<p>In his inagurual speech after taking over as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s policies and alleged &#39;&#39;Modi is taking us back to the medieval times&#39;&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-takes-charge-as-congress-president-26891">&#39;&#39;Congress took India to </a>21st century, but the PM, today, is taking us back to the medieval times,&#39;&#39; Congress president Rahul Gandhi said.</p>

<p>Gandhi scion said that if there is anyone who can stop what the BJP is doing, it is the &#39; pyara karyakarta&nbsp;and&nbsp;neta &#39; of Congress. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congress is an ancient idea. BJP would have you believe they are oldest idea in the universe,as usual this is not the truth.In India,thr are 2 ideas that hv clashed, idea of self vs the other.BJP are soldiers fighting for self. Congress guided by service of community:Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/AI3jiCWiAs">pic.twitter.com/AI3jiCWiAs</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941920038273007617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809">&#39;&#39;And if there is anyone who can stop what the BJP is doing, it is the &#39;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809">pyara</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809">karyakarta</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809"> &amp; </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809">neta</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-to-retire-from-politics-after-rahuls-coronation-as-party-chief-report-26809">&#39; of Congress. </a>We are going to make Congress, grand old and young party. We will fight the politics of anger,&#39;&#39; he said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It is with deepest humility, that I accept this position (of Congress President) knowing that I will always be walking in the shadow of giants: Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/GCZJjBpl13">pic.twitter.com/GCZJjBpl13</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941918501068947456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Accusing the BJP of spreading the fire of violence across the country, Rahul Gandhi said once a fire breaks out it&#39;s difficult to douse it.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;You have an example in front of you, once a fire breaks out it is difficult to douse it, that is what we are telling the people of BJP, that if you set the nation on fire it will be difficult to control. Today BJP has spread the fire of violence across the country,&#39;&#39;&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi said.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony that only one man himself is the voice of reason. Expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory,&#39;&#39; he said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We consider the BJP as our brothers &amp; sisters, but we do not agree with them. They (BJP) crush voices but we allow them to speak, they defame we respect &amp; defend: Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/qSg8C3ADT7">pic.twitter.com/qSg8C3ADT7</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941917729509933056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth. Many of us are disillusioned by politics of our time, the Congress president said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Politics belongs to the people, but today politics is not being used for people. It is not being used to uplift people, but to crush them, he said.&nbsp;</p>


Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth. Many of us are disillusioned by politics of our time, the Congress president said.?

In his inagurual speech after taking over as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies and alleged ''Modi is taking us back to the medieval times''. ''Congress took India to 21st century, but the PM, today, is taking us back to the medieval times,'' Congress president Rahul Gandhi said. Gandhi scion said that if there is anyone who can stop what the BJP is doing, it is the ' pyara karyakarta and neta ' of Congress. Congress is an ancient idea. BJP would have you believe they are oldest idea in the universe,as usual this is not the truth.In India,thr are 2 ideas that hv clashed, idea of self vs the other.BJP are soldiers fighting for self. Congress guided by service of community:Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/AI3jiCWiAs — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × ''And if there is anyone who can stop what the BJP is doing, it is the 'pyara karyakarta & neta' of Congress. We are going to make Congress, grand old and young party. We will fight the politics of anger,'' he said. It is with deepest humility, that I accept this position (of Congress President) knowing that I will always be walking in the shadow of giants: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/GCZJjBpl13 — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × Accusing the BJP of spreading the fire of violence across the country, Rahul Gandhi said once a fire breaks out it's difficult to douse it. ''You have an example in front of you, once a fire breaks out it is difficult to douse it, that is what we are telling the people of BJP, that if you set the nation on fire it will be difficult to control. Today BJP has spread the fire of violence across the country,'' Rahul Gandhi said. ''We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony that only one man himself is the voice of reason. Expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory,'' he said. We consider the BJP as our brothers & sisters, but we do not agree with them. They (BJP) crush voices but we allow them to speak, they defame we respect & defend: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/qSg8C3ADT7 — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth. Many of us are disillusioned by politics of our time, the Congress president said. Politics belongs to the people, but today politics is not being used for people. It is not being used to uplift people, but to crush them, he said.

PM Modi taking India back to medieval times: Rahul Gandhi

<p>Rahul Gandhi took over as Congress President on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Gandhi scion is taking over as the party&#39;s chief from his mother Sonia Gandhi who served as party&nbsp;president for 19 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives at AICC HQ for Rahul Gandhi&#39;s swearing-in as Congress President; Sonia &amp; Rahul Gandhi also seated at the stage. <a href="https://t.co/l2Elo8WLS1">pic.twitter.com/l2Elo8WLS1</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941903493542973440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Congress vice-president was handed over the certificate for taking over as the party&#39;s chief at a function at the party headquarters 24, Akbar Road.</p>

<p>The party&#39;s outgoing president Sonia Gandhi congratulated and blessed Rahul Gandhi for taking charge as Congress President.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;Indira Gandhi treated me like her own daughter and I learnt a lot about India from her. In 1984, Indