Rmove New Reader: March 2018

Sunday 18 March 2018

Inside Congress' 84th plenary session

Rahul Gandhi makes it clear, old guard will be phased out

NEW DELHI: Sending out the strongest signal yet to the old guard that they will eventually have to make way for the youth Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the party could only be changed by demolishing the wall between workers and leaders calling it his first job at the top. Although he sugarcoated the messages by saying he he would bring down the wall not by anger but with love and by showing respect to veterans the intent to phase out the old guard could not have escaped the veterans seated in the front rows. With workers at the plenary session screaming hoarse at his statement of intent Rahul added there existed a second wall between youth and the political system. After repeated assurances to the jittery old guard over the last two years in the run-up to his ascension and an olive branch in his first speech at the AICC plenary on Saturday Rahul made organisational reform with infusion of youth and better treatment of workers the centrepiece of his address on Sunday which brought down the curtain on the two-day conclave. The Gandhi scion said the wall manifested itself in organisational malaises like election nominations to aspirants who parachute from above and in denial of tickets to those who lacked financial muscle.
Hitting out at the Congress president Rahul Gandhi s remarks https://www.inprnt.com/profile/kkdigital/ against the BJP during his address at party s plenary session BJP s Nirmala Sitharaman said such remarks sound like the rhetoric of a loser which is devoid of substance. On Rahul Gandhi calling the BJP Kauravas and Congress Pandavas she said that under the Congress party s rule emergency was imposed anti-Sikh riots took place and corruption worth lakhs of crores took place and such a party does not deserve to call itself Pandavas who always stood for the truth. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi s remarks at the Congress s plenary session Sitharaman said the party which questioned the fundamental existence of Lord Ram today wants to be identified itself with the Pandavas. She further said that the Congress president who keeps saying that he visits Mandirs and Masjids never spares an opportunity to mock Hindu rituals. I have never heard of a Congress priest and a BJP priest but Rahul Gandhi has narrated a whole story on that just a way to mock Hindus and Hinduism she said. Earlier in the day Rahul Gandji had narrated a story about his meeting and conversation with priests during his visit to a temple. On Rahul Gandhi saying that BJP has accepted a murderer as its president she said that the courts have cleared Amit Shah of all charges and it is Rahul Gandhi who is out on bail in the National Herald fraud case. She went on to say that Rahul Gandhi only eulogises the contribution of one family in the independence of India and undermines the contribution of others like Vir Savarkar. If you don t appreciate his contribution at least don t belittle someone who spent time in Andaman jail during freedom struggle Sitharaman said. Slamming Gandhi for his comments on recent loss suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar she said: Let us not miss the point... Congress (candidates) lost their deposits in these places. On Rahul Gandhi s remarks on the recent crisis in judiciary she said that the Congress has no right in targeting the BJP over judiciary as people know how Indira Gandhi treated the judiciary after the Allahabad High Court convicted her of electoral malpractices and debarred her from holding any elected post. She also mentioned Rajiv Gandhi s move to introduce the press defamation bill and how during that phase hundreds of cases were filed against journalists. Commenting on farmers woes she said the Congress has no concrete plans to address the crisis. They only bring it up as a poll plank and try to gain political mileage from it.
.story-content span .story-content p .story-content div color:#000!important;font-family: open sans Arial!important;font-size:15px!important ALSO READ Rahul attacks BJP at Cong plenary Sitharaman Irani hit back: Top updates AICC 84th plenary session: Congress leaders workers face mosquito menace Congress plenary session: Sonia says arrogant Modi govt ruined UPA schemes Congress promises 5% cess on richest 1% Indians if voted to power span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday sought to shape the contours of his party s election campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the battle of Mahabharata between the Kauravas of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) who are well organised with immense resources but are arrogant who indulge in falsehood and are drunk on power against the Pandavas of the Congress who are humble speak softly and are fighting for truth. Rahul Gandhi s presidential speech at the 84th plenary session of the Congress party where he called for reform in the party was reminiscent of his father Rajiv Gandhi s speech at the centenary session of the Congress party on December 28 1985 in Mumbai. Then Rajiv Gandhi had spoken of the enthusiasm of ordinary Congress workers being handicapped by the brokers of power and influence in the party who dispense patronage to convert a mass movement into a feudal oligarchy . In his speech Rahul Gandhi said his first task would be to demolish the wall between leaders and workers where party tickets are denied to hardworking workers by people who parachute at the last moment or when a worker who has spent 10 to 15 years for the party is told he cannot get the ticket since has no money to contest election. In what was his first address to the party as its chief Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to carve out space for workers and for all talented young women and men in the Congress but this process would be carried out not with anger but with love and by giving due respect to the senior leadership . However Rahul Gandhi also appealed to party leaders to avoid infighting at least until the Lok Sabha polls. Fight (among yourselves) but after the elections. Please he said. The Congress chief criticised the Narendra Modi government for its links with crony capitalists. He said the cases of jeweller Nirav Modi and former cricket tsar Lalit Modi have shown how the name Modi has come to symbolize the links of crony capitalist with the PM. He alleged that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is silent at the bank fraud case since his lawyer daughter works for crony capitalists . Rahul Gandhi identified joblessness among youth farm distress and farmer suicides as the problems facing the country and sketched his vision of a Congress-led government at the Centre creating food parks that would ensure suitable price to farmers for their produce farm loan waiver and interest-free loans to farmers. He said he envisioned encouraging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with banking loans and technological help for job generation. Rahul Gandhi conceded that people of the country had felt let down by the Congress in the last few years of the UPA-2 government. But the question now was whether India wishes to live the lies of Modi s maya or have the courage to face the truth of joblessness and farm distress. The Congress chief said the world currently has two visions the American vision and the Chinese vision. But he wished to see the world in the next 10-year talk about the middle path of the Indian vision which is a vision of brotherhood non-violence and love . Critiquing the BJP-RSS he said the two organisations were only interested in power grab. In a reference to BJP chief Amit Shah he said the BJP has accepted a man accused of murder to be the BJP chief. He said the Congress would never accept such a person as its chief and India will never let the Congress lie or hate like BJP and RSS. He said the crucial difference was between the two parties was that the BJP was the voice of an organisation (RSS) but the Congress is the voice of a nation. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks during the second day of the 84th Plenary Session of Indian National Congress (INC) at the Indira Gandhi stadium in New Delhi on Sunday Rahul Gandhi said when Mahatma Gandhi as the leader of the Congress lay on a floor in a British jail their (Sangh Parivar) leader VD Savarkar was begging the British for mercy . Rahul Gandhi said the Congress ideology was on its way to win the next General Elections and the PM read the tea leaves in Gujarat and his face shows that he is nervous. In his speech former prime minister Manmohan Singh said the Modi government messed up the economy and was spouting jumla (rhetoric) with pipe dreams about generating 20 million jobs and doubling farm incomes. He also accused the BJP-led government of having mismanaged the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir and said the government s talk of fighting two and a half wars was yet another hollow promise . Singh said that only about 1.6% of the country s GDP was spent on defence expenditure which he said could not meet the challenges that the security apparatus posed. He also faulted the Modi government s foreign policy. On the economy which he said grew by 7.8% under the UPA regime led by him Singh rued that at a time the world economy had grown from 2.8% to 3.8% from 2014 to 2018 the Indian economy had decoupled itself from the world economy. Both Rahul Gandhi and he criticised demonetisation and GST implementation. On the promise of doubling farmers income the former PM said: If you have to double farmers incomes in six years time you need a growth rate of 12% per annum as the minimum. And that is unthinkable and termed it as another jumla-type statement .
NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday cited a World Bank report to accuse the government of unleashing terror through goods and services tax and said this was now globally acclaimed . The comment prompted an immediate response from I&B minister Smriti Irani who rebutted the Congress president and accused him of selectively quoting from the study to berate India s progress . Modiji the terror of Gabbar Singh Tax is now globally acclaimed. The World Bank says it s the second highest in the world and one of the most complex Rahul tweeted on Sunday afternoon. Less than an hour later Irani responded using the social media platform. Rahul Gandhi s hatred for India is astonishing. When World Bank hailed India s rise in Ease of Doing Business rankings he rubbished the report. Now selectively quotes WB report to berate India s progress! Then she shared a link to a story which suggested that the media cherry-picked only a few lines from the World Bank report released last week. The World Bank s latest India Development Update had cited GST as one of the key reform moves of the government which it said would harmonise tax rates formalise the economy and expand the tax base. It also complimented the GST Council a forum comprising Union and state finance ministers where decisions are taken through consensus as an innovative and integrative body that formulates a common policy and administrative framework . It then went on to compare India s GST regime which kicked in last July with those in 115 countries and said that tax rates in the Indian GST system were among the highest in the world. The 28% slab was the second highest among the sample of countries which had GST or VAT. The report also said that 49 countries had a single rate 28 used two rates and only five including India had four rates with Italy Luxembourg Pakistan and Ghana being the others. Adarniya Rahul Gandhiji if you are free from the world s longest coronation exercise I request you to read this article (on cherry picking) and enlighten yourself Irani said in another tweet.
