Page 45 - Mallikarjun Kharge

Kharge makes strong pitch for fixing accountability in Cong organisation

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday strongly pitched for organisational accountability from top to bottom, and said those unable to fulfil their responsibilities will have to make way for their colleagues. In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by him, Kharge asked state in-charges to submit a roadmap for movement on people's issues in the next 30 to 90 days. "I believe that the biggest part of our responsibility towards the party and the country is -- organisational accountability from top to bottom. If the Congress organisation is strong, accountable, lives up to the expectations of the people, then only we will be able to win elections and serve the people of the country," the Congress chief said. In a stern message to office-bearers, Kharge also said that while there are very responsible people in the party who were doing their duty, some people had assumed that lack of responsibility will be ignored. "This is neit

Congress steering panel meet today to decide plenary session date, venue

The first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will be held here on Sunday to decide the schedule and venue for its plenary session besides holding discussions on organisational matters. The steering committee was formed in place of the working committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, after Kharge took charge as the new chief last month. "There is a meeting of the Congress steering committee. Its main purpose is to decide the dates of the plenary session and where it should be held and there will be a discussion on this issue," AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh told reporters on Saturday. During the all-important steering committee meeting, discussions on several organisational matters would also be taken up, party sources said. All members of the CWC were made part of the steering committee soon after Kharge assumed charge as the Congress president. Kharge's election as the Congress president

BJP not filling up 500k posts as most will go to Dalits: Kharge in Gujarat

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation in Gujarat was not filling up five lakh posts in government and semi-government departments and institutions because half of them will go to aspirants from Dalit, tribal and other backward caste communities. Kharge, addressing an election rally in the Scheduled Tribe (ST)-reserved Assembly constituency of Bhiloda in Aravalli district ahead of the second phase of polling on December 5, alleged the BJP-ruled state has seen a 17 per cent rise in cases of atrocities against Dalits and adivasis. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and local leaders talk about a "double engine" government, a term often used by the BJP to highlight benefits of having the same party in power at the Centre and states, and questioned why this "engine" failed, leading to Gujarat having three chief ministers in six years. The BJP has brought in an army of five party chief ministers, 40 central ministers and 15

BJP's loot continues even when crude prices fall: Cong on high fuel rates

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the government over high prices of petrol and diesel in the country and said the BJP's "loot" continues even when global crude oil prices were down in the last few months. "On May 16, 2014 (Delhi) - Crude per barrel was USD 107.09. Petrol - Rs 71.51. Diesel - Rs 57.28. On December 1, 2022 - Crude per barrel is USD 87.55. Petrol - Rs 96.72. Diesel - Rs 89.62. Crude is 10-month low, But BJP's Loot remains high!" Kharge said on Twitter. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said while global crude oil rates have come down by 25 per cent but the government has not reduced a single rupee in petrol and diesel prices in the country. He alleged that while the people are suffering from high inflation, the prime minister is busy in recovering money from taxes. "In the last 6 months, crude oil has become cheaper by more than 25 per cent. Petrol and diesel prices in the country can be reduced by more t

Kharge was tutored to compare me with Ravana, says PM Modi in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge was tutored to compare him with Ravana.

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Kharge hits at Modi govt for stopping scholarships for minority students

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asked the Modi government what will it gain by "snatching away" the money from poor students, a day after it stopped scholarships for minority students of classes 1 to 8. On Tuesday, the government limited its pre-matric scholarship scheme meant for minority communities to students of classes 9 and 10, stating that the Right to Education Act covers compulsory education up to class 8 for all students. Earlier, the pre-matric scholarship used to cover education for grades 1 to 8 as well as for students belonging to minority communities. SC and ST students are covered from classes 9 and 10 only on a full-time basis under the pre-matric scholarship scheme. "Narendra Modi ji, your Government has shut down Pre- Matric Scholarship meant for SC, ST, OBC and Minority students of Class 1 to Class 8. What is the point of depriving scholarships to poor students? How much will your Government earn or save by snatching this money from poor ...

