Page 66 - Indian National Congress

I was misinterpreted, says BJP veteran hours after praising Shashi Tharoor

Hours after he praised MP Shashi Tharoor and said it would be difficult to defeat the Congress leader from the state capital in the near future, veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal on Monday clarified that his words were misinterpreted and claimed that the saffron party will win from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in the Lok Sabha polls. Rajagopal, the former union minister who lost to Tharoor in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram, had at a function here on Monday evening said the Congress MP's ability to sway people's minds was the reason for his repeated wins from the constituency. "That is why he is able to win again and again from Thiruvananthapuram. I doubt that anyone else will get an opportunity to win (from Thiruvananthapuram) in the near future," he had said while speaking at the N Ramachandran Foundation award ceremony. Tharoor had touched Rajagopal's feet and hugged him after his speech. However, hours later, in a late night Facebook post, the veteran BJP ..

Cong to hold meeting with AAP; seat-sharing formula for LS polls on agenda

Earlier on Sunday, Congress held a National Alliance Committee (NAC) meeting to discuss the seat-sharing formula in Bihar in the national capital

Former-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's father dies at a pvt hospital at 89

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's father Nand Kumar Baghel died at a hospital here on Monday morning, a Congress leader said. He was 89. The former CM's father breathed his last at around 6 am at a private hospital in Raipur, where he was admitted for the last few days, state Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said without elaborating on the cause of the death. Bhupesh Baghel will reach Raipur from Delhi in the afternoon, he said. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the demise of Nand Kumar Baghel. In a condolence message to the bereaved family members, Sai prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace. In a post on X, Bhupesh Baghel said, "Babuji Shri Nand Kumar Baghel ji passed away this morning. His mortal remains have been kept at Patan Sadan (in Raipur). His last rites will be held on January 10 in our home village Kuruddih (Durg district), after my younger sister returns from abroad." He also shared a picture

Congress deplores arrest of 2 editors in Manipur, demands their release

The Congress on Sunday strongly deplored the reported arrest of two editors of vernacular newspapers in Manipur and demanded their immediate release, alleging a "double engine assault" by the Modi government and the Manipur dispensation on the state. In a statement, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that in yet another crackdown on press freedom, two editors from two language newspapers have been arrested by the Manipur government. On December 31, 2023, the BJP-controlled police arrested Wangkhemcha Shyamjai, the editor of vernacular daily Kangleipaki Meira, for allegedly publishing "provocative news", Khera said. On January 5, the Manipur Police also arrested Meitei language newspaper Hueiyen Lanpao's editor Dhanabir Maibam for "promoting enmity on the ground of religion and race", the Congress leader said. In a joint statement, the All-Manipur Journalists' Union, of which Shyamjai was a former chief, and the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) condemned his .

Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Amit Shah: Special court defers hearing to Jan 18

An MP-MLA court here on Saturday postponed to January 18 the hearing in a case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Union minister Amit Shah as advocates were occupied with a judicial workshop. The case stems from a lawsuit filed on August 4, 2018, by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, who accused Gandhi of making the remarks. Mishra's lawyer Santosh Pandey said advocates were unavailable owing to a judicial workshop in the court for junior advocates. He said the court had summoned Gandhi on December 16 in the case, but he did not appear. The court then summoned the Congress leader on January 6. Earlier on November 18 last year, judge Yogesh Yadav had reserved the verdict after arguments, posted the matter for the next hearing on November 27 and summoned Gandhi to appear on December 16. Mishra, a former chairman of a cooperative bank, is a resident of Hanumanganj.

Cong unveils logo, slogan of 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'; to be led by Rahul

The Congress on Saturday unveiled the logo and slogan of the party's upcoming 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' which will be led by party leader Rahul Gandhi

'Open heart' for Cong, but ready to go solo in Bengal if needed: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday said it has an "open heart" for the Congress regarding seat-sharing in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections, but it was also prepared to go solo if the talks fail. Speaking to PTI, TMC's leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay said what local Congress leaders are thinking about the sharing of seats is immaterial as the final decision will be taken by the top brass of the two parties. "Our leader Mamata Banerjee has already said that we have an open heart for the Congress. Now, what they will do is up to them. Whether there will be an in West Bengal will be decided by Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee. What local Congress leaders think is immaterial," he said. The comment comes two days after state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party won't beg for seats from the TMC. Another senior TMC leader, who refused to be named as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, said the party was open to having an alliance in West Bengal but

Nyay Yatra required as govt didn't allow us to speak in Parl: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said his party is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as the government did not give it a chance to raise issues in Parliament. The Rahul Gandhi-led Manipur-to-Maharashtra yatra, which will begin on January 14, will cover 6,713 km and its participants will travel on buses and foot. "The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will focus on basic social, political and economic issues of the country," Kharge told a press conference here. He added that INDIA bloc leaders and members of the civil society have also been invited to join the march along its route. The Congress had earlier said that the east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would prove to be as impactful and transformative as the earlier south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The Congress is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as "the government did not give us the chance to raise our issues in Parliament", Kharge said and added that "we will listen to people throu