Rahul Gandhi addresses Congress workers at the Plenary.New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi today kick-started the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign with nearly 50-minute long speech as he addressed the party workers at the All India Congress Committee s 84th Plenary Session. He spoke in both Hindi and English. In his elaborate speech where he spoke about several controversies including the Gauri Lankesh murder case demonetisation Rafale deal Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack at the ruling NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made several strong remarks and even went on to the extent of saying that PM Modi considers himself God. Here are the updates of Day-2 of AICC s 84th Plenary Session:Mar 18 201820:00 (IST) While accusing Modi government he forgets that Congress did worst of genocide of Sikhs they brought censorship in media and are known for all kinds of corruption and scams. He should first apologise for all that HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Read the full story here. Mar 18 201818:42 (IST) Congress is even questioning the EVMs at this time they want ballot paper system. At a time when technology is making it simpler & more transparent here is a party that is against it because they don t believe in transparency Nirmala Sitharaman was quoted as saying by ANI. Mar 18 201818:23 (IST)Amit Shah Has Been Cleared By The Court: Nirmala Sitharaman After Rahul Gandhi referred to Amit Shah as murder-accused during his speech Nirmala Sitharaman said He chooses to name the BJP President Amit Shah and says he s a murderer. He has been cleared by the court. The charge does not hold. It was a conspiracy by the Congress Party. It was a conspiracy based on fraud. It was a false and a motivated campaign. Mar 18 201818:20 (IST) Press Can Save Themselves: Nirmala Sitharaman On Rahul Gandhi s Press Jibe He (Rahul Gandhi) says that they ll save the press. They are fully capable of taking care of themselves. We respect them and know that they re the fourth pillar of democracy she said countering Rahul Gandhi s remark on attack on press under NDA government. Mar 18 201818:16 (IST)PM Fighting Corrupt This Worries Congress: Nirmala Sitharaman Congress is worried because Modiji is fighting the corrupt. They want to protect the corrupt. The same Rahul Gandhi went to JNU when anti-national statements were made. Didn t expect these irresponsible statements from the Congress. When did the Anti-Sikh riots happen? We condemn these remarks. Rahul Gandhi will be responsible for the downfall of Congress she said. Mar 18 201818:10 (IST) Launching a counter-attack after Congress President Rahul Gandhi delivered a speech at Congress Plenary Session Nirmala Sitharaman talked about former prime minister Indira Gandhi and said Since when has the Congress become custodians of judiciary. Have they forgotten what Indira Gandhi did. She said in a veiled attack at the grand old party in an apparent reference to the Emergency era. Mar 18 201817:58 (IST) It sounds like a rhetoric of a loser devoid of substance BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was quoted as saying by news agency ANI when she was asked about Rahul Gandhi s speech. Congress Party wants to identify itself with the Pandavas. The same party which questioned the fundamental existence of Lord Ram. It is the party which chooses to mock Hindus and Hindu rituals she added. Mar 18 201817:57 (IST) In this picture Sonia Gandhi looks on as her son and party president Rahul Gandhi addresses the Congress Plenary. Mar 18 201817:13 (IST) During the speech Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacked the ruling BJP and made references to the recent Rafale controversy PNB Fraud economic condition of the country demonetisation among other issues. Take a look at some of his top quotes. Mar 18 201817:05 (IST)Modi Is Not Fighting Corruption He Is Corruption: Rahul Gandhi On Rafale DealReferring to the Rafale deal Congress President Rahul Gandhi said We paid Rs 570 crore per plane and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi paid Rs 1670 crore for the same plane. He paid Rs 1 100 Cr more per plane. Forget fighter planes you can t trust such a man to buy vegetables. Modi is not fighting corruption Modi is corruption. Modi personally changed Rafale deal and bought 36 aircraft for the same price that we the Congress negotiated for 126 he added.Mar 18 201817:01 (IST) Rahul Gandhi gave a 50-minute long speech at the Congress Plenary. He spoke both in English and Hindi. Mar 18 201817:00 (IST)PM Modi Diverts Our Attention From Problems Of The Nation: Rahul Gandhi Instead of acknowledging the challenges facing the nation PM Modi diverts our attention away from our problems. We are being told that our problems only exist in our imagination: Congress President Rahul Gandhi he said.Mar 18 201816:59 (IST) There are two visions before the world today - American and Chinese. My aim is to present an Indian vision to the world: Rahul Gandhi at the Plenary Mar 18 201816:54 (IST)Unlike BJP We Can Accept Our Mistakes Modi Ji Thinks He Is God: Rahul Gandhi We are different from BJP. If we make mistakes we accept. Prime Minister decided to demonetise Rs 500 Rs 1000 notes. But he did not accept that it was a mistake. If we would have done that mistake we would have accepted and rectified. But PM Modi thinks he is God he said. Mar 18 201816:49 (IST)We Will Protect The Press: Rahul Gandhi At Plenary We will protect the press. You can write anything about us. Congress ka haath aapki raksha karega (But the Congress will protect you). Our ideology is going to win in 2019. BJP is losing elections one after the other he said. Mar 18 201816:46 (IST) RSS To Blame For Rift In Judiciary : Rahul Gandhi For the first time we saw that four judges were running to the common man to seek justice. The RSS is to blame for it. They only want one institution- The RSS (BJP s ideological mentor): Rahul Gandhi at Congress Plenary Rahul Gandhi said referring to the four Supreme Court judges holding a press conference. Mar 18 201816:38 (IST)Rahul Gandhi Says Congress Needs To Evolve This organisation is the strength of this country. Only this government can provide employment. For that this organisation must change. Some of you may not like it but this organisation must change. There s a lot of potential in our workers Rahul Gandhi said at the plenary. There is a wall between the common workers and the leaders. I will break that wall. We ll do it with love. We ll respect our senior leaders and break the wall with love he added. Mar 18 201816:30 (IST) The name Modi symbolises the collusion between India s biggest businessmen and the Prime Minister. Modi gives Modi 30 000 crores of your Money and in turn Modi gives Modi money for marketing Modi and fighting elections: Rahul Gandhi at Congress Plenary Mar 18 201816:27 (IST)I don t just go to mandir. I also go to mosque church and gurdwara: Congress President @RahulGandhi at #CongressPlenaryWatch LIVE: https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6pic.twitter.com/OivcXyuaEn- NDTV (@ndtv) March 18 2018Mar 18 201816:26 (IST)Rahul Gandhi Talks About Current Economic Scenario In IndiaIn an apparent reference to the PNB Fraud case that emerged recently Rahul Gandhi said The finance minister will be silent because he and his government work for crony capitalists. If you re poor your only choice is to be a farmer or an unemployed person. He added saying They will say to you that the pain in your stomach is your imagination. PM jumps from one event to another -- from surgical strikes to Gabbar Singh Tax to a fancy Yoga Parade. There s no money but let s do Yoga. We do not work for the rich and powerful. We are servants of the people. Nobody can silence us. Mar 18 201816:21 (IST)Rahul Gandhi Lashes Out At RSS Ideas of the RSS were reflected when the criminals were beating up youngsters in Una. When we demand answers we are asked to remain quiet. They stay millions of Muslims you don t belong here. They say Tamils to change their beautiful language. They tell people from the Northeast We do not like you re food . They told Gauri Lankesh and Kalburgi to shut up or you ll be killed. They tell women to wear the right clothes or you ll be thrashed he said while taking a jibe at the RSS. Mar 18 201816:18 (IST) Farmers are dying and PM Modi wants to do yoga: Rahul Gandhi said while taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra ModiMar 18 201816:16 (IST) Congress party understands deeply that we are working for the truth. India expects more from Congress party because it holds us to a higher standard than any other party: Rahul Gandhi Mar 18 201816:13 (IST)Congress Fought For India s Freedom: Rahul Gandhi The soil of this nation is stained with the blood of our men and women. Gandhiji died for India but India must never forget that when our leader were sleeping in jail their leader Savarkar was writing letter begging for mercy from British he said at the plenary. Mar 18 201816:07 (IST)Congress Is The Voice Of The Nation: Rahul Gandhi at the PlenaryThousands of years ago there was a huge battle on the field of Kurukshetra. The Kauravas were extremely powerful and arrogant. They fought a small army led by pandavas. The pandavas were humble. They didn t speak much. Unlike the kauravas they fought for the truth. Like the kauravas the BJP and RSS are designed to fight for power. Like the Pandavas the Congress is designed to fight for the truth. They will accept a man accused of murder as the president of the BjpBut people will not accept the same in the Congress. India will never let us behave like the BJP. It will punish us if we do nothing. BJP is the voice of an organisation. Congress is the voice of the nationMar 18 201816:05 (IST) Drawing a comparison between the BJP and Kauravas Of the Hindu epic Mahabharata Rahul Gandhi said the ruling party was drunk on power. Mar 18 201816:02 (IST) Rahul Gandhi is addressing the party members now. Live : Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses the #CongressPlenary#ChangeIsNowhttps://t.co/kQ2SXxUkDG- Congress (@INCIndia) March 18 2018Mar 18 201815:32 (IST)Here s today s agenda for the 84th Congress Plenary happening at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi #CongressPlenary#ChangeIsNowpic.twitter.com/YcBjfFxXdM- Congress (@INCIndia) March 18 2018Mar 18 201814:35 (IST) Demonetisation Was The Greatest Lie : P ChidambaramCongress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Sunday described demonetisation as the greatest lie saying that it ended up destroying jobs. Mar 18 201813:05 (IST) Narendra Modi Government Has Mismanaged Jammu and Kashmir Problem : Former PM Manmohan Singh At Congress PlenaryFormer Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today accused the Narendra Modi government of mismanaging the situation in Jammu and Kashmir like never before . The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is worsening by the day said Dr Singh at the party s 84th Plenary session that s being held in New Delhi.Mar 18 201812:35 (IST) Why don t you go to Hundi collectors in Tirupati? They count money faster than you : P Chidambaram to RBI officials Mar 18 201812:32 (IST) P Chidambaram addresses Congress workers at the AICC s 84th plenary session Mar 18 201812:16 (IST) Manmohan Singh accused the PM Modi government of making false promises during the elections. When Modi ji was campaigning he made lots of tall promises those promises have not been fulfilled. He said we will provide 2 crore jobs we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs he said. The BJP Govt. made tall promises. PM Modi himself said that his Govt will double farmers income. For that a growth rate of 12% p.a. is necessary which is unthinkable in the current scenario: Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh #CongressPlenary#ChangeIsNowpic.twitter.com/0dJhv7Zdy8- Congress (@INCIndia) March 18 2018Mar 18 201812:07 (IST) Cross border terrorism internal terrorism source of great worry says Manmohan SinghMar 18 201812:05 (IST) Modi government has mismanaged Jammu and Kashmir : Manmohan SinghFormer prime minister Manmohan Singh today accused the PM Modi government of mismanaging Jammu and Kashmir. The atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir is deteriorating day in and day out. Our country needs to recognize special problems of Jammu and Kashmir Mr Singh said. He further added that the issues facing the state should be tackled and sorted. Mar 18 201812:03 (IST)Manmohan Singh speaks on the last day of Congress plenary session Mar 18 201811:36 (IST) Matter of concern that we have mismanaged our relations with world s major capitals Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma spoke at the last day of the session today. Today it is a matter of concern that we have mismanaged our relations with major capitals of the world with major strategic partners & our immediate neighborhood he said. Mar 18 201810:27 (IST) On the second day of the session on Saturday Sonia Gandhi had accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned to destroy the Congress but added that the party would not cower Mar 18 201810:11 (IST) Former prime minister Manmohan Singh likely to make a speech on the last day of AICC s plenary session.No more content Comments
BENGALURU: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will kickstart the third leg of his election campaign in poll bound Karnataka from March 20. Gandhi who visited northern parts of the state in the earlier two rounds will be touring the south coastal and Malnad regions during his two-day visit. Udupi Dakshina Kannada Chikkamagaluru that has strong BJP presence and Hassan the home district of former Prime Minister and Janata Dal Secular supremo H D Deve Gowda will be part of the Congress president s visit this time. Continuing with his visit to religious places as done in the last two rounds Gandhi will visit Gokarnatheswara temple Rosario church Ullal dargah Sringeri Sharadamba temple and also Sringeri mutt. He will also be meeting Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji of the Sringeri mutt. According to the schedule released to the media Gandhi will be addressing several corner and public meetings during his visit. Meetings with senior state party leadership local leaders and interaction with students of Rajiv Gandhi Sanskrit University Sringeri are part of his itinerary. The Congress president is once again expected to tour the state in old Mysuru region on March 24 and 25. He is scheduled to tour Mysuru Mandya and Chamarajanagara districts and is expected to address a mega rally at Maharaja ground in Mysuru on March 25 evening Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said recently.
