Page 18 - Indian National Congress

Delhi Assembly polls: Congress releases fourth list of 5 candidates

List includes Surender Kumar from Bawana, Rahul Dhanak from Karol Bagh, Sumesh Gupta, the candidate from the Rohini, Virender Bhiduri from Tughlakabad and Arjun Bhadana from Badarpur

Sonia Gandhi inaugurates Congress' new 5-storey headquarters in Delhi

The Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road here was inaugurated on Wednesday, as the grand old party turned a page in its history after operating from its iconic 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years. Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the plush five-storey building in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, among other senior leaders. Indira Gandhi Bhawan, constructed by L&T and designed by Hafeez Contractor, narrates the tale of the party's 139-year-old history with its walls adorning pictures from the freedom struggle to the party's governance achievements. The five principles of the Congress -- democracy, nationalism, secularism, inclusive growth and justice -- are inscribed on one of the walls of the building. As one enters the building, the wall in front adorns the pictures of the party's first president W

Kharge expresses disagreement with L&T Chairman's 90-hour work week advice

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed disagreement with Larsen & Toubro Chairman S N Subrahmanyan's suggestion of a 90-hour work week and recalled that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar had advocated that workers should not be made to work for more than eight hours in a day. Addressing party leaders after the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road here, Kharge lauded the work done by L&T Construction in constructing the new party headquarters. "I would like to thank L&T construction...some dues are also left from our side," Kharge said to peals of laughter. "I would like to thank L&T construction, architects, labourers involved in the construction. While I thank the company, but the company's CEO has made a remark of working 90 hours in a week. I don't agree with that," the Congress chief said. A labourer works for eight hours and gets tired and that is why Nehru and Ambedkar had stated while ...

Congress inaugurates Indira Gandhi Bhawan, leaving old HQ after 47 yrs

The party's new national headquarters at 9A, Kotla Road in New Delhi saw a 15 year delay in construction

Election rules row: SC seeks govt, poll panel reply on Jairam Ramesh's plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the poll panel on Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's plea against the recent amendments, including no public access to CCTV, to the 1961 election rules. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar took note of the submissions of senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Ramesh, and issued notices on the plea. The bench said it would hear the plea in the week commencing March 17. Singhvi said amendments to the 1961 Conduct of Election Rules were made "very cleverly" and barred any access to CCTV footage claiming it would reveal the identity of the voter. He said voting choices were never revealed and the CCTV footage couldn't reveal votes. The senior lawyer urged the bench to ask the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Centre to file their responses before the next date of hearing else they would come and say "reply is needed to be filed" on tha

It's treason: Rahul Gandhi hits out at Bhagwat for true independence remark

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat saying that his remark that India got "true independence" after the Ram temple consecration amounts to treason and is an insult to every Indian. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters here, Gandhi said every party worker is fighting this battle of ideologies under difficult circumstances where institutions have been captured by the BJP and the RSS and investigative agencies are being used against opposition leaders. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also hit out at the Election Commission and alleged that there is a "serious problem" with the country's election system. "Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason... Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid. "He has the audacity to say this publicly. In any

Rahul Gandhi kicks off Delhi Assembly election campaign from Rithala

Meanwhile, on Monday, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections and accused the BJP and RSS

Alka Lamba files nomination from Kalkaji, declares net worth of Rs 3.41 cr

Congress candidate Alka Lamba on Tuesday filed her nomination from Kalkaji constituency for the upcoming Delhi polls, declaring a net worth of Rs 3.41 crore. She has a flat in Gurugram, a commercial property with current market value of Rs 80 lakh and one residential flat in south Delhi with current market value of Rs 2 crore, Lamba's affidavit stated. Lamba has a movable asset of Rs 61.12 lakh. Her financial assets have grown by Rs 20.12 lakh since the last assembly elections which she fought from Chandni Chowk in 2020. Her income for the financial year 2024-25 was Rs 8.28 lakh, while it was Rs 8.91 lakh in 2023-24, and 5.35 in 2022-23, the affidavit mentioned. Before filing the nomination, Lamba inaugurated her election office in Kalkaji assembly constituency. Former MLA and senior Congress leader Subhash Chopra was also present at the event. "I have filed my nomination on Tuesday. It is the battle of people of Delhi. We will fight for the citizens of the national capital. Arvin

Rupee among the world's most stable currencies: BJP counters Cong's claims

The BJP on Monday said the rupee is among the "most stable" currencies in the world and slammed the Congress for painting a "grim picture" of the fall in its value against the US dollar. India's improved external position, reduced current-account deficit and strong foreign exchange reserves have made the rupee one of the most stable currencies globally, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya said in a post on X. Over the last year, the rupee depreciated by a modest 3.68 per cent, outperforming major currencies like the Japanese Yen and Korean Won, which fell by 9 per cent to 12 per cent during the same period, even as the US Dollar Index surged by 9.8 per cent, Malviya said. "So, the next time someone paints a grim picture of the Indian rupee, remind them of its disastrous performance under the UPA and the remarkable turnaround under the Modi government," he added. The reaction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader came after the Congress took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Congress selling lies about UGC hiring norms: Education Minister Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday attacked the Congress, accusing it of "selling lies" about the draft recruitment norms rolled out by the UGC and said the practice of governors appointing university vice-chancellors has been going on even before Independence. The University Grants Commission (UGC) released the draft regulations last week, proposing a major overhaul in the recruitment of assistant professors and vice-chancellors. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had alleged that the UGC draft regulations, 2025, give state governors extensive control over vice-chancellor appointments and allow non-academics to hold these posts and termed it a "direct attack on federalism and state rights". According to the draft regulations, industry experts, as well as senior professionals from public administration, public policy and public sector undertakings, might soon be eligible for appointment as vice-chancellors. The draft norms have also given power to chancellors or .

