Page 27 - Mallikarjun Kharge

Mamata, Kejriwal back Kharge as INDIA bloc's PM face, Cong chief responds

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's name as the prime ministerial candidate of opposition bloc INDIA, but the veteran Congress leader said it is important to win first and everything else can be decided later. Sources, however, said there was no final decision on the issue. After his name was proposed as a candidate to become the country's first Dalit prime minister at a meeting attended by 28 opposition leaders here, Kharge said, "I work for the downtrodden. Let's win first, then we will see. I don't seek anything." MDMK leader Vaiko said after the meeting that Kharge's name was proposed by Banerjee and Kejriwal.

Amid MPs row, Sonia Gandhi-led Congress Parliamentary Party meet on Wed

This comes amid the political tensions escalating between the Opposition and the central government over the demand of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement over the Parliament security breach

Suspend, throw out, bulldoze is Modi govt's new policy: Kharge on MPs row

A total of 141 MPs were suspended following a ruckus over the demand by the Opposition for a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah on the Parliament breach incident

Top leaders of oppn INDIA bloc meet in Delhi, condemn suspension of MPs

A crucial meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc began in the national capital on Tuesday where top leaders were discussing the way forward, including seat-sharing, for taking on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The issue of suspension of 141 opposition MPs in both Houses of Parliament came up at the meeting with leaders cutting across party lines condemning the action against the members. "The leaders asserted that they will continue to fight against the tyranny of this government," a source said. Harping on putting up a united front, the Congress alleged that democracy is being "mercilessly murdered" and MPs who raise people's issues are suspended from the House. "In such an adverse situation, our unity is our strength," the party posted on X after the meeting began. The opposition leaders are deliberating on a blueprint for a joint campaign, seat-sharing arrangement and redrawing their strategy after the Congress suffered a setback in the recent assembly polls, where BJP

Not good for democracy: Kharge on suspension of MPs from Parliament

The Congress chief said several MPs have tried to put forward their opinions so far in Parliament

All you need to know about 'Donate for Desh' crowdfunding drive by Congress

Congress's 'Donate for Desh' crowdfunding asks donors to contribute in instalments of Rs 138, Rs 1,380 or Rs 13,800. The party said the campaign will help it stand as a formidable Opposition

Kharge writes to RS Chairman, urges to revoke Derek O'Brien's suspension

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, urging him to revoke the suspension of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien. Kharge said the TMC leader was only demanding a statement by the Home Minister on the security breach issue in Parliament. "All he (O' Brien) was trying to do was to attract your attention so as to raise the collective demand of INDIA parties for a statement by the Minister of Home Affairs on the shocking incident that took place in Lok Sabha on December 13," the Congress leader said. He said the Home Minister not speaking on the issue is a "breach of Parliamentary traditions and conventions". "These are perfectly legitimate demands. It is a breach of Parliamentary traditions and conventions that the Minister of Home Affairs can speak about the events of December 13 at a media function but refuses to say anything about in form of a statement in Parliament when the Parliament itself is in session," he ...

Congress President Kharge launched crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for Desh'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday launched the party's crowdfunding campaign here, asking people to join the fight against unemployment and rising costs. Kharge donated a sum of Rs 1,38,000 from his salary to launch the "Donate for Desh" campaign in the presence of party leaders and general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh and treasurer Ajay Maken. "It is a very happy day that our party leaders have prepared an App. I feel this is the first time that the Congress is seeking the help of common people to build the country," he told reporters after the launch. As part of the campaign, the party will receive money from small donors, he said and added, "If you keep working by depending on the rich, then tomorrow we would have to agree to their programmes and policies". Kharge said the Congress is already working for the interests of the poor, Scheduled Castes, backwards and they have been helping us in the past too. "Through 'Donate for Desh', we will work to

Mehngaai-nomics: Kharge slams govt over price rise of essential commodities

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the Centre over the rise in prices of essential commodities during the Modi government's tenure and wondered what kind of "developed India" is this. In a post on X, Kharge shared a video montage comparing the 2014 prices of essential items such as milk, onion, tomatoes, and sugar with their current prices to highlight inflation. "Mehngaai-nomics. What kind of 'viksit Bharat' is this'? Where the BJP has mastered looting," the Congress chief said in his post in Hindi. The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy and raising concerns over "increasing" unemployment and price rise.