MUMBAI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi s meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar hours after the Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Lok Sabha bypoll results were announced shows that the Congress leadership is serious on forging a bigger alliance of opposition parties the NCP said today. In a major blow to the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the saffron party was trounced in the bypolls to three Lok Sabha seats including the citadel of Yogi Adityanath s Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi has started meeting various party leaders and began this practice by meeting Pawar saheb. The Congress president is meeting party presidents who are senior to him NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said. Despite the Congress being the bigger party Rahul Gandhi has started meeting leaders of other parties. This shows they (Congress) are serious on making a bigger alliance Malik a former Maharashtra minister told PTI here. The NCP leader said Rahul Gandhi wants that Pawar saheb should bring in more people (parties) in the country under the UPA fold. Adityanath who termed the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samajwadi Party alliance as one of snake and mongoose had said over-confidence and inability to understand the electoral understanding between the SP and the BSP led to the defeat in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats. In Bihar the Rashtriya http://newtonapples.com/members/d4int/ Janata Dal retained Araria Lok Sabha seat and Jehanabad Assembly constituency while the BJP held on to Bhabua. Rahul Gandhi had received some praise from Pawar last month who said the Congress party chief was showing an inclination to learn and understand the issues facing the nation. Asked if the Shiv Sena the BJP s bickering alliance partner will withdraw support to the Narendra Modi government like the TDP did Malik said the Sena won t part ways with the BJP-led government. They (Sena) are just bargaining. They don t have the courage to go solo the NCP leader said. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today ended its four-year-old alliance with the BJP and walked out of the NDA eight days after two of its Union ministers resigned over the Centre s refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
NEW DELHI: Hours after the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha bypoll results were announced Congress president Rahul Gandhi met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday evening presumably to discuss the possibility of a united front. Samajwadi Party winning both the bypoll seats of Phulpur and Gorakhpur will no doubt prove to be a morale booster for all those seeking to halt the momentum of the BJP which following the recent northeast assembly election results appeared to be looking invincible. Rahul had received some praise from the NCP leader last month who said the Congress party chief was showing an inclination to learn and understand the issues facing the nation. Read also: Brand Yogi takes a beating in home test A day before the results were announced in more signs that efforts were on in full swing to unite against a common enemy 20 opposition parties came together at a dinner hosted by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday. The dinner was the first concrete attempt to forge an anti-BJP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sharad Pawar was among those who attended the dinner party along with leaders of Trinamool Congress Samajwadi Party Bahujan Samaj Party DMK RJD JMM and the Left among others. In the absence of Mamata Banerjee the TMC was represented by Sudip Bandopadhyay. Rahul Gandhi former PM Manmohan Singh Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel were among the Congress biggies who were present in the lawns of 10 Janpath.

Saturday 17 March 2018

Inside Congress' 84th plenary session

.story-content span .story-content p .story-content div color:#000!important;font-family: open sans Arial!important;font-size:15px!important ALSO READ Rahul Gandhi s Congress campaign taking a leaf out of Trump s US prez bid? If the Congress returns to power in 2019 can P Chidambaram be PM? Sonia dinner: 20 Opposition leaders weigh Modi threat; top 10 developments Modi s One Nation One Election : Death knell for cooperative federalism? span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi today launched an all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that his pre-poll promises of combating corruption and ensuring inclusive development were only dramebazi and a trick to grab power. Gandhi in her address at the 84th Congress Plenary Session gave a clarion call to the partymen to be ready for any kind of sacrifice to strengthen the party and to make the county free from discrimination vendetta politics and arrogance. She called upon them to forcefully fight against the challenges posed by the present dispensation and asked them to mount a struggle to free the country from the fear of power. The slogans of sab ka saath sab ka vikas and https://slashdot.org/submission/7910588/need-of-digital-marketing-courses-in-bangalore na khaoonga na khaane doonga are only and only dramebazi (drama) and a trick to grab power she said referring to Modi s promises of inclusive development and corruption-free governance. She said that the Congress was fighting the tyrannical Modi government and the people have begun to realise that the promises made by the BJP in 2014 were hollow. Under the leadership of former PM Manmohan Singh the economy of this country flourished. Our government formed policies which lifted millions of people from poverty. And today the Modi government is weakening these policies she said. Gandhi said the present dispensation was using all means to be in power. But the Congress has and will never bow before the power of arrogance of this government which has launched vendetta against its opponents she said. The Congress parliamentary party chief said the party was exposing the frauds of the Modi government with proof. 40 years back Indira s Ji s stunning victory in Chikmagalur turned around Indian politics once again our party must give a similar performance: Sonia Gandhi at #CongressPlenarySession pic.twitter.com/daIgWLcBh2 ANI (@ANI) March 17 2018 ALSO READ: Modi paying Rs 11 bn extra per Rafale jet while army begs for money: Rahul 1. Sachin Pilot says under Rahul Congress will win 2019 polls To those who challenge us I would say... as of now we have won by-polls under leadership of Rahul Gandhi soon you ll see us winning states and in 2019 Congress will win the elections: Sachin Pilot at Congress Plenary Session 2. Rahul Gandhi says only Congress can unite India This is the only symbol (Congress party symbol) that can unite the nation and take it forward: Rahul Gandhi at Congress Plenary Session in Delhi. They (BJP) uses anger we use love but one thing that I want to say is that this country belongs to everyone and whatever Congress will do will be for the benefit for all: Rahul Gandhi. The nation is tired and looking for a way out only Congress can show the way ahead: Rahul Gandhi Visuals from Congress Plenary Session underway at #Delhi s Indira Gandhi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/FjK3u987Y2 ANI (@ANI) March 17 2018 3. With your (party members & workers) blessings and cooperation we will once again win Karnataka your help is needed the way BJP and RSS workers go door-to-door the same way you also help us in Karnataka: Mallikarjun Kharge at Congress Plenary Session. Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders at 84th Plenary session of Indian National Congress in New Delhi: BS Photo by Sanjay K Sharma 4. Topics of discussion during plenary session This plenary will decide the vision and direction and the way forward of the Congress for the next five years Randeep Singh Surjewala said adding that agriculture employment poverty alleviation national security foreign policy and economy will be discussed. What is the present condition what is the future what is Congress s vision on these issues. How the party will solve the problems of the farmers how to generate employment new steps for poverty alleviation how to improve the economic condition he said. Sonia Gandhi Rahul Gandhi & Manmohan Singh at #Delhi s Indira Gandhi Stadium for Congress plenary session. pic.twitter.com/0QtEdWENym ANI (@ANI) March 17 2018 5. The subjects committee comprises of the members of party s steering committee Congress legislative party leaders state Congress chiefs office-bearers of the parliamentary party chiefs of frontal organisations and heads of sub-committees that have formulated the plenary resolutions. Welcome delegates and distinguished guests to the #CongressPlenary. Over the next two days I look forward to interacting with you and to sharing experiences and perspectives that will together help us build a stronger more vibrant Congress party. Jai Hind. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 17 2018 ALSO READ: India is rising against you Rahul tells Modi 6. India is rising against you Rahul tells Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi who spoke at the Rising India Summit here saying the country was rising against him . Modiji those were some fancy power point slides. A quick word of advice: You re right about Rising India. One small issue - it s rising against you Gandhi said in a tweet. Modi Ji those were some fancy power point slides. A quick word of advice: You re right about Rising India. One small issue - it s rising against you. #News18RisingIndia Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 16 2018 7. Who will Modi target next asks Rahul Rahul Gandhi attacked the Narendra Modi government for targeting opposition leaders including RJD leader Lalu Prasad using the CBI to intimidate and harass them and asked who the next target will be. The BJP government uses the CBI to target key opposition politicians to intimidate and harass them. Now a news report reveals how the CBI was pressured to file a case against @laluprasadrjd ignoring the advice of its own legal team. Who will Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) target next? tweeted Gandhi adding hashtag #VendettaPolitics. ALSO READ: For Modi recent bypoll verdict is bad news but so it is for Rahul as well 8. Randeep Singh Surjewala backs Rahul Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that his party unequivocally condemns any act of political vendetta indulged by the Modi government. Now that the BJP has only few months left in power it should count its days and be ready to face the people s wrath he said adding that denigrating the credibility of institutions by misusing them to target political opponents is the sole agenda of the Modi government . Media reports suggest that the Directorate of Prosecution which is the CBI s legal wing and the Economic Offences Division of the CBI have different opinions on filing an FIR in a case against former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad. This chasm within the CBI has surfaced when the Modi government has left no stone unturned to file series of cases against their political opponents. CBI clearly has become a Captive Bureau of Investigation in the hands of the Modi government he added. 9. Opposition parties united to pass no-confidence motion against Modi government An overwhelming majority of opposition parties have extended tactical support to the Andhra Pradesh rivals YSR Congress and TDP who are together pushing for a no-confidence motion against the Modi government over the non-implementation of the promised special category status for the post-bifurcation Andhra Pradesh. Even Congress which has no love lost for the YSR Congress and TDP the two parties that have reduced the Grand Old Party to a corner in its once political fortress of Andhra Pradesh was more vociferous than others in extending support to the move for a no-confidence motion. 10. Although the opposition parties are fully aware of the Modi government s numerical strength in the House they feel that the government will be compelled to take action. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee who is eyeing regional parties for a federal front tweeted I welcome the TDP s decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster.
