in a state where employment (govt jobs) was a central point during formation

Is Wayanad a cakewalk for Priyanka, or will she face stiff competition?

When devastating landslides struck Wayanad in July, Rahul Gandhi had already vacated this Lok Sabha seat - a move his opponents called a 'betrayal'. Now, with tragedy and unresolved issues as the back

Protecting Constitution is India's primary battle, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday emphasised that the primary struggle in the country today is to protect and preserve the Constitution. He said the Constitution of the country was not written with hatred, but with humility and love. The main fight in the country today, that is taking place, is the fight for the Constitution of our country. The protection that we get, the greatness of our country, all emerged from the Constitution, the Lok Sabha MP said while addressing a corner meeting in Mananthavady here as part of the campaign for his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Priyanka is the Congress candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll. The Constitution was not written with anger or with hatred. It was written by the people who fought the British, the people who had suffered, who spent years and years and years in jail. And they wrote the Constitution with humility, with love and with affection, he said. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha pointed out that this is a figh

Modi govt aims to stay in power by any means: Priyanka Gandhi in Wayanad

Wayanad, a Congress bastion is going to see a contest between Congress's Priyanka Gandhi, BJP's Navya Haridas and the Left candidate Sathyan Mokeri in the upcoming bypolls

BJP must explain delay in releasing funds for Jharkhand: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said the BJP must give an account for the delay of releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand in the form of pending coal royalties before seeking votes from the people. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Centre owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits. In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of the Coal India Limited which owe huge sums of money to the state government, he claimed. There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head, the Congress leader said. Questioning the Jharkhand unit of the BJP, he asked why it failed to secure funds for the state and why was the prime minister silent. "Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why

Himachal CM dedicates development projects worth Rs 30.70 crore to state

Chief Minister highlighted the commitment of the state government for the welfare and upliftment of people of the state as well as residents of Kinnaur

Findings unacceptable: KC Venugopal on ECI's reply to Cong on Haryana polls

Earlier on November 1, the Congress submitted a 'counter response' to the ECI, describing its initial reply as 'generic' and focused on dismissing the complaints and their petitioners

Cong went from big national party to junior partner in states: Hardeep Puri

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri alleged that Congress is losing strength because of its 'ill-conceived and badly thought-through policies' and that its leaders are 'getting frustrated'

Minister Giriraj Singh slams Congress, says 'To lie is in DNA of party'

Referencing the song 'Tere Waade Pe Maara Gaya', Singh said that the public of Congress-ruled states repented their decision to choose Congress, as they came to power because of their 'lies'

Modi has destroyed PM post's dignity with hollow promises: Priyanka Gandhi

In a scathing attack on Narendra Modi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said the prime minister has "destroyed" the dignity of the highest post of the country by repeatedly making "hollow promises" to 140 crore Indians. She also said that instead of worrying about the Congress, Modi should work on "restoring the dignity of his post by resorting to truth". Her remarks came after Modi on Friday said the Congress stands "badly exposed" in front of the people for promising to them what the party knows it will never be able to deliver. The prime minister launched a fierce attack on the opposition party as he seized on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's comments that the Congress' state units should make promises that are properly budgeted. He also said the developmental trajectory and fiscal health in the Congress-ruled states of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana is going from bad to worse. Hitting back at the prime minister, Priyanka Gandhi said in a post

Cong lists Jharkhand govt's welfare schemes, accuses BJP of misleading

The Congress on Saturday said the INDIA bloc government in Jharkhand is going among the people in the upcoming assembly polls on the basis of its work, while the BJP is trying to "mislead" them with its "same old politics of hatred". In a post on X in Hindi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that in the last five years, the Jharkhand government has taken many steps for the betterment of the people of the state and done excellent work in fields of education, health, housing and security. "Amidst all the efforts of 'MoShah' to destabilise the state government and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, these public welfare schemes of ours are providing relief to the people -- Bicycle distribution scheme: 10 lakh children got bicycles; CM Utkrisht Vidyalaya: Education started through CBSE medium in 80 schools, a total of 5,000 schools are being made excellent at the panchayat level." Ramesh also cited schemes such as pre and post-matric scholarship from which

Stand for credibility of promises under PM Modi, Congress for crisis: BJP

The BJP on Saturday asserted that it stood for credibility of promises made to people under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the Congress for crisis of credibility, as the ruling party fired a fresh salvo at its rival in a war of words between them over unkept poll pledges. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters that the ruling party had gradually stepped up the scope of its welfare schemes, ranging from health insurance to free grains and cash transfer for farmers, by resorting to first creation of wealth followed by its distribution as the size of the Indian economy grew over the past decade. "We believe in first the creation of wealth and distribution. The Congress stands for creation of corruption and destruction of wealth," he said, citing a host of alleged unfulfilled promises of Congress-led governments in different states. A day after Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that "Modi ki guarantee" was a cruel joke on people after the prime minister had seized on

Maharashtra polls: Cong releases ad to target Mahayuti over farmers' issues

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the state Congress on Saturday launched its campaign to target the Mahayuti government over its "lack of support" to farmers. Congress's Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala released an advertisement titled "Injustice to Farmers - Ata Chalnar Nahi (not acceptable any more)" here. Speaking on the occasion, Chennithala said the advertisement targets the Mahayuti government over its failure to support farmers. "More than 20,000 farmers committed suicides in the last two years. It was due to the lack of crop loss compensation and failure to provide the minimum support price (MSP)," he claimed. The ad also targets the Mahayuti over "false promises and corruption". Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's pet project "Jalyukt Shivar" has been dubbed as the "Jalmukt Shivar" in the advertisement. "With farmers' anger simmering across the state, this ad will help the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) focus public outrage against Mahayuti's anti-farm

Cong seeks probe over BJP's use of blackmail to bring Ajit Pawar into NDA

The Congress on Saturday called for a probe into alleged "blackmail" and "coercion" used to bring NCP leader Ajit Pawar into the NDA fold and said the BJP's "washing machine" was nowhere more powerful than in Maharashtra. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's recent remarks to claim that the issue involved not just the use of "coercion and blackmail" but also breach of the oath of confidentiality and the Official Secrets Act. "The BJP's washing machine is an all-India phenomenon but perhaps nowhere was it more powerful than in Maharashtra," he said. When in opposition before 2014, the BJP raised allegations about massive corruption by Ajit Pawar, then the state's irrigation and water resources minister, Ramesh pointed out and added that the allegations claimed corruption to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore. Ajit Pawar has now confirmed that blackmail and coercion surrounding these charges were used by the B