Page 2 - Cwc Meet

Need for effective strategy to win assembly polls: Kharge at CWC meet

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday asked party workers to work in coordination, discipline and unity and put in all their might to win the assembly elections in five states in November. Addressing party leaders at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), he once again raised the demand for conducting a nationwide caste census to ensure social justice and rights to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in accordance with their population, while noting that the BJP is silent on this. For proper share in welfare schemes, it is important to have socio-economic data on the condition of weaker sections of society and ensure social justice to them, he asserted. The Congress president also said the party would implement women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies if voted to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. While asking party leaders to expedite efforts to highlight the government's failures, he said they mus

Rahul acted in consonance with people's sentiment on caste census: Congress

The Congress on Monday said Rahul Gandhi decided to take forward the demand for a caste census by the backward class people he met during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the party leadership has endorsed this move. In a post in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, there was one thing which almost all the backward class people of every state sought which was that there should be a caste census in the country. "Rahul ji acted in consonance with the sentiments of the people and the Congress leadership endorsed it," Ramesh said. His remarks came ahead of the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here at the AICC headquarters. The Congress has taken a stand to push for the caste census. After Bihar released the findings of a caste census in the state, Congress-ruled Rajasthan issued orders on Saturday for holding a similar exercise. In Chhattisgarh too, the Congress has announced that it will conduct a caste survey if it is v

Cong to hold CWC meet on Oct 9 in Delhi, discuss strategy ahead of polls

Congress' top decision making body CWC will meet on October 9 here to deliberate on the current political situation, caste census and further firm up the strategy for the upcoming assembly elections in five states. The party is seeking to retain power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while hoping to wrest power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, BRS in Telangana and the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram. The meeting is likely to have a discussion on the caste census. The Congress has made a strong pitch for the caste census and has raised the demand for giving rights on the basis of population with emphasis on other backward classes (OBCs). The CWC meet also comes at a time when some opposition leaders are facing heat from central agencies. The latest in the series of arrests is that of AAP leader Sanjay Singh in the Delhi excise policy case and the Congress top leadership will have to take a call on extending support to him and others being targeted by the government. The meeting of

Congress to hold CWC meeting in Delhi on October 9 on ongoing situation

Congress' top decision making body CWC will meet on October 9 here to deliberate on the current political situation and further firm up the strategy for the upcoming round of state polls, sources said on Thursday. The meeting comes just over three weeks after the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) was held in Hyderabad on September 16 to evolve a strategy for the upcoming assembly polls in five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram -- and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sources said the CWC will be meet on Monday at the AICC headquarters here to discuss the current political situation and to follow up on the decisions and discussions at the top decision-making body's meeting in Hyderabad. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had on August 20 reconstituted the CWC, retaining the old guard and giving space to the young in the 84-member body. This will be the first meeting of the CWC in the national capital. The CWC ha

Libya dam collapse raises alarm bells for India's 234 dams over 100 yrs old

According to industry experts, the government should revisit the Dam Safety Act, taking the climate change issues into account

BJP struggles in Rajasthan due to lack of public connection: Sachin Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot criticises the central government for playing 'hide and seek' with Women's Reservation Bill, says there was already consensus

CWC meet: Rahul stresses on ideological clarity, focus on people's issues

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked party leaders at the CWC meeting to focus on people's issues and maintain ideological clarity, while cautioning them against "walking into traps of the BJP". Addressing a press conference on the second day of deliberations of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party's media and publicity department chief Pawan Khera said Gandhi spoke on Saturday during the first meeting of the reconstituted CWC and called on leaders to heed the voice of 'Bharat Mata' to raise people's issues. "He (Gandhi) laid specific stress on the need to have ideological clarity. All of us emerged from that hall of the CWC in deep thought with absolute clarity. He warned us against walking into irrelevant traps of the BJP. These are not issues of the common man or woman or to any of us," Khera said. The former Congress chief also asked party leaders to remain focussed on the actual reason why the Congress and each one of them were in politics to ensure that they heed th

Congress' top brass deliberates on polls strategy at extended CWC meeting

The Congress top brass deliberated on formulating a strategy for the upcoming Assembly and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well as ways to strengthen the organization for a second day at an extended CWC meeting here on Sunday. The first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) took place on Saturday. Besides regular members, permanent invitees and special invitees, the extended meeting of the apex decision-making body of the party included state party chiefs, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders, parliamentary party office-bearers and its Central Election Committee members. The Congress will hold a mega rally in Tukkuguda near Hyderabad later in the day as the state celebrates Telangana National Integration Day, to mark the day on which the princely State of Hyderabad merged with the Indian Union in 1948. At the rally, the party will announce six guarantees for the Telangana assembly elections. While the Congress MPs would return to Delhi for the special sessi

CWC calls for Women's Reservation Bill passage in Parl's special session

The Congress on Saturday demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill be passed during the upcoming special session of Parliament. In a resolution adopted at its first meeting after being reconstituted, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) alleged that parliamentary debate and scrutiny have all but disappeared and far-reaching legislation is hurriedly pushed through without proper scrutiny and discussion. "The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment etc) Bill introduced in Parliament will severely compromise the independence of the Election Commission to conduct free and fair elections," it said. Noting that a special session of Parliament has been called all of a sudden, the CWC said the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi identifying nine pressing issues of public concern and importance that need to be debated in this special session. "The CWC thanks her for this initiative and also for