Written by Liz Mathew | New Delhi | Updated: March 17 2018 5:45 pm Congress President Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi and other leaders at the 82nd Plenary session of the Indian National Congress in New Delhi on Saturday. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) The main opposition Congress on Saturday joined the chorus of those seeking re-introduction of paper ballots in the elections in order to ensure the credibility of the electoral process. There are apprehensions among the political parties and the people over the misuse of EVMs to manipulate the outcome contrary to the popular verdict the party said in its political resolution moved by senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge. To ensure the credibility of the electoral process the Election Commission should revert to the old practice of paper ballot as major democracies have done said the resolution moved at the three day Congress plenary session being held in the national capital. Congress President Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi and other leaders at the 82nd Plenary session of the Indian National Congress in New Delhi on Saturday. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) READ | Rahul Gandhi at Congress plenary session: Nation is divided only our party can unite it In the backdrop of different groups expressing their concerns over the EVMs the resolution which is being discussed and is expected to be adopted by evening said the poll panel has the constitutional mandate to ensure free and fair elections. Both the voting and counting process must remain transparent to retain people s faith in the integrity of the electoral system. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP aggressively pushing the idea of One Nation One Election the political resolution of the Congress rejected it. The BJP s move for simultaneous elections is misplaced. It is incompatible with the constitution and is also impractical. It will have serious implications which must be thoroughly enquired into and a national consensus built the resolution said. For all the latest India News download Indian Express App IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd Tags: Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi
By: IANS | New Delhi | Updated: March 17 2018 4:54 pm Congress leaders at party s plenary session in New Delhi (Express Photo/Tashi Tobgyal) Related News Congress Plenary Session: Projecting younger face Congress takes a step closer to alliancesCongress to adopt pragmatic approach for cooperation with like-minded partiesRahul Gandhi at Congress plenary session: Nation is divided only our party can unite itThe Congress on Saturday expressed its willingness to ally with all like-minded parties with a pragmatic approach to defeat the Narendra Modi government in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The political resolution adopted at the party s plenary here talked of evolving a common workable programme to defeat the Bharatiya Janta Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the next general elections. The Congress spelled out its stance amid renewed efforts for opposition unity following the BJP s defeat in crucial Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Lok Sabha by-elections. Congress will adopt a pragmatic approach for cooperation with all like-minded parties and evolve a common workable programme to defeat the BJP-RSS in the 2019 elections the resolution said. The Bahujan Samaj Party had supported arch-rival Samajwadi Party candidates in Uttar Pradesh s Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats. The SP-BSP front trounced the BJP in a shocking outcome amidst suggestions that opposition parties should put up joint candidates against the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The resolution however remained silent on the leadership of the grouping of like-minded parties but emphasised on the role of a resurgent Congress in winning back the idea of India. The 84th Plenary of the Congress gives a clarion call to its rank and file to rise to the occasion to defend the foundational values of our republic and constitutional democracy. A resurgent Congress alone shall win back the idea of India as envisioned by the founding fathers of our nation. The Congress had stitched an alliance to oust the first National Democratic Alliance government-led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004. The resolution said all sections have been betrayed by the BJP-led government and core constitutional values were under attack. Under the BJP regime the people of India farmers khet mazdoors workers in the unorganised sector self-employed manual labourers Dalits minorities traders unemployed youth and the poor have been betrayed. Today our core constitutional values are under attack. Our freedoms are in jeopardy. Our Institutions are under stress and their independence compromised. Our Republic must be protected at all costs it said. The resolution said the Congress was prepared to make whatever sacrifices required to defend the ethos of the Constitution. We will purge the polity of the aberrations witnessed during the BJP regime which has failed to honour its commitments to the people of India. It said the Congress was proud of its illustrious history legacy and remains the party that truly represents India multi-cultural multilingual and multi-religious. Congress Party is committed to serve people of India at a time when the country stands at a crossroad as it faces the threat posed by authoritarian divisive and disruptive forces it said. For all the latest India News download Indian Express App More Related News Rahul Gandhi s Twitter profile gets a makeover Congress plenary session LIVE UPDATES: We are exposing fraud corruption by PM Modi and his colleagues says Sonia Gandhi Tags: Congress
Written by Harsh Mander | Updated: March 17 2018 5:30 pm In her 19 years of leadership of the Congress Sonia Gandhi never faltered in her secular convictions (File) Muslims are today s castaways political orphans with no home for virtually every political party. This despite India being home to a tenth of the world s Muslims around 180 million people making it the largest Muslim country after Indonesia and Pakistan. There has never been a harder time to be a Muslim in India not since the stormy months that followed India s Partition. It was only the blood of the Mahatma spilled 70 years earlier which then stilled the feverish communal hate that had engulfed the land. But today the large majority of Indian Muslims feel even more profoundly alone and abandoned. Open expressions of hatred and bigotry against Muslims have become the new normal from schools to universities workplaces to living rooms internet to political rallies. Even worse they re forced to live with the everyday fear of hate violence. Muslim parents caution their children don t respond with salamalaikum when we phone you in a train; don t wear a beard or skullcap or hijab; even if someone abuses you don t fight back. Public lynching carries the unassailable social message that Muslims are second class citizens: Video-taped by the lynch mobs and triumphantly circulated police typically responds by arresting the victims instead of the attackers. But what creates even greater despair is the growing sense that Muslims in Indian politics have been rendered politically irrelevant. Worse many consider that they are now politically untouchable. The BJP has become the first ruling party since Independence without a single Muslim MP in the Lok Sabha. In the 2017 UP and Gujarat elections it didn t field a single Muslim candidate. It brandishes its political ambitions to build a massive social alliance of all Hindu castes Adivasis and even in Northeast India Christians all ranged against the country s Muslims. But now it is not just the BJP that shuns Muslims. Most political parties are accepting the premise that the majority Hindu vote will sour if a party is seen to be close to Muslims. In her 19 years of leadership of the Congress Sonia Gandhi never faltered in her secular convictions. But when even she declared recently that the Congress suffered because the BJP persuaded people that it was a Muslim party many Muslims felt their expulsion to the political wilderness was complete. Over the past months I have been urged to join a series of meetings called by Muslim leaders and youth. The mood is always sombre submerged in despair. In these meetings speakers lament the political consensus across the spectrum that Muslims are a political liability. Political parties are unwilling to field Muslim candidates to speak of issues of violence and discrimination that afflict large Muslim populations even to openly seek Muslim votes. In one of these meetings a prominent Dalit leader said By all means come in large numbers to our rallies. But don t come with your skullcaps and burkas. The advice that many speakers offer in the gatherings is for Muslims to voluntarily withdraw from politics. In one meeting a well-regarded former Congress MP circulated a note: Shedding pretensions of development the BJP is still able to survive on their hate for minorities which they market way too well . The Opposition he adds has also realised that minorities are fast becoming a burden and slipping into political oblivion . Minorities have become a taboo for the big parties which seek to dissociate with any step that can come across as minority appeasement . This shows us what is in store in the future . It is for Hindus to decide now he believes whether they want India to become a Hindu Rashtra or remain secular . But for this Indian Muslims owe this to our secular Hindu counterparts to step down from the political arena altogether and let the battle be between issues that affect all Indians as individuals because we must understand that our very presence in the electoral fray leads to communal polarisation . I hear this same troubling counsel of despair repeated in every gathering. That Muslims must stay away from politics some say for a generation. Become invisible. Don t seek political office. Don t campaign. Just keep a low profile. At best vote quietly on election-day. To liberal Hindu friends they say: To protect us abandon us. It appears at least for the present that the BJP has succeeded in a toxic majoritarian reordering of the rules of India s political game. Muslims are not just irrelevant they are the political bogeyman whose visible support will frighten away all other voters. The BJP needs only to float the rumour that the Congress will make a Muslim leader the chief minister in Gujarat to stir panic and a scramble in Congress ranks to assure voters this is a falsehood. It is not as though large states in India have not had Muslim chief ministers and there is no reason why they should not continue to occupy this seat if they so deserve. Indeed India should one day have a Dalit Muslim or Adivasi Prime Minister. Why should this be inconceivable? Why should it frighten non-Muslims? Londoners have elected a very popular and personable Muslim mayor of Pakistani origin. The time has come for us to combat the anguish which envelops our Muslim sisters and brothers. The idea that standing with or for or behind Muslims will repel other Indians derives from the conviction that the popular Indian common sense is today majoritarian. That Hindus of every caste class gender and region other religious and ethnic minorities and Adivasis all are compelled by a common hatred of Muslims. I spend a lot of time in my work with ordinary people across India and know that this is simply not true. The poisons released by the RSS into the veins of Indian social life are powerful addictive and heady. But India is not cannot be divided into Muslim people on the one side and all others on the other. Love friendships work shared cultures shared dreams shared fears all bind people together in ways that manufactured hate has not shattered. But if liberal political parties also surrender to this majoritarian common sense it carries the danger of ultimately becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead political parties and ordinary citizens must affirm stoutly that Muslims are equal citizens in every way integral to India s imagination its creation and its future. They need no one s permission to choose their leaders campaign for those they support and indeed to lead. To push them into the shadows of our political society would not just diminish them. It would diminish each of us irredeemably. Mander is a human rights worker and writer For all the latest Opinion News download Indian Express App More From Harsh Mander A crime of hate a journey of love In the wake of Afrazul s murder revisiting the fear that lingers for those who like him travelled far away from their homes to provide for It s not about one Ram temple The campaign to demolish the Babri Masjid had a sub-text: Muslims should know their place that of second-class citizens... Through a caravan darkly In its journey to the sites of lynchings across states the Karwan-e-Mohabbat found a stark waning of compassion and solidarity..
