Page 57 - Indian National Congress

Cong pins hopes on veterans like ex-CM Baghel for LS polls in Chhattisgarh

The Congress in Chhattisgarh has pinned its hopes on experienced leaders for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as its first list of six candidates included former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, two former state ministers and a sitting MP. The party released its first list of 39 candidates nationwide on Friday. In Chhattisgarh, where it lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last year's assembly polls, the Congress announced candidates for six out of 11 Lok Sabha seats. Four of them are from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and one belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. Besides Baghel (Rajnandgaon seat), the Congress has fielded Vikas Upadhyay (Raipur), Tamradhwaj Sahu (Mahasamund), Shivkumar Dahariya (Janjgir-Champa), Jyotsana Mahant (Korba), and Rajendra Sahu (Durg). Baghel, 62, the foremost leader of the party in the state, is a Kurmi which is an influential OBC community, and a sitting MLA. A six-term MLA, he had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha electio

LPG price cut is election driven, says Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Chaturvedi pointed out that the price of LPG cylinders has increased significantly in recent times and a nominal rate revision

Cost of apprenticeship right works out to be Rs 20K cr: Praveen Chakravarty

The current law, the Apprentices Act of 1961, mandates organisations of a certain size to take apprentices in the range of 2.5-15 per cent of their workforce, said Chakravarty

LS polls: After 'Yuva Nyay', Congress' 'Nari Nyay' push on Women's Day

Lok Sabha elections: The Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge reaffirmed the party's resolve to ensure "justice" for women, if the party is voted to power in the upcoming general elections

SC to hear SBI plea seeking more time for Electoral Bond details on Mar 11

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against the State Bank of India for not complying with the top court's direction

Lok Sabha polls: Congress unveils 5 guarantees to woo youth in poll promise

A Congress government will guarantee a "bharti bharosa" to the youth, where the Centre will take steps to fill three million vacant government jobs

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress promises 3 mn govt jobs to young people

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress launched five major promises to ensure "justice" for the youth. These include right to employment, social security and a law against paper leaks

INDIA bloc lacks unity, has no vision or agenda for LS elections: BJP

The Opposition grouping INDIA has no unity, vision or agenda for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, claimed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday. BJP Goa spokesman Yatish Naik said that hours after the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) met in Goa, the Congress and AAP were seen sparring in the Punjab Assembly. Leaders of INDIA parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar) met here on Wednesday and decided to set up a coordination committee to formulate a joint strategy for the Lok Sabha elections in Goa. The coastal state has two Lok Sabha constituencies North Goa and South Goa. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won the North Goa seat, while the other went to the Congress. Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Naik said on Thursday that the Opposition bloc was focussed on resurrecting a rejected dynast who has failed time and again. The BJP spokesman claimed the

Cong leaders discuss LS candidates from Rajasthan, CEC meet on March 7

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that the winnable candidates were identified after the meeting

LS polls: Will Rahul Gandhi contest from Amethi, Priyanka from Rae Bareli?

Lok Sabha polls: Amethi and Raebareli seats are seen as Congress strongholds in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has fielded incumbent MP Smriti Irani from Amethi while it is yet to name its Raebareli candidate

Several Oppn leaders will join Congress, says K'taka Dy CM Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed on Wednesday several leaders from opposition parties will be joining the ruling Congress in the coming days, and that he does not want to divulge the "secret" now. He also did not rule out the possibility of "rebel" BJP MLAs S T Somashekar and Arabail Shivaram Hebbar joining Congress. "Why take just two-three names?" Shivakumar asked reporters here, in response to a question on whether Somashekar and Hebbar are joining the Congress. He subsequently nodded his head in agreement, when asked whether more people will be joining the party. Questioned as to how many will be joining Congress from other parties, the state Congress chief said: "why talk about it now? I have told our party workers to induct all those willing and who have regards for the party, locally." Asked if MLAs from other parties will be joining Congress, he said, "How can I divulge the secrets?" Hebbar, MLA from Yellapur, did not turn up for the voting despite a

List for LS candidates in K'taka to be announced shortly: CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said Congress' list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state would be announced in two-three days and there is no "major controversy" with respect to their selection. He said the nominees will be finalised based on the opinion of the party's local leaders. "In two to three days Congress list may also get released. Tomorrow the central election committee is meeting. Karnataka candidates will also be finalised and announced in two to three days," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Karwar. "There is no major controversy. This time we are deciding on the basis of the opinion given by district in-charge Ministers, observers, MLAs, defeated candidates, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members, block committee presidents and district presidents," the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar said in Hubballi the list would be finalised after Thursday's meeting in the ...