Cong slams govt over impact of Chinese imports on Gujarat steel MSMEs

The Congress on Saturday cited a media report, which claimed that 30-35 per cent of the MSMEs in the stainless steel sector in Gujarat have shut shop, to attack the government over what it said was a "massive flood" of imports from China. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared the media report on X which quoted Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) president Rajamani Krishnamurti as saying that Indian stainless steel players are bearing the brunt of heavy influx of cheaper Chinese imports, causing almost 30-35 per cent of medium and small businesses in Gujarat to shut shop between July-September last year. Ramesh said, "80% of the nation's MSMEs in the stainless steel sector are in Gujarat alone. Of these 35% shut shop between July and September 2023. Many others are barely managing to survive. The reason? There's a massive flood of imports from China, the country to which the PM has given a clean chit and a country with whom, reportedly, we no longer expres

Mahadev betting app case: ED names Chhattisgarh ex-CM Baghel in chargesheet

In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, in a supplementary chargesheet filed on January 1, 2024

Cong appoints Alka Lamba women wing's chief, Varun Choudhary to head NSUI

The Congress on Friday appointed former Delhi MLA Alka Lamba as its women's wing chief, replacing Netta D'Souza. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also appointed Varun Choudhary as the head of the party's students' wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI). Lamba, who has been appointed as the president of the All India Mahila Congress, had been named as a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet last year. Lamba, who started her political career at a young age, was elected as the president of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) as an NSUI candidate in 1995. In 2014, she quit the Congress and joined AAP but returned to the grand old party in 2019. She was elected an MLA from Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency in 2015. The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing All India Mahila Congress President Netta D'Souza and outgoing NSUI president Neeraj Kundan, a Congress statement said.

EC dismisses Jairam Ramesh's concerns on VVPATs, asserts full faith in EVMs

Dismissing Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's concerns on the VVPATs, the Election Commission on Friday said that it raised "no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications", adding the rules governing paper slips were introduced by the grand old party-led government in 2013. In a communication to Ramesh, the poll body also expressed "full faith in the use of the EVMs in the elections" and made it clear that the latest updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) answer "adequately and comprehensively" all reasonable and legitimate aspects on the use of the EVMs in the Indian elections. "Rule 49A and 49M of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, governing VVPAT and handling of paper slips was introduced by INC (Indian National Congress) on 14th August, 2013," said the letter signed by Pramod Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary in the Election Commission. Ramesh had written to the Election Commission on December 30 last year, requesting that a ...

People will not vote for Congress: AIUDF chief on Bharat Nyay Yatra

Rahul Gandhi will start the 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' from Manipur on January 14

YSRTP chief Y S Sharmila calls on Sonia Gandhi after joining Congress

She merged the YSRTP with Congress in the presence of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge at the event held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here today

Congress renames 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' to 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, during a press conference in New Delhi, outlined the details of the campaign that will commence from Manipur on January 14

Senior Congress leaders meet to discuss poll strategy, Bharat Nyay Yatra

Senior Congress leaders from across the country met here on Thursday to discuss strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, seat sharing and preparations for the Rahul Gandhi-led Manipur to Maharashtra Bharat Nyay Yatra beginning January 14. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge convened the meeting of party general secretaries, state in-charges, state unit chiefs and Congress Legislature Party leaders at the party headquarters here. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi was also present. This is the first meeting of the newly appointed party officials after Kharge carried out a reshuffle in December. Ahead of the meeting, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said two meetings of the internal Congress committee were held to deliberate on seat sharing with other parties. "The committee will now present its report to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. We will be meeting again to discuss strategies to strengthen the INDIA alliance and address seat-sharing issues

BJP, Sangh have no relevance in LS polls in Kerala: Congress' VD Satheesan

Earlier on Wednesday, attacking the Left parties and Congress in Kerala, PM Modi alleged that governments led by LDF and UDF in the state considered 'nari shakti' as weak

Meet Y S Sharmila, Andhra Pradesh CM's sister who is set to join Congress

YS Sharmila, the younger sister of Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, had been in close talks with the Congress over the merger with her party. The brother-sister parted ways politically in July 2021

Congress writes to CEC, seeks time to share INDIA bloc's views on VVPATS

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has written to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, requesting that a team of INDIA bloc leaders are provided an opportunity to meet him and his colleagues to put forward their point of view on VVPATS. In his letter to Kumar, Ramesh said that on December 20, 2023, INDIA parties' leaders had requested for an appointment with the ECI to "discuss and provide suggestions on the use of VVPATs" based on a resolution passed at meeting of leaders of the bloc held the previous day. "We have been trying to meet with the ECI to hand over a copy of this resolution and have a discussion but have not been successful so far in doing so," he said. "I once again make a request for an opportunity for a 3-4 member team of INDIA party leaders to meet with you and your colleagues and take a few minutes to put forward our point of view on VVPATS," Ramesh said. In his letter dated December 30, 2023, the Congress general secretary also pointed out that on August 9,

No meeting held to appoint convener of opposition INDIA bloc: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said no meeting has been held for the appointment of a convener or chairperson of the opposition INDIA alliance. With little time left for the Lok Sabha polls, the opposition INDIA bloc parties met on December 19, 2023 and decided to finalise seat-sharing as soon as possible. At the meeting, some leaders also proposed Mallikarjun Kharge's name as the prime ministerial face of the coalition, but the Congress chief said it is important to win first and the leadership issue can then be decided "democratically". Asked if JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would be the face of the opposition alliance, Raut on Monday told reporters, "No meeting of INDIA bloc has taken place recently. Even during the last meeting in Delhi, no such proposal came up in the INDIA bloc meeting." Raut said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has expressed the need to have a "face of the opposition bloc". "Uddhav Thackeray said in the INDIA bloc meeti