By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: March 16 2018 7:31 pm Congress MP Ripun Bora Related News Now Haryana minister Anil Vij calls for removing Adhinayak from national anthemJ-K government seeks explanation from officer for alleged disrespect to national anthem Can t stand for national anthem don t expect me to stand for you : Twitterati call soldier s statement immature Congress MP Ripun Bora on Friday moved a private member s resolution in Rajya Sabha seeking amendment of the National Anthem and replacing the word Sindh with Northeast India . In the letter he suggested The National Anthem of India Jana Gana Mana mentions Sindh which is no longer part of India; the NorthEast India which is a very important part of India finds no mention in the National Anthem the then President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad had made a statement in the Constituent Assembly on January 24 1950 that the composition consisting of the words and music known as the Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India subject to such alterations in the words such as Government may authorise as occasion arises. Read Also: J&K: Probe against govt official for disrespecting national anthem North East is important part of India it is unfortunate that it is not part of national anthem on other hand Sindh is mentioned which is no longer part of India but part of Pakistan which is a hostile country Bora told ANI. Jana Gana Mana was composed in Bengali by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 when the Indian territory stretched from Balochistan in the west to Sylhet in the east. It was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. The country was however divided after India got independence in 1947 with Sindh Balochistan Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Punjab being ceded to West Pakistan; and Sylhet Dhaka and other parts of Bengal being ceded to East Pakistan which later became Bangladesh in 1971. For all the latest India News download Indian Express App IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd More Related News Quash section 377 of IPC says former SC judge N Santosh Hegde MHA officer-led team to look into rules for playing national anthem in cinema halls Tags: national anthem
New Delhi: In a move which has sparked row in Parliament an overwhelming majority of Opposition parties have extended support to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress thus backing their no-confidence motion against the Modi government over the non-implementation of the Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh. Bhartiya Janata Party s (BJP) strongest competition Indian National Congress (INC) has also extended its support to the TDP and YSR parties and backed their decision of no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led government. By extending their support to the no-confidence motion the Opposition parties have ensured that the TDP and YSR Congress are not left short of the required support of a minimum of 50 MPs to get their motion admitted. The TDP has just 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha while the YSR Congress has nine. Mallikarjun Kharge Congress leader in the Lok Sabha said We have been supporting special category status for AP since the beginning. We want the people of AP to get justice. When no-confidence motion is moved you have to talk (in the House debate) about the government s failures. So we are contacting a lot of people (to mobilise support for the motion). CPM s Sitaram Yechury in support of the no-confidence motion tweeted CPM supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. CPI(M) supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcuseable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted. Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16 2018 Also Read: TDP moves no-confidence motion against Modi government Tariq Anwar leader of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said The NCP is fully backing the move. The government if it is confident of answering our questions and taking a vote must admit the motion. Odisha s Biju Janata Dal also backed the southern parties and extended its support to the no-confidence motion. Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress tweeted I welcome the TDP s decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster. I welcome the TDP s decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 16 2018 The no-confidence motion notices were moved by TDP s Thota Narasimham and YSR Congress YV Subba Reddy. However the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan refused to take up the motion due to unrest in the House which led to the adjournment of the proceedings for the day and raised loud protests over various issues.
Imphal capital of Manipur is all set to host the annual session of the Indian Science Congress for the first time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the 105th session of the congress on 16 March. Manipur University will host the science congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Science Congress. PTI The focal theme for the 2018 Science Congress is Reaching the Unreached through Science and Technology . This year the focus will be on translational science for promoting affordable and sustainable innovation. During the five-day program the focus will be on various scientific disciplines and how they can connect with the society. Nobel laureates Field Medal winners in mathematics and leading scientists will be among those slated to address different sessions at the annual event. Young Scientists Awards will also be conferred during the function. A technology-based startup conclave also will be showcased inviting top innovators and entrepreneurial researchers. The highlights of the program include the children s science congress which will be inaugurated on 17 March and the Women s science congress to be held on 18 and 19 March. In addition there will be a Science Communicator s Meet on 19 March. It is expected that around 5 000 delegates from all over the country will participate in the event including students academicians members of science and engineering academies officials of all ministers promoting science and technology and representatives of national science academies of different countries. The 104th Indian Science Congress was held in Tirupati and the theme was Science & Technology for National Development . Last year Prime Minister in his inaugural speech had observed that some of these important challenges are in the key sectors of clean water & energy food environment climate security and healthcare. We equally need to keep an eye on the rise of disruptive technologies and be prepared to leverage them for growth. We need to clearly assess the challenges and opportunities for our technology readiness and competitiveness. This year as the theme suggests the congress is set to take these thoughts to the next level. The 105th science congress was scheduled to take place in Hyderabad this year in January but postponed. Osmania University which was supposed to host the event had expressed its inability to hold it. (India Science Wire) #Imphal #India Science Wire #Indian Science Congress #Manipur #Manipur University #NewsTracker #Science And Technology
By: PTI | New Delhi | Published: March 15 2018 8:31 pm The party will highlight its vision on each sphere and compare it with the current situation. (Congress Twitter) Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will present the party s vision and the way forward at its plenary session starting on Friday where the focus will be on workers instead of leaders this time. The plenary session starting with a meeting of the Steering Committee will set the tone for the party s poll strategy in the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections where it seeks to oust the BJP from power. Sources said the party will adopt four resolutions one each on the political situation the economic front and on the foreign affairs besides a separate one on agriculture unemployment and poverty alleviation. The party will highlight its vision on each sphere and compare it with the current situation. After Friday s meeting of the Steering Committee where a final shape will be given to all resolutions the plenary session will start on the morning of March 17 with an inaugural address by party chief Rahul Gandhi. At the two-day brainstorming session two resolutions including the one on political situation will be taken up and adopted on the first day while two others including the one on jobs will be taken up on the concluding day. The session will end with an address of the Congress president where he would set the tone for party s plan forward for the upcoming elections. The political resolution the sources say will also indicate the party s plans for forging coalitions with like-minded parties. The Congress is seeking to build a larger front of opposition parties to stop the BJP from coming back to power and former president Sonia Gandhi has called upon them to set aside their differences to come together for a larger national cause. This plenary session will be very different from other sessions this time as the Congress president is seeking to accord preference to workers than leaders said a leader adding that the focus would be shifted from the Congress chief to workers who will be allowed to speak up on the party s future strategy. Since the Steering Committee will cease to exist after the plenary https://www.freelancersunion.org/members/account/momid-khan/ session the new Working Committee (CWC) of the party will also be put in place soon. There was no confirmation on whether the CWC would be formed during the session or after but sources said it won t be an elected body and the party chief will select his own team. Gandhi who took over the reins of the party last December will present the Congress vision document and the political road map for the party and the document will act as a guiding light to help party workers upstage the BJP from power at the Centre in 2019 besides in some states. The session will also look into future alliances that the party foresees will be needed for defeating the BJP a Congress leader said. The plenary meet to be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here will be attended by senior leaders and workers starting from block presidents. The party s key focus would be on the issue of agriculture and unemployment the source said adding that the party wants to highlight the agrarian crisis in the country and joblessness among the people to help garner public support The session assumes importance as it will be the first after Gandhi s presidentship and the first to be held with a new leader in two decades. The sources said the party will also distribute literature and five books each on jobs and youth SCs and ST s the economy national security and corruption. For all the latest India News download Indian Express App Tags: Congress Party Rahul Gandhi

Yogi Adityanath says overconfidence, complacency lost BJP Uttar Pradesh bypolls