LIVE: Jitu Patwari replaces Kamal Nath as MP Congress Committee chief

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Will move with positive agenda: INC discusses LS poll preparedness in Guj

The top leadership of the Congress Saturday discussed the party's preparations in Gujarat for next year's Lok Sabha elections, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying they will move forward with a positive agenda to strengthen the organisation. Kharge chaired a meeting of Gujarat Congress leaders at the AICC headquarters here. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders of the party were also present. Discussions were held on challenges the party faces in Gujarat and ways to highlight the BJP's "misgovernance" before the people. This was part of a series of meetings organised by the party to strengthen the organisation in every state and prepare itself for the general elections next year. "Due to the continuous misgovernance of the BJP government in Gujarat, the issues remain the same unemployment, inflation, economic inequality, atrocities against Dalits and tribals, fraud and immense corruption," Kharge said in Hindi on 'X' after the meeting. "Today, we discu

LIVE: PM Modi to interact with beneficiaries of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

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LIVE: Delhi police produce four accused before court seeking 15-day custody

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Parliament security breach: Opposition demands statement from Amit Shah

Leaders of various opposition parties on Thursday demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement on the issue of Parliament security breach followed by a discussion on the matter in both houses. This was decided at a meeting of opposition leaders held in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. "In view of the gravity of the situation adversely impacting upon the security of the institution of Parliament and Parliamentarians, on behalf of the opposition and INDIA parties, we demand that a statement of Union Home Minister on this serious matter be followed by a discussion in regard to urgent remedial security measures in the abode of Democracy," Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X after the meeting. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the INDIA parties are demanding a detailed statement by the Home Minister in both Houses, followed by a discussion on the security breach witnessed in the Lok Sabha. They are also demanding strict action agai

LIVE: Cong holds meeting to review party's performance in Assembly polls

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Top Congress brass reviews poll defeats in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh

Five days after the Congress lost Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, the party's top leadership on Friday held separate meetings to asses the reasons for its humiliating defeats in the two states at the hands of the BJP. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had convened the review meeting at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi where former party chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders were also present. "Today, a meeting to review the election results of Chhattisgarh was held at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Senior Congress leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun kharge and Rahul Gandhi were present in this meeting," the party said while sharing pictures of the review meeting on the election results of Chhattisgarh. Later, AICC general secretary in-charge for Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja said they are dejected but not demoralised and would together contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and win. She said the party has not lost its .

Dalit leader Gaddam Prasad Kumar set to be Telangana Assembly speaker

The Congress has decided to make a Dalit leader the speaker of the Telangana Assembly to reiterate its commitment to the empowerment of the weaker sections of the state

Crimes against Dalits up by 46.11% since 2013, Adivasis by 48.15%: Kharge

"The continuous oppression of Dalits and tribals exposes the hypocrisy of BJP-RSS as "Sabka Saath"," Kharge said in a post on 'X'

Kharge asks Centre to release Rs 18,171 crore for Karnataka drought relief

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Wednesday asked the Central government to release Rs 18,171 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Karnataka reeling under the impact of severe drought. Raising the matter in the House during the Zero Hour, the Congress president said Karnataka is grappling with the most severe drought in 123 years and the damage to crops is estimated at over Rs 35,162 crore. According to him, the damage to crops ranges from 40-90 per cent. Kharge said the state government has sought Rs 18,171 crore from the NDRF to help the affected people. "This financial support is crucial for providing input subsidies, gratuitous relief and implementing other immediate growth measures due to low rainfall (in Karnataka)," the senior Congress leader said. He further highlighted that water levels in various reservoirs have reached an alarmingly low mark and there may also be a shortage of drinking water in the coming days. Kharge also

Telangana's CM-elect Revanth Reddy meets Cong president Mallikarjun Kharge

Telangana's chief minister-elect Revanth Reddy met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here on Wednesday, a day after he was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He later met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi. Reddy, who has been elected from the Kodangal Assembly seat, is slated to take oath as chief minister in Hyderabad on Thursday. He will tender his resignation from his Lok Sabha membership later on Wednesday. He represented the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana. The Congress has scripted a stupendous victory in Telangana, nine years after the state was formed by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. The party won 64 Assembly seats to form government in the BRS-dominated state.