Cong slams Atishi for crowdfunding, targets Kejriwal for 'avoiding public'

In just six hours after asking for public support, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi raised over Rs 15 lakh for her election campaign through an online portal on Sunday

SC to hear Jairam Ramesh's petition against Election rules change on Jan 15

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, will come up for hearing in the apex court on Wednesday. The matter will come up for hearing before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on January 15, according to the cause list uploaded on the Supreme Court website. The Congress had filed the writ petition in the Supreme Court last month challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and expressed hope that the apex court will help restore the "fast eroding" integrity of the electoral process. The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse. AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who has filed the petition, had said, "The integrity of the electoral process is fast eroding.

Delhi polls: BJP pacifies 4-time MLA over Kapil Mishra's ticket allocation

BJP's sitting MLA from Karawal Nagar Mohan Singh Bisht objected to the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra and threatened to turn rebel

Rahul Gandhi to address public meeting in Delhi's Seelampur on Jan 13

With the Delhi polls weeks away, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hit the campaign trail on January 13 and address a public meeting in northeast Delhi's Seelampur, the party said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office here, AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin said that Gandhi has emerged as the voice of the people of the country. Wherever there was an issue, Gandhi reached there and raised people's voice, he said. "Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' on Monday at 5.30 pm in northeast Delhi's Seelampur area. A large number of people, Congress party workers and leaders will participate in it," Nizamuddin said. This will be Gandhi's first rally in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already held two programmes in the capital during which he attacked AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and the party's government. The Congress held a month-long 'Delhi Nyay Yatra' in ...

Delhi Assembly polls: Smaller players may become spoilsports for Big Three

Fringe political players in Delhi, such as the BSP and AIMIM, are strategising to eat away the votes of the three main contenders -- the AAP, BJP and Congress -- in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls to spoil their gameplan. The BSP is planing to contest all 70 seats while the AIMIM is fielding candidates on about a dozen of Muslim-dominated seats. The two parties have planned rallies by their chiefs Mayawati (BSP) and Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM). The smaller political players in the national capital are gearing up to mount a strong challenge in the upcoming polls -- promising to address issues "neglected" in the Muslim-majority localities, combating corruption and pledging good governance, among others. One of them is the Bharatiya Liberal Party (BLP), founded recently by US-based doctor Munish Kumar Raizada and others associated with the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement. Raizada said he and Arvind Kejriwal were part of the anti-corruption movement, but has now decided to give

Shiv Sena (UBT) to go alone in local bodies elections, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said his party will contest the upcoming elections to the various local bodies alone. Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances were for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. "In an alliance, workers of individual parties don't get opportunities, and it hampers organisational growth. We will contest polls to the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and other municipal corporations, zilla parishads and panchayats on our strength," he said. He said party chief Uddhav Thackeray gave the party indications that it should go alone. Hitting out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for indulging in a blame game over the MVA's defeat in the state assembly, Raut said those who don't believe in consensus and compromise have no right to be in an alliance. He further claimed that the INDIA bloc did not hold a single meeting after the Lok Sabha elections. "We were not able to appoint even a convenor for INDIA bloc. I

BJP mulling replacing Bidhuri with woman leader for Kalkaji constituency

Names like Meenakshi Lekhi, Yogita Singh, and Manpreet Kaur Kalka are being considered as potential replacements

Cong unveils 'Pyari Didi' scheme, promises Rs 2,500 a month to Delhi women

The Congress on Monday announced a 'Pyari Didi Yojana', promising a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to women if voted to power in Delhi. The scheme would be rolled out on the lines of the model adopted by the Congress government in Karnataka. Announcing the scheme, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said it aims to financially empower women, promising that it would be implemented at the first Cabinet meeting of the new government. "Today, I have come here to launch the Pyari Didi Yojana. We are confident that a Congress government will be formed in Delhi, and on the first day of the new Cabinet, we will implement the scheme to provide Rs 2,500 to every woman in the capital," Shivakumar said. Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, the party's Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin, and other senior leaders were present during the announcement.

After AAP, Congress announces monthly Rs 2,500 aid for Delhi women voters

Congress' DK Shivakumar announced that under the 'Pyari Didi Yojana,' the party will provide Rs 2,500 to women voters if it wins the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections

Pvt sector reluctant to invest in India as no-confidence in govt: Cong

The private sector's reluctance to invest in India is a corporate motion of no-confidence in the Narendra Modi government, the Congress claimed on Monday. The opposition party also urged the government to take measures in the upcoming Union budget to stimulate and sustain domestic investment in the country that, it claimed, was on the decline. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the investment environment in India had been sluggish in the "Modi decade". In a post on X, he said the Gross Fixed Capital Formation had fallen from an average of 32 per cent of GDP during Manmohan Singh's prime ministerial decade to consistently being below 29 per cent of GDP in the past 10 years. "Investment is sluggish because mass consumption is not accelerating, tax and other authorities are threatening and intimidating businesses, and because of the growing perception that only four-five business groups can grow in the Modi regime," he said. "Now comes fresh eviden