Blaming the low turnout of voters and overconfidence as reasons for the BJP s loss at the recently concluded bypolls for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha constituencies Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said every defeat is a lesson for us. Adityanath was a part of the session The Monk who Took on a New Mantle at the News18 Rising India Summit from Lucknow through video conferencing. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath took part in the News18 Rising India Summit from Lucknow on Saturday. Image courtesy News18 Victories and losses are not a moment of happiness or sadness for us. Whenever we work with overconfidence and take results for granted we will end up not working hard enough so such results will naturally happen. Our workers and voters thought these are the seats of the chief minister and deputy chief minister and so they took them for granted. Some didn t step out to vote some didn t go for door-to-door campaign Yogi said. Prior to becoming the chief minister he had won the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat five times consecutively since 1998. However the Uttar Pradesh chief minister appeared unfazed by the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. We admit mistakes in Gorakhpur. These elections have shown that the SP BSP and Congress cannot face BJP alone. We have analysed the loss in Gorakhpur and prepared our plan to fight the alliance. We can t reveal our roadmap now Yogi said. During Uttar Pradesh elections our http://kkdigital.wikidot.com/system:welcome leader and face was Modi. Today SP and BSP have created an alliance. They should decide who their leader is Rahul Gandhi Akhilesh Yadav or Mayawati he said. The Noida jinx The Uttar Pradesh chief minister however disagreed that his visit to Noida before the by-elections had anything to do with the defeats in the Lok Sabha bypolls. According to a superstition visits to Noida bring ill luck to Uttar Pradesh chief ministers. I ll keep coming to Noida. In a few days a programme is going to start there. Defeat does not matter. As a Yogi it s my job to turn inauspicious into auspicious Yogi said. On Congress and Rahul Gandhi Taking umbrage at the BJP being called dramebaaz by Sonia Gandhi at the Congress 84th Plenary Session in New Delhi on Saturday he said All these years they have only done drama. And who doesn t know Rahul Gandhi s drama? I can understand the sadness of the Congress. The Congress is unhappy because of losses. For them everything is a drama. Rahul Gandhi s temple-hopping spree is dramebaazi. The country has touched new heights under Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. The Congress and Sonia Gandhi can t accept this. On Ram Janmabhoomi While hoping that the Supreme Court verdict would be in favour of the Hindus Yogi maintained that the Ayodhya dispute was not a political one. Ayodhya dispute is not a political issue for us. It is a matter of faith. We are hopeful of the verdict being in our favour the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. Yogi however did not appear to be optimistic about the efforts being made by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on resolving the issue outside the court. If there is anyone with a good solution then that should be considered. This issue has been long debated upon and many have tried to find solutions but there would always be one party that walks out of the discussion. Discussion on any matter isn t bad but the Ayodhya matter has been discussed numerous times in the past he said. On secularism and Muslims The Uttar Pradesh chief minister was assertive that his government is for all and is not in favour of any particular community. All people are safe in Uttar Pradesh and nobody is living in fear in the state. Protect the 22 crore people of Uttar Pradesh is my responsibility and I will do my best to do that. Kasganj violence was not a communal incident he said referring to the violence that happened on 26 January this year. Nobody is scared in Uttar Pradesh. Holi and Jumma were on the same day this year. On my appeal Muslim clerics extended the time for Jumma Yogi said while assuring that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are not living in fear. Adityanath also spoke about his interpretation of secularism. There is a difference between secular and irreligious. We should make that distinction. The government must be secular not irreligious. Hinduism is a secular philosophy. Many spread venom under the garb of secularism. If secularism means not taking sides there is nobody more secular than Hindus. Today s secularists have turned secularism to mean abusing India s traditions the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. On Naresh Agrawal Speaking about former SP leader Naresh Agarwal s entry into the BJP Adityanath said If people are willing to walk on the party s principles then there should not be any issue in getting them into the party. I feel if a person is willing to change and do good work why stop him/her? Yogi said. Follow live updates on the News18 Rising India Summit here.
.story-content span .story-content p .story-content div color:#000!important;font-family: open sans Arial!important;font-size:15px!important ALSO READ UP bypolls: Pravin Kumar Nishad is the David who beat Goliath in Gorakhpur UP by-poll result LIVE: Akhilesh thanks Mayawati for Gorakhpur Phulpur UP bypoll fallout: BJP withdraws two candidates for Rajya Sabha elections SP delivers shocker in UP by-polls; RJD keeps Jehanabad Araria in Bihar span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Thursday said the BJP may call for early Lok Sabha elections after its stunning defeat in the parliamentary bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister whose gamble of backing the Samajwadi Party for the bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur in the state paid rich dividends said the idea was to teach the party a lesson. Addressing a rally here she labelled the Narendra Modi government at the Centre a dictatorship and alleged that it had surpassed the Emergency imposed by the Congress government in 1975. Mayawati also accused the government of weakening democracy and making constitutional organisations and the media ineffectual. In Uttar Pradesh we wanted to teach the BJP a lesson and decided to support SP candidates so that it loses the seats earlier held by the chief minister and deputy chief minister... They have lost their sleep with this result she said. The Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Lok Sabha and Assembly by-election results dealt a major blow to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on Wednesday. The party which is in power in both the states lost four of the five seats in the bypoll including the all-important Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Gorakhpur seat until recently was represented by chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Significantly Gorakhpur was earlier held by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had held the Phulpur seat. Especially worrisome for the BJP was the fact that it was trounced by the BSP-backed Samajwadi Party in the high-stakes Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls which could boost the chances of a mahagathbandhan of anti-BJP parties before the 2019 general elections. After sweeping the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections last year the BJP faced a last-minute alliance stitched by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the bypolls. BSP supremo Mayawati had announced her party s backing for SP candidates in both Gorakhpur and Phulpur in return for the SP s support for her party s candidate in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections. The BJP lost the Gorakhpur seat to the SP by a margin of 21 961 votes. SP candidate Pravin Kumar Nishad got 456 437 while his nearest rival BJP s Upendra Dutt Shukla secured 434 476 votes. In the Phulpur constituency SP candidate Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel defeated BJP candidate Kaushalendra Singh by a margin of 59 613 votes. The winner polled 342 796 votes while the BJP candidate secured 283 183. Meanwhile in Bihar the BJP also lost the Araria Lok Sabha constituency and the Jehanabad Assembly seat while scoring a consolation win in the Bhabua Assembly seat. The results in both the states triggered calls for a Grand Alliance -- a la Bihar -- all across India to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Once the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh 2018 bypolls was known Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that over-confidence and the inability to understand the understanding between SP and BSP were the prime reasons for the BJP s defeat. Here are the top 10 developments in the shock defeat for BJP in UP and Bihar bypolls: 1) SP victory boosts chances of an anti-BJP coalition in UP: With the tacit understanding between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP in the Lok Sabha bye-elections for two seats paying off chances of a mahagathbandhan of anti-BJP parties before the 2019 general elections got a boost in Uttar Pradesh. These results are the beginning of the formation of a broadest possible alliance of Opposition forces before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections senior political analyst and retired head of the political science department of the Lucknow University Ramesh Dixit said. The Congress will also be forced to come into this fold with all the major players Dixit said adding that all these parties were working to oust the BJP. This showing has come as a silver lining for all the other parties and notwithstanding their inner contradictions their major concern of maintaining their political relevance which is under challenge will guide them to fall in line Dixit said. Social scientist professor Nadeem Husnain said that it was a fight for survival and that all the parties would be forced to somehow sew together a working alliance in 2019. Their alliance in Uttar Pradesh in 2022 looks a little difficult as they have major stakes in the state and issues like leadership and chief minister s post are their Achilles heel Husnain who was with the department of Anthropology of Lucknow University said. ALSO READ: Bypoll results underscore BJP s vulnerability against united Oppn 2) Siddaramaiah s advice to Yogi: The Karnataka CM on Thursday advised his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath not to lecture to his state on development after BJP lost the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-elections in the northern state. Congratulations to Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party for this historic victory. Unity among the non-BJP parties has played a key role. Perhaps Yogi Adityanath should spend less time lecturing Karnataka on development said Siddaramaiah in a tweet. Adityanath had addressed several rallies in the poll-bound southern state in the last two months. 2) Akhilesh drives to Mayawati s residence: Setting aside 25 years of bitter and historic rivalry Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav drove to the residence of Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati to thank her for the support to his party s candidates in Phulpur and Gorakhpur. While Akhilesh Yadav had thanked the BSP chief whom he fondly calls Buaji (aunt) at a hurriedly called press conference on Wednesday evening he created a flutter in political circles in Lucknow as his cavalcade drove from his Vikramaditya Marg residence to the sprawling bungalow of Mayawati at Mall Avenue. They were closeted together for about 20 minutes. While what transpired between the two is not yet known it is understood that the two discussed the poll outcome in which their parties together beat the ruling BJP. 3) Congress says people showing BJP the door : Buoyed by the results of the Lok Sabha bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar the Opposition parties said that the verdict reflected public anger against the BJP and that it was the beginning of the end for the ruling party at the Centre. The Congress said that people across the country angered by the BJP s arrogance and misrule were showing it the door . Congratulating the winners of the Lok Sabha by-elections Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that the outcomes showed that people were angry with the BJP and would vote for any non-BJP candidate with the potential to win. He also said that the Congress was keen to rebuild the party in Uttar Pradesh but added that it would not happen overnight . Congratulations to the winners of today s by-elections. It is clear from the results that voters have a lot of anger towards the BJP and will vote for any non-BJP candidate who has more chances of winning. The Congress is keen on rebuilding the party in Uttar Pradesh but that will not happen overnight he tweeted in Hindi. The party s candidates in the state lost their deposits in the recent by-polls to the two Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. 