Congress chief Kharge to campaign for 4 days in Gujarat ahead of polls

With the Gujarat elections round the corner and the first litmus test of Mallikarjun Kharge as Congress president, the grand old party is seeking to boost its poll prospects in the state

Instead of cursing Cong, PM should speak on BJP misrule in Guj: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attack on the party during the campaign in Gujarat, saying that instead of cursing the Congress, he should speak about the BJP's "misrule" in the state. Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday had sought to corner the Congress for not supporting a tribal woman, Droupadi Murmu, in the presidential poll. He had also lashed out at the opposition party, accusing it of engaging in vote bank politics, nepotism, sectarianism and supporting "anti-social elements" during its rule in Gujarat. Hitting back at the PM, Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi, "Narendra Modi ji, instead of cursing the Congress, speak on the misrule of the BJP!" "Why was the future of the children of Gujarat spoiled? Why Gujarat ranks 29th among 30 states in malnourished, underweight children? Why is it at 19th place in infant mortality rate?" he said. Gujarat demands answers on accountability for the last 27 years, the Congress

Congress to finalise strategy for Winter Session of Parliament on Dec 4

The Congress is likely to finalise the party's strategy for the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament and the dates for the party's plenary session at the first meeting of its steering committee headed by new party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on December 4. The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on December 7 and conclude on December 29. Sources said this would be the first meeting of the Congress steering committee, which was formed in place of the working committee, the highest decision-making body after Kharge took charge as the new chief, where discussions on the party's strategy going forward would take place. All members of the CWC were made part of the steering committee soon after Kharge assumed charge as the new Congress president. Kharge's election as Congress president will be ratified at the party's plenary session, which is likely to be held in March next year. Kharge is the first non-Gandhi to be elected as the Congress president after a gap of 24 years, after he .

Congress president Kharge to campaign in Gujarat from Nov 26 ahead of polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will campaign in Gujarat from November 26 to 28, sources close to him said here. Kharge will address a public meeting in Ahmedabad on November 26 and is likely to address a press conference the next day, they said. He will address a public meeting in Indore after participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi on November 27. The yatra enters Madhya Pradesh on November 23. Kharge will address another public meeting near Gandhinagar on November 28. The Gujarat assembly elections will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. Results will be declared on December 8. Other details of Kharge's poll meetings are being worked out, the sources said. The new Congress president, who took over from Sonia Gandhi recently, had earlier addressed public meetings in Himachal Pradesh, where assembly elections were held on November 12.

For the Congress, a middle position is hard to sustain: Zoya Hasan

'While the Congress claims that the yatra is not a tool to win elections, its success will only be gauged in electoral terms in the future'

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to meet party workers in Delhi on Monday

The newly-elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet the party workers in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 24, Akbar Road building on Monday

3 mn posts in govt depts vacant, Kharge attacks PM Modi over lack of jobs

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of jobs, claiming that 30 lakh posts are vacant in various government departments but the PM distributed just 75,000 appointment letters. His attack came over a media report which claimed that 1,600 posts are vacant in central secretariat services. "PM Modi promised 2 Cr Jobs, per year. In 8 years, 16 Cr Jobs should have been created. More than 30 Lakh posts are vacant in various Govt departments. But PM Modi distributed just 75,000 odd applications," Kharge said in a tweet. "1,600 posts vacant under Central Secretariat, directly under PMO. Why?" he said. Last month, Prime Minister Modi launched a "Rozgar Mela" and underscored his government's efforts to create jobs in the last eight years. More than 75,000 people were given appointment letters for various government jobs in the first tranche. The Congress has been attacking the government over alleged lack of jobs for the youth a