CWC passes condolence resolutions on loss of lives in Manipur, Himachal

The Congress Working Committee on Saturday passed condolence resolutions over the loss of lives in the ethnic violence in Manipur and the natural disaster in Himachal Pradesh. The Congress' top decision-making body, holding its first meeting since its reconstitution, also passed a resolution condoling the demise of veteran leader and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy. In the resolution on Manipur, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) expressed its profound sense of loss and anguish at the ongoing situation of ethnic violence in the state. "The people of Manipur have witnessed extreme devastation and are facing innumerable hardships. More than 200 lives have been lost, over 500 injured and more than 5,000 houses gutted in arson-related incidents. A staggering number of over 60,000 people are displaced and continue to live in dire conditions in relief camps across the state," the resolution stated. Schools and colleges were closed for nearly three months, adversely affecting

CWC meet: Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 from east to west 'under consideration'

The Congress on Saturday said Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 is "under consideration" with some CWC members requesting that it be undertaken from the eastern part of the country to the west. Addressing a briefing on the deliberations of the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) here, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said members of the party's top decision-making body have requested to organise a "Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 from east to west". "That matter is under consideration," he said in response to a question about organising the second edition of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had undertaken the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir from September 7, 2022, to January 30 this year. The Congress leaders have said the 136-day march, covering 4,081 kilometres in 12 states and two Union territories, 75 districts and 76 Lok Sabha constituencies, left an indelible impression on people's minds. During the course of the yatra

Kharge's CWC: Average age 61 yrs, 66% from SCs, OBCs, women, minorities

The average age in the newly-formed 84-member Congress Working Committee under party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is 61 years, with the eldest member being former prime minister Manmohan Singh at 90. The youngest in the CWC is 31-year-old Neeraj Kundan, who is an ex-officio member of the body as the president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students' wing of the party. The Congress has failed to fulfil its promise of having 50 per cent of people below the age of 50 years made in its Udaipur declaration but has maintained 66.6 per cent reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women as promised during its Raipur plenary session. An analysis of the decision-making body of the Congress party reveals that it has 12 members of the Scheduled Castes, four from Scheduled Tribes, 16 from other backward classes, nine among minorities and 15 women, besides 43 general category people. There are 21 'youth' members around the age of 50 years like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachi

Govt launches 'FloodWatch' app for real-time flood updates, forecasts

Amid a rise in flood-related incidents in the country, including loss of life and property, the government Thursday launched an app to disseminate real-time information on the flood situation in affected areas. The 'FloodWatch' app, will collect data from 338 stations to send real-time flood updates across 23 states and Union Territories, Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairperson Kushvinder Vohra said. The app aims to use mobile phones to spread flood-related information and even provides forecasts for up to 7 days, Vohra said while launching 'FloodWatch'. The app uses advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modelling, and real-time monitoring to deliver accurate and timely flood forecasts, he added. "The app's user-friendly interface will make it easy for anyone to stay informed and minimise risk during flood events," Vohra said. 'FloodWatch' will send out alert messages and flood forecasts in both written and audio formats, the CWC chief said. The a

CWC plans to construct 7 warehouses in AP in next 2 fiscals: Centre

The Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) plans to construct seven warehouses in Andhra Pradesh with a total capacity of over 18 lakh tonnes in the next two financial years, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs, in her written reply to the Lok Sabha, said the CWC has already constructed six warehouses in Andhra Pradesh. It has planned construction of seven more warehouses in the next two years. About 12.84 lakh tonne capacity of warehouses will be constructed at Kadapa, Nandyal, Renigunta, Sattenpalli, Nellore, Nandikotkur and Vadlamudi in the state during 2023-24 financial year, she said. Another 52,794 tonne of capacity will be added by CWC during 2024-25 financial year, she added. The minister also shared that Andhra Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation (APSWC), which has already built 20 warehouses in the state in last three years, has planned to construct 10 more warehouses in AP.

Latest LIVE: Two-day 'Chintan Shivir' of state home ministers in Haryana

From national and international political developments to rising air pollution and farm fires, catch all the latest developments from across the globe here

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

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 ...

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

Digvijaya Singh likely to file nomination for Congress prez elections today

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday night left Kerala for Delhi and is likely to file his nomination for the election to the party president's post on Thursday, sources said. AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal was also in the same flight from Kerala to Delhi. Singh and Venugopal were participating in the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra which was currently in Kerala. Singh will hold a meeting of his supporters at night and is likely to file his nomination papers on Thursday, the sources added. Nominations for the Congress president's election can be filed till September 30. The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister is the latest entrant in the fray for the party chief's election, even as the fate of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot contesting the party chief's election is uncertain.

Tharoor qualified to contest for Congress prez poll: KPCC chief Sudhakaran

Congress is a democratic party and its Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor is qualified to contest for the party's presidential election, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said on Wednesday. Sudhakaran said if Tharoor wishes to contest the polls there is no need to blame him as the Congress is a democratic party and its members have the right to contest for the top party post. "What is there to wonder about? Is he not an eligible candidate? All the members of the Indian National Congress have the right to contest as it is a democratic party. If I wish to contest, I could also do that. The party will accept it. If I get the votes, I will win", Sudhakaran told reporters here, responding to a query. He said the Congress has the strength to address such issues through the democratic process. Amid the speculation over his possible candidature, Tharoor on Tuesday had said he would decide whether to throw his hat in the ring only after the election notification came out. At the same time, Tharoor has