4) Lalu says victory of truth over falsehood : RJD President Lalu Prasad who is currently in jail following his conviction in the fodder scam cases described his party s victory in the Bihar bypolls as the victory of truth over falsehood . The more you pour the fuel of conspiracy on Lalu the brighter will his lantern burn. Millions of salutations to the people of Bihar for upholding justice. This is a victory of truth over falsehood the RJD supremo whose party has the lantern as its election symbol tweeted in Hindi. The RJD retained Araria Lok Sabha and Jehanabad Assembly seats in the by-elections for three seats in Bihar. The BJP retained Bhabhua Assembly seat. Prasad also thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who congratulated him on the great victory saying Thank you didi. Together we are fighting. We shall fight and we will win . ALSO READ: Phulpur & Gorakhpur bypoll results: Is it just a question of numbers? 5) Adityanath blames over-confidence for BJP s loss: Once the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh bypolls 2018 became known Adityanath said that over-confidence and the inability to understand the understanding between SP and BSP were the prime reasons for the BJP s shocking loss. The Chief Minister said that the Lok Sabha bye-election results were a lesson for the BJP and cause for a review. When the candidates were declared the SP BSP and Congress were not together. They had not joined hands then. But suddenly in the middle of the election the SP and the BSP forged an electoral understanding he told media at his residence. The over-confidence and inability to understand the electoral understanding between the SP and the BSP led to the defeat Adityanath stressed. Political bargaining has started in the state and people of the state will understand it he claimed. The chief minister who has represented Gorakhpur in Lok Sabha five times said local issues led to his party s poor performance and not the policies of the Centre. Local issues dominated and voter turnout was also low he said. When general elections are held there will be national issues. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi there has been a sense of confidence which is prevailing in the country he said adding that the party would review all aspects. ALSO READ: UP Bypolls: Will go back to drawing board say UP BJP leaders 6) Wait and watch : Refusing to comment on the possibility of an alliance between the SP and the BSP for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said Just wait and watch. Talking to reporters outside Parliament Yadav said that the victory of the SP in both Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bye-elections was a referendum against the Yogi government. Me and my party are grateful to the BSP and its workers who worked hard to ensure the victory of the SP candidate in these by-polls. As far as 2019 general elections is concerned just wait and watch. And hope for the best Yadav said. ALSO READ: SP delivers shocker in UP by-polls; RJD keeps Jehanabad Araria in Bihar 7) Congress claims BJP has lost simple majority in LS: As the BJP lost two Lok Sabha bypolls in UP and one in Bihar the Congress said that the ruling party had lost the simple majority in the Lok Sabha on its own . The Congress said that the results gave a clear message that the people were angry with the BJP for its arrogance and misrule . The 2017-18 report card of the BJP is 0/10 -- the BJP lost all 10 Lok Sabha by-elections in 2017 and 2018. Bypoll results have given a clear message that people are angry with the BJP for its arrogance and misrule Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted. He said that the Lok Sabha seats lost by the BJP in 2017 were Amritsar Srinagar Malappuram and Gurdaspur as well as Ajmer Alwar Uluberia Gorakhpur Phulpur and Araria in 2018. In May 2014 the BJP won 282 Lok Sabha seats. In four years the BJP is down to 271 losing the simple majority in the Lok Sabha minus its allies -- considering the fact that Modi has suspended party MP Kirti Azad and virtually disowned their most truthful and fiercely independent Patna Sahib MP (Shatrughan Sinha) Surjewala claimed. 2017-18 Report Card of BJP is 0/10- BJP lost all 10 LS by-elections in 2017 & 2018. By-Poll results have given clear message that Ppl are angry with BJP for its arrogance & misrule. 2017-Amritsar Srinagar Malappuram Gurdaspur 2018-Ajmer Alwar Uluberia Gorakhpur Phulpur Araria Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 14 2018 In May 2014 BJP won 282 Lok Sabha seats. In 4 years BJP Govt is down to 271 losing the simple majority in Lok Sabha minus its allies - considering the fact that PM Modi has suspended Kirti Azad & virtually disowned their most truthful fiercely independent Patna Sahib MP. Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 14 2018 However the BJP has lost only seven seats in by-elections held so far in the past four years. In the by-elections since Narendra Modi stormed to power in 2014 the BJP lost to Congress on four seats to the Samajwadi Party on two seats and to the Rashtriya Janata Dal on one seat. According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat the BJP has 274 MPs in the Lower House excluding the Speaker of the House. ALSO READ: BJP s tally in Lok Sabha down to 274 from 282 in 2014 8) It s Nitish s time to offer an explanation : After the Bihar results former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said that the people have given their verdict and it is Janata Dal (United) President Nitish Kumar s time to offer an explanation for his party s loss in the state bypolls. The Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly said: Nitishji used to advise that one should go to the people s court but now the public has given its verdict and it is Nitishji s turn to give an explanation. (Nitish) is a morally corrupt person. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said he welcomed those who felt the suffocation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to the Grand Alliance. Yadav also said that his party s victory in the Araria and Jehanabad Assembly seats was not casual and that the results had paved a new direction for the country. Earlier he took to Twitter to dedicate the win to the people of the state and thanked them for supporting the Lalu Prasad-led RJD and his ideology. ALSO READ: Bihar by-poll results a warning for BJP Nitish: Jitan Ram Manjhi 10) Winning Gorakhpur and Phulpur was prestige issue for BJP: The results of Gorakhpur and Phulpur came as a shock to the BJP. Gorakhpur was vacated by Chief Minister Adityanath who had been its representative since 1998; Phulpur fell vacant after his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya quit it. Winning these was a prestige issue for the party. With agency inputs
.story-content span .story-content p .story-content div color:#000!important;font-family: open sans Arial!important;font-size:15px!important ALSO READ UP energy watchdog spares industry from tariff shock Global investors to infuse nearly 840 mn in power projects: Tata power CEO Heatwave 2018: Power demand in India to touch record high this summer Only 4 projects fit for Mega Power Policy benefits span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 Three states have come forward to participate in the bidding process wherein cheap power will be procured from stressed assets as part of a new power ministry scheme. Gujarat and Maharashtra have asked for 500 Mw each under the programme while Uttar Pradesh is set to procure 1 000 Mw. The scheme was launched as one of the measures to provide relief to stressed power generating assets. The new centralised bidding for 2 500 Mw will be held which would invite quotations from power developers for a lump sum tariff. This would also involve power aggregation and disbursement according to the cost and the states demand. The lump sum tariff would have to be quoted with a very nominal fixed cost portion. Officials said power developers will bid against the cap offered on fixed cost. Power tariff for coal-based power plants comprises fixed cost and variable cost. Fixed cost is the capital cost of the power plant and variable cost comprises cost of fuel transportation etc. If a state has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) it has to pay the fixed charge even when not procuring power. The government will also set a power aggregator which would call for tenders and collate all bids and power supply. It would then disburse power to states that wish to procure low fixed cost electricity. Sources said state-owned Power Trading Corporation (PTC) will be the aggregator and the bid document is being drafted by Power Finance Corporation (PFC). PFC executives said Gujarat has expressed interest to follow a similar bidding route to procure an additional 5 000 Mw. In the last five years no fresh PPAs have been issued by any states except Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. UP later cancelled the PPAs it signed. About 105 000 Mw of power plants are classified under stressed assets due to either lack of fuel supply or PPAs or both.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has transferred 37 IAS officials including 16 District Magistrates an official said on Saturday. Rajiv Rautela the District Magistrate of Gorakhpur who courted controversy on Wednesday for barring the media from accessing details at the Lok Sabha bypoll counting centre has been shifted and promoted as Divisional Commissioner of Devipatan. The bureaucratic rejig was effected late on Friday. File image of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. PTI The Samajwadi Party has wrested Gorakhpur Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath s home constituency from BJP after several decades. Anoop Chandra Pandey the industrial and infrastructure development commissioner (IIDC) credited with the success of the UP Investors Summit held in February has been rewarded with the additional charge of the NRI Department besides the additional charge of Greater Noida. Alok Sinha has been made the new principal secretary (Commercial Tax) Nitin Ramesh has been made the new principal secretary (Housing). He replaced Mukul Singhal who has been sent to the Silk Department. Senior bureaucrat Rajeev Kapoor who was in waiting ever since his return from a central deputation has been made the chairman of PICUP; Alok Tandon has been given additional charge of Noida as its chairman. Deepak Agarwal has been made the new divisional commissioner of Varanasi while Chandra Prakash Tripathi has been made the new commissioner of Saharanpur. Ravindra Naik has been made the director industries while Saumya Agarwal has been given the charge of vice-chairperson of Kanpur Development Authority (KDA). Chandra Bhushan Singh has been given charge as new District Magistrate of Aligarh SV Ranga Rao is the new commissioner of Azamgarh while Shivakant Dwivedi has been made the new District Magistrate of Azamgarh. Rajendra Prasad is the new District Magistrate of Bhadohi Krishna Karunesh (Balrampur) Pramod Kumar Upadhyaya (Hapur) Hemant Kumar (Amroha) Navneet Chahal (Chandauli) Rama Shankar Maurya (Hathras) and Amit Singh is the new District Magistrate of Sonebhadra. Pranjal Yadav who was a special secretary in Udyog Bandhu and played an important role in the Investors Summit has surprisingly been shunted out and made the new director (Training). Surendra Vikram has been removed and replaced by Bhawani Singh as District Magistrate of Ballia. Sarika Mohan has been removed and replaced by Sheetal Verma as District Magistrate of Sitapur. Akhilesh Kumar Mishra has been made the new District Magistrate of Pilibhit. District Magistrate of Bareilly Raghvendra Singh who had created a storm after his comments on the social media on the growing communal temper in the state has also been removed.