Inflation had double-digit growth in Cong regime, now it is below 5%: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said their government contained the inflation below 5 per cent while it had reached double-digit growth during the Congress-led UPA regime. Before 2014, the Indian economy was fragile, inflation was high and fiscal deficit was beyond control, Shah said at the India Global Forum's annual investment summit NXT10 in Mumbai. Today, India has emerged as a policy-driven state, he said. "We are approaching elections with our government's performance of last 10 years and roadmap of next 25 years," the Union minister said ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a visionary PM, Shah said that by 2047, when the country celebrates its centenary of independence, Bharat will be completely developed, atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and among the top three economies in the world. "Bharat is a self-confident and self-reliant country, which has transformed itself from a dormant to a dynamic government, from regressive to .

Karnataka govt revises 'BJP-era' textbooks for new academic year: 5 points

The move is in sync with the Congress party's poll promise ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections to undo some of the changes made by the BJP during its tenure

Setback to ex-CM Kamal Nath as 7 Cong corporators from Chhindwara join BJP

In a setback to Congress veteran Kamal Nath, seven corporators of his party from the Chhindwara Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh have joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The corporators raised the slogan "Phir ek baar Modi Sarkar" (Modi government once again) as they and their supporters joined the BJP at the residence of state urban development minister Kailash Vijayvargiya in state capital Bhopal late Tuesday evening. The corporators were impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development works, a BJP release said. Chhindwara is the stronghold of former state chief minister Kamal Nath, who is currently the Congress MLA from this assembly seat. The development comes at a time when the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is passing through the state. The seven corporators who joined the ruling party are Roshni Sallam, Leena Tirkam, Santoshi Vadiwar, Deepa Mohre, Jagdish Godre, Chandrabhan Thakre and Dhanraj

Ex-Raj CM Ashok Gehlot's elder sister Vimla Devi Kachhawa passes away

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's elder sister Vimla Devi Kachhawa died in Jodhpur on Tuesday at the age of 93. In a post on X, the Congress leader said, "The demise of elder sister Vimla Devi Kachhawa has left a void in me which can never be filled." "Baiji was like a mother to me. Her absence will always be felt in my life. In her 93 years of life, she gave immense love and blessings to everyone. I pray that God grants her a place at His feet," Gehlot added. The Congress' Rajasthan unit president Govind Singh Dotasra, party leader Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, and the BJP's state unit president C P Joshi expressed grief over the death. Raje wrote on X, "Received the sad news of the demise of Vimla Devi ji, sister of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot ji. I pray to God to give peace to the soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this loss." Dotasra said, "I have received the sad news of the demise of Vimla Devi ji, elder sister of

SC dismisses 2018 money laundering case against K'taka Dy CM Shivakumar

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a money laundering probe against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The Congress leader had moved the top court against the Karnataka High Court order that refused to quash the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to him in an alleged case of money laundering. A bench of justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan granted the relief to Shivakumar. The case dates back to August 2017 when the Income Tax department had carried out searches at multiple premises in Delhi as part of its alleged tax evasion probe against Shivakumar, his alleged business associate and liquor trader Sachin Narayan (45), another associate Sunil Kumar Sharma (46) who operated a fleet of luxury buses, 49-year-old Karnataka Bhawan (Delhi) employee A Hanumanthaiah and former state government employee and caretaker posted at the Karnataka Bhawan Rajendra N (76). The department during the searches had seized more than Rs 8.59 crore, out of which more than Rs 41

Congress govt looking to disqualify 7 BJP MLAs: HP LoP Jairam Thakur

After the 2022 Assembly elections, the Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents

Opposition parties in Assam seek appointment with PM Modi over CAA

Opposition parties in Assam have sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state later this week to apprise him of the "volatile situation likely to arise" if the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA is implemented. A letter seeking an appointment with PM Modi was dispatched by state Congress chief Bhupen Borah, who is also the president of the United Opposition Forum of Assam (UOFA) which represents 16 opposition parties. "There is a strong perception among the people of Assam irrespective of caste, creed and political affiliation that the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 will put in danger the culture, history, socio-economic condition, social fabric and identity of Assamese people," said the letter, a copy of which was shared with the press on Tuesday. "Moreover, the said Act will go to nullify the historic Assam Accord of 1985, which is regarded as the lifeline of Assamese people," it added. The UOFA deems it urgent to apprise the PM about the

Congress scared to promote youth, alleges PM Modi at Telangana rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday attacked the Congress, saying it was 'scared' to promote young leaders and appeared to take a veiled dig at AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge when he said the party was appointing people over 75-80 years. He also said the "dynastic parties" were targeting him as he was exposing their "scams worth several thousands of crores of rupees." Addressing a BJP rally here, he said he never made any personal attack but raised his voice against dynasty politics. The "Congress and its friends" were now abusing him and his 'family'--the people as he was keen to implement the 'guarantee' given to the public. "When I opposed dynasty (politics) as it is dangerous to democracy and prevents new opportunities for youth, they don't respond to that but say Modi has no family," he said. Congress party was not a dynastic party earlier, he said. Taking potshots at Congress, he said the party never promoted anyone below aged 50. "Congress was not dynastic earlier.