As Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its eighth day, party leaders led by Rahul Gandhi started the march from Kollam on Friday
On Tuesday, the BJP carried out a massive protest march, 'Nabanna Abhijan', to the state secretariat where a clash broke out between BJP workers and police inside the Bolpur railway station
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that special category status will be granted to "all the backward states" if the united opposition that he seeks to build comes to power at the Centre. The JD(U) leader made the remark in reply to a query from journalists on the sidelines of a function here. "If we get an opportunity to form the next government, all the backward states will be granted the special category status. There is no reason why it cannot be done," said Kumar, who snapped ties with the BJP and joined the seven-party 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) comprising RJD, Congress and the Left.
It doesn't bear thinking about. But Nitish Kumar may have managed the impossible feat of bringing the two together
Ahead of the next round of assembly elections, the NCP on Saturday gave a clarion call for unity of anti-BJP forces and said that party chief Sharad Pawar would play an important role in this regard. Addressing the extended working committee of the NCP here, Pawar alleged that the Modi government was anti-farmer and had also failed to tackle the issue of unemployment. He also slammed the BJP over the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case. I am surprised that the prime minister speaks of upholding the dignity of women and two days later the BJP government in the prime minister's home state reduced the sentence of those who committed atrocities against Bilkis Bano and her family, Pawar said. The extended working committee of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also re-elected Pawar as the national president of the party. The veteran leader said that farmers were looking forward to getting a good price for their paddy crop, but the government has imposed a 20 per cent
Lokesh Sharma, officer on special duty to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Saturday rejected Union Home Minister Amit Shah's criticism of the state government, saying it has been working to fulfil promises from day one. His rebuttal came hours after the home minister accused the Congress government of not fulfilling the promises made by the party before the 2018 polls. On Shah asking questions on the promise of "employment to 20 lakh" youths and Rs 3,500 allowance for the unemployed, Sharma said the promise during the 2018 election was to create more and more employment opportunities. "Mr home minister, (it was) not 20 lakhs, it was promised in 2018 to create more and more jobs for the youth. The chief minister has worked accordingly from day one," he tweeted. "So far, 1.29 lakh youths have been given jobs by the Rajasthan government. One lakh jobs are under process and an announcement to give 1 lakh has been made," he said. On Shah's statement, during a BJP booth level ...
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took a swipe at the government over the renaming of Rajpath as Kartavya Path and asked if all Raj Bhavans should not also be rechristened as Kartavya Bhavans. He further went on to say that Rajasthan should be renamed Kartavyasthan. "If Raj Path is to be renamed Kartavya Path, shouldn't all Raj Bhavans become Kartavya Bhavans," he said on Twitter. "Why stop there? Rename Rajasthan as Kartavyasthan?" he also said. The government changed the name of Rajpath to Kartavya Path with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Rajpath symbolised India's "slavery" and so has been consigned to history. TMC MP Mahua Moitra had also raised a similar question on Friday when she tweeted, "Will all Raj Bhavans be now known as Kartavya Bhavans?" On Saturday, she put out another tweet, "Meanwhile new BJP in charge for WB can ride on the Kartavyadhani Express to Sealdah enjoying his Kartavya kachoris followed by a nice sweet Kartavya bhog. Yummy." The BJP has n
Anyone wanting to file nomination for the post of Congress president will be able see the list of all 9,000 delegates from the office of central election authority at the AICC office from September 20, Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry has said. Addressing the concerns of five MPs, including Shashi Tharoor, Karti Chidambaram, and Manish Tewari, over the electoral rolls and the "transparency, fairness" in the election process, Mistry said those seeking to contest the poll can check the names of 10 delegates from the list. Once the nomination is signed and handed over to the Chief Returning Officer, they will get the entire list of the delegates, he said in a letter to the MPs. "If anyone desires to get nominations from ten supporters from different states, the list of all 9000+ delegates will be available in my office at AICC, Delhi from 20th September (11 AM to 6 PM), before they file their nomination on 24th September," Mistry said in his letter to Tharoor and others. "They can co
The BJP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Saturday shared a picture and video of each other's leaders with a 'relative' of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon. BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar circulated a video claiming that it showed one Rauf Memon, Yakub's relative, attending a meeting with Sena leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar. Uddhav Thackeray's aide Harshal Pradhan hit back by sharing a photograph purportedly showing the same Rauf Memon with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil. Earlier this week, the BJP had claimed that Yakub Memon's grave was beautified when the coalition government led by Uddhav Thackeray was in power in Maharashtra, a charge rejected by the Shiv Sena. Yakub Memon, one of the Memon brothers who were prime conspirators of the 1993 serial blasts, was hanged in 2015 following his conviction.
India should have a weak prime minister and a "khichdi" or multi-party government after the next Lok Sabha elections so that the weaker sections of society benefit, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said here on Saturday. A powerful prime minister helps only the powerful people, he said, speaking at a press conference. The AIMIM chief also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), claiming that it was no different from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat as it kept mum on the controversial release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. The AIMIM will field candidates in the Gujarat Assembly polls which are likely to be held in December, he informed. Attacking Narendra Modi, the AIMIM leader said "the most powerful prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru" blamed the "system" when questioned about unemployment, inflation, Chinese intrusion and waiver of corporate tax and bank loans of industrialists. "I believe the country now needs a weak p
Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday targeted Rahul Gandhi over the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', saying the Congress leader had once said India is not a nation and is now out to "unite" the country wearing a "foreign-make" T-shirt. Addressing the Rajasthan BJP's booth functionaries, he also hit out at the state government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal by Muslim extremists and the Karauli violence and alleged the Congress can only practice politics of vote bank and appeasement. Taking aim at Gandhi, he said, "I want to remind Rahul baba and other Congress members about his speech given in Parliament. Rahul baba had said India is not a nation. Rahul baba, in which book have you read this? This is the nation for which lakhs and lakhs of people have sacrificed their lives." "The one who said India is not a nation is now on a yatra to unite India wearing foreign T-shirt," he said, referring to the the BJP's swipe at the Congress leader for wearing a Burberry T-shirt reportedly ..