As it became clear that the Samajwadi Party was heading to victory in the bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh and the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted to congratulate the winners claiming the result showed anger was simmering against the Bharatiya Janata Party. But the truth is that the Congress found itself in a difficult situation on Wednesday: the party did not know whether it should be happy about these results or worried. Congress members celebrated the Opposition s convincing victory over the BJP as further proof that the electoral machine created by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah was not invincible. As beaming Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders distributed sweets in Parliament to celebrate their victory Congress members joined in saying the entire Opposition was united in its goal to defeat the BJP in the 2019 general election. It is not an impossible task said a senior Congress leader. These elections have once again demonstrated that the adulation for Modi has turned into anger. But amid all the celebrations there were signs of worry. For one today s results will make it difficult for the party to forge a major alliance for the 2019 election on its terms. The good news is that the first step towards the formation of an opposition alliance has been taken but in the process our bargaining power has been reduced said a Congress functionary from Uttar Pradesh. That the party suffered a drubbing in both Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh its candidates finished far behind those of the Samajwadi Party which was supported by the Bahujan Samaj Party and the BJP showed it has little presence in this crucial heartland state. The Congress s footprint in fact has shrunk across India having being marginalised also in states such as Bihar West Bengal Odisha and Tamil Nadu where it has ceded space to regional forces. In Uttar Pradesh particularly the Congress has much to worry about now that it stands isolated by the partnership of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. After today s results the leaders of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have reason to believe that there is no advantage in aligning with the Congress as the party would only erode their Dalit and minority support without offering much in return. Not the leader As a pan-India party the Congress cannot possibly be kept out of any major alliance that the Opposition may form in the near future but its shrinking footprint makes it increasingly difficult for the grand old party to play a lead role in such a coalition. The Congress though has an opportunity to regain its pre-eminent position among Opposition parties if it retains Karnataka and wrests Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from the BJP in the Assembly elections later this year. The party is hoping the positive momentum generated by today s results would see it through the upcoming elections. For now with the Congress still to prove itself regional satraps such as West Bengal s Mamata Banerjee and Telangana s K Chandrashekar Rao are attempting to form a non-Congress non-BJP third front . The West Bengal chief minister in particular has been actively pushing for such a grouping with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam s MK Stalin Telugu Desam Party s N Chandrababu Naidu and Akhilesh Yadav. The regional forces are not convinced that Rahul Gandhi has the capability to lead an anti-BJP alliance and the ongoing effort to form a third front is essentially aimed at denying the leadership of a future opposition alliance to the Nehru-Gandhi scion. Banerjee conveyed precisely this point when she chose to send a second-rung leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay for the dinner hosted by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for opposition leaders on Tuesday. As if to stress the point the Trinamool Congress chief will personally attend a meeting of opposition parties being organised by Nationalist Congress Party s Sharad Pawar in Delhi on March 27. Indeed Trinamool Congress leaders said that while it would be difficult to keep the Congress out of any opposition alliance there was no way it could be accepted as the lead player. By going for the dinner we have indicated that we have not shut the door on the Congress a senior Trinamool leader pointed out referring to Sonia Gandhi s meeting. But at the same time we do not want it to hog the limelight. The Congress did not help its case by not allying with the Samajwadi Party for Gorakhpur and Phulpur bye-polls. It is learnt that talks to form such an alliance broke down because the Congress insisted that the Samajwadi Party forfeit its claim to one of the seats. The Congress decided to contest on its own when the Samajwadi Party rejected its claim. Congress leaders said they could still have saved face had they withdrawn their candidates in the interest of opposition unity after Mayawati extended support to the Samajwadi Party. We could have taken credit for the results today a senior Congress leader said. But we ended up exposing our flanks.
New Delhi: The results of bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar do not bode well for the Congress as the strengthening of regional outfits may weaken the grand old party s chances of leading a joint Opposition front for the 2019 general elections. Political observers feel that unless the Congress reclaims some states from the BJP and retains Karnataka in Assembly elections slated to be held later this year its chances of leading such an alliance may weaken further. Representational image. AFP The Congress however feels that the victory of the SP-BSP combine in Uttar Pradesh is an aberration and it is the only party with a pan-India presence capable of cobbling together and leading a coalition to defeat the BJP. The Congress was left out of the SP-BSP combine in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls where the alliance elbowed out the BJP in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath s bastion of Gorakhpur and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya s constituency in Phulpur. While on the one hand the Congress is seeking to put together a joint Opposition alliance to take the BJP on in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections regional parties are hoping to forge a united front without the Congress as another alternative. TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has already taken the lead in this and has been in touch with leaders of other regional parties such as Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress. The Congress is also carrying on with its efforts to keep the Opposition together. Party leader Sonia Gandhi hosted a dinner recently for all non-BJP parties an event that was attended by leaders of 20 Opposition parties including the Congress. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said it was now crystal clear that the people of the country had given its no confidence to the Modi brand of politics driven by rhetoric than reality and guided by headline management than the country s management . Naturally they are looking at alternatives. Opposition political parties are driven by the pressure and will of India s people to save the essence of India s foundational values and come together to defend them despite the disagreement of politics and conflict of interest at times he said. The Congress was the only natural party with a pan-India appeal which could stitch the coalition together in the fight for India s foundational and civilisational values he told PTI. Surjewala was not unduly worried about the party losing ground in the states its two candidates lost their deposits in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls and said this was an aberration . There will be some aberrations like we saw on Wednesday yet the umbrella or the path to tread upon will be laid by the Congress so that everyone can walk ahead hand-in-hand together he said. Another Congress leader former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy said the idea of a third front as propagated by Rao was merely a stunt to befool the people. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi however had said yesterday that the verdict of the bypolls showed the anger of the people against the BJP and that they would vote for any non-BJP candidate who had the potential to win. Gandhi also said the Congress party was keen to rebuild the party in Uttar Pradesh but that would not happen overnight. The Congress is keen on rebuilding the party in Uttar Pradesh but that will not happen overnight he tweeted in Hindi yesterday. A senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh and a former minister feared that after the bypolls regional parties SP and BSP might think the Congress was irrelevant in the state. He said if this idea gained ground the bargaining power of the Congress could take a severe hit and the party may be given just 5 to 6 seats out of a total of 80 in the state in an electoral arrangement for the next Lok Sabha polls. The fate of the Congress is now totally in the hands of these two parties. And neither will want the Congress to contest in more than 5-6 seats out of a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP the former minister told PTI. The SP and BSP have their own vote banks and will not want the Congress to be strengthened as they fear that it could eat into their constituencies. In the last Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh the Congress contested in only 103 of the 403 seats while the SP fought from 298. The situation is not very different in other states such as Karnataka West Bengal Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh and Telangana where regional players are seeking to flex their muscles and will demand a greater pound of flesh from the Congress. In Karnataka the BSP and regional outfit JD-S have already tied up and in states such as Maharashtra and West Bengal the NCP and the TMC would want to dominate the electoral arrangements. The Congress poll analysts said can strengthen its position only if it wins Karnataka and later states such as Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where it is in a direct contest with the BJP.
NEW DELHI: A few days before polling chief minister Yogi Adityanath s camp received feedback that getting Upendra Dutta Shukla elected from Gorakhpur would not be an easy task as the party was not doing well particularly in rural areas. The chief minister thence asked partymen to ensure high polling at least in urban areas. But by the time they swung into action it was too late. Yogi s absence from his constituency also turned out to be a handicap. Though he continued to connect with locals during his visits to Gorakhpur his effectiveness in Gorakhpur as chief minister could not match his tenure as the head of the Gorakhnath Math and local MP. His election as chief minister had also changed the fortunes of his Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV). It not only stopped recruiting but started working for implementing policies of the state government. HYV has been considered as the major source of strength for Yogi in Gorakhpur and adjacent areas. HYV state general secretary PK Mall confirmed to ET the freeze on inducting new members. HYV members are now also engaged in making people aware about the Yogiji government s good works and its policies he said and added that HYV also continued with efforts to maintain social harmony. Apart from HYV Yogi as Math head had direct connectivity with voters as the temple is known for its socio-political connections. He then had time for voters who could approach him at the premises of the temple. People started missing his style of his functioning as a local MP. He had then enough time to ensure proper monitoring of people s problems which were brought to his notice. After becoming the CM he depends mostly on his team for getting such work done a person in Gorakhpur said. Things apparently changed for Yogi after he shifted to Lucknow. BJP s defeat indicates it did not receive information on the political developments at the grassroots although the mechanism he developed for ensuring his victory was still in place. His supporters had always information in advance about electorally weak areas before the poll process began said a resident of Gorakhpur. May be Yogi s camp failed to convince voters that their local MP had grown and had the much heavier responsibility of taking care of the nation s politically most-crucial state.
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh led the nationwide increase in communal violence in 2017 according to statistics placed by the Union Home Ministry in parliament on Wednesday. The figures indicate that incidents of communal violence have gone up to 822 and killed 111 people last year the highest in four years.According to the centre s statistics Uttar http://journals.fotki.com/kkdigital/digital-marketing-courses/ Pradesh Rajasthan Bihar and Jharkhand accounted for the biggest chunk of the 15 per cent increase in communal incidents in 2017 over the previous year.The spike in violence in these states is a sharp contrast to reports from states such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh that appear to have succeeded in keeping the situation under check.Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told the Lok Sabha that the communal violence was reported to be attributed to religious factors land and property disputes gender related offences social media related issues and other miscellaneous factors. Uttar Pradesh also continues to top the list of states with maximum communal violence incidents and deaths. 44 people were killed and 540 injured in UP in 2017. This compares poorly with 29 deaths and injuries to 490 people in 2016 and 22 deaths and 410 injuries the previous year.The statistics contradict Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had a few months back claimed that not a single riot had taken place in the state after he came to power. Comments When we came to power hooliganism was at its peak and there was not a day when riots did not take place...the governments at the helm used to call over rioters and honour them...but in these eight months not a single riot has taken place Yogi Adityanath said in November last year during campaigning for the local body elections.An analysis of Home Ministry statistics tabled in parliament indicates that the only time communal violence figures had been higher over the last seven years was in 2013 when riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar region of Uttar Pradesh that left over 60 dead.