Congress leaders Kharge, Rahul Gandhi pay tributes to Birsa Munda

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi led party leaders in paying tributes to freedom fighter and tribal leader Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary on Tuesday. They also congratulated the people of Jharkhand on the state's formation day. In a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said Munda raised his voice against the British rule for the protection of water, jungle, land and tribal civilisation and culture. "Heartiest congratulations on Jharkhand foundation day to all the sisters and brothers of resources-rich Jharkhand," he said. Gandhi said Munda's struggle and passion to raise his voice for the rights of tribals will always be an inspiration. "Tributes to the great freedom fighter and revered leader of the tribal community Birsa Munda ji on his birth anniversary," he tweeted in Hindi. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said on Munda's birth anniversary, it must be recalled that the Modi government has "ensured that tribal rights t

Kharge appoints 4 leaders as coordinators attached to Cong chief's office

The Congress president has appointed four party leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Syed Nasir Hussain as coordinators attached with his office. "Congress president has approved the proposal of appointing Syed Nasir Hussain, MP, Pranav Jha, Gurdeep Singh Sappal and Gaurav Pandhi, as AICC coordinators attached to the office of the Congress president with immediate effect," said an official statement of the party. While Sappal has been a former officer on special duty to the vice president of India and was also the CEO of Rajya Sabha TV, Jha has been the AICC secretary in the Communications department. These are the first appointments of leaders who would be part of the office of the new Congress president.

Modi govt focuses on changing names, not work: Congress President Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP-led Centre on Monday of not acknowledging the development witnessed under the previous dispensations and following a policy of "changing names", instead of focusing on work. The government is "not a democratic one" and is following a policy of "divide and rule", Kharge alleged in his remarks at the Nehru Memorial Lecture that was delivered by leading academic Purushottam Agrawal at the Jawahar Bhawan here. "Earlier, the Nehru Memorial Lecture used to happen at (the) Teen Murti (Bhavan) where his (Nehru's) views and ideas were put forward. But this government is not even allowing giving place there for putting forward Nehru's ideas," he said. The Congress president also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to appropriate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and pointed out that he was a Congressman. "If you consider him your own, also follow his principles," he said, hitting out at the saffron party. Kharge said Prime ..

Sanjay Raut's bail exposed 'vendetta politics' of BJP: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the BJP citing a special court order which said that the arrest of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case was "illegal", and claimed that his bail had exposed the "vendetta politics" of the government. A special court in Mumbai, while granting bail to Raut in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), had said his arrest was "illegal" and was an instance of "witch-hunt." Raut had stepped out of jail on Wednesday after the court in Mumbai after his bail. Reacting to the development, Kharge said, "Special PMLA Court lambasts the Enforcement Directorate for illegal arrest and holds the extreme use of its power to be illegal. Shri Sanjay Raut's bail order exposes the vendetta politics of the BJP Govt." He said "BJP has used every opportunity to target opposition leaders.

Multiple CM faces our strength, not weakness: Congress President Kharge

The presence of several chief ministerial faces in Himachal Pradesh is not the Congress' weakness but its strength, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday as the campaign for assembly elections in the hill state drew to a close. The ruling BJP, in contrast, is going into elections banking just on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face because it is "aware of the failures of the chief minister (Jairam Thakur) and the state government", Kharge, who is overseeing his first elections after assuming charge as Congress president last month, said. "The PM is saying don't look at the candidate, vote for me. This attitude belittles the people of Himachal Pradesh. They know the prime minister will not be there in the state after the voting ends," the Congress veteran told PTI in an interview, referring to Modi's campaign speeches. Confident that the Congress will wrest power from the BJP because the people were determined to bring in change, Kharge said his party is going into the .

Assembly elections: BJP cannot befool people of Himachal, says Kharge

Addressing his first public meeting in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday trained his gun on the BJP and said it may have been able to befool people across the country with its "jumlas" but cannot do so in the hill state. "People here are educated, understand everything and take a considered decision (in voting).... The BJP may have been able to befool people all over the country with its jumlas (rhetoric) of Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts and jobs, but it cannot do so here," Kharge said. Kharge, who was elected Congress president recently, arrived in Himachal Pradesh Tuesday evening and addressed his first public meeting in Banuti in support of party candidate from the Shimla Rural assembly constituency Vikramaditya Singh. The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in the hill state, where the Congress and the BJP have governed alternately for the past many decades. Polling in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November