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' questioning him on who has harmed the unity of India that required the opposition party to take out such a campaign. Making an indirect reference to Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Irani also took a dig at Gandhi for being in the company of people who allegedly chanted "anti-India" slogans. "Rahul Gandhi is on the way to unite India but he should answer first who dared to break India. You make a person a member of your party who had shouted the slogan 'Bharat Tere Tukde Honge, Insha Allah'," Irani said at Doddaballapura in Bengaluru. She was addressing the gathering at the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Jana Spandana' programme celebrating the ruling party's three years in office in Karnataka. Irani expressed her shock over Gandhi's remark in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu that the fight is now against the structure of Indian state and the opposition. "With all seriousness, I am
The BJP on Saturday cited a video of a Christian priest's purported comments mentioning Hindu goddess Shakti during a conversation with Rahul Gandhi to allege it shows the "anti-Hindu" face of the opposition party, drawing a sharp reaction. The Congress accused the BJP of spreading mischief through its "hate factory" and alleged that the ruling party has turned more desperate ever since the successful launch of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. In the video shared by several BJP leaders among others, the priest identified as George Ponnaiah is purportedly heard telling Gandhi that Jesus Christ is the "real god. ...revealed as a human being. Not like Shakti..." He was responding to the Congress leader's query if Jesus is considered god or not. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed the video has exposed the reality of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. It insults goddess Shakti ahead of the beginning of Navratra, he told reporters. This is not the first time the Congress has been involved in such ...
The AAP on Friday promised to create 6 lakh government jobs in Himachal Pradesh and pay Rs 3,000 per month as unemployment allowance to jobless youth till they find work if the party is voted to power in assembly polls scheduled to be held later this year. The party said a consultation board would be formed for traders and tourism industry to end inspector raj and political corruption in the state. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made the announcements during a public meeting in Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also promised free pilgrimage for senior citizens to their choice of religious place. The party said Himachal Pradesh would be made corruption-free on the lines of Delhi. The AAP leaders also promised to provide every panchayat Rs 10 lakh as grant for development and a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 for panchayat presidents. The leaders said minimum support price
Taking a pot shot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Anurag Thakur said that India is already united under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi
The Bharat Jodo Yatra will help in forging Opposition unity even though that is a separate exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday. Speaking to the media during the yatra which started from Kanyakumari on Thursday, he said the idea of this march is to connect with the people, listen to them, understand what they are facing and also communicate to them a few things. Gandhi said the aim is to communicate that India has changed and the "institutional framework of India has been captured". "There is an attempt to place one vision on top of this country which has multiple visions. One vision is being enforced," he said, adding the yatra is a step to communicate that to the people. "The yatra will of course help in bringing together the Opposition but that is a separate exercise," the former Congress chief said when asked about what is being done for Opposition unity. Rahul Gandhi, along with several of his party colleagues, embarked on the 3,570-km 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' fro
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India is facing its "worst-ever economic crisis" and is heading towards a "disaster", while also alleging that a handful of large businesses are controlling the country with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the launch of the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' at a rally here, Gandhi said during the British period, there was one East India Company that controlled the country, now there are three-four companies doing so. "Today, India faces its worst-ever economic crisis. The highest level of unemployment that we have ever seen and the country is heading into a disaster," he said. "Unfortunately, our friends in the media are fully controlled," the former Congress chief alleged in his speech that was being simultaneously translated into Tamil by an interpreter. Gandhi said everybody understands the economic situation in the country. However, one would never see unemployment or price rise on television and only the image of
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday pitched for uniting all non-BJP parties, saying it will be the "main front" and not the "third front". Speaking to reporters after meeting several non-BJP leaders here, Kumar said he had "very good and long discussions". "If all non-BJP parties in various states come together, then an atmosphere will emerge for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where things would not remain one-sided. With whomever I talked to, there were positive discussions," he said. On talks of the third front, he said, "Whenever someone says there is a need to create a third front, I always say let's make the 'main front'. Whenever it happens, it will be the main front, not the third front." Kumar held deliberations with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar earlier in the day and also met CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. The Bihar chief minister met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday. He had on Tuesday met CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general .
Sonia Gandhi, who is abroad for a medical check up, termed the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir "transformational moment of Indian politics"
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should try to integrate Pakistan and Bangladesh with India for creating 'Akhand Bharat' if he has any regret about the Partition designed by his ancestors, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, Sarma said the Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Gandhi is the "comedy of the century" as the country is one and united. "The country is united and integrated from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Silchar to Saurashtra and there is no need for the unification," he said. "In 1947, the country was partitioned for the creation of Pakistan and later Bangladesh came into existence. If Rahul Gandhi has any regret or is apologetic for the problem created by his ancestors, then he should try to integrate Pakistan and Bangladesh with India for the creation of Akhand Bharat (undivided India)," he said. Sarma, a former Congress leader, said in a tweet that today's India is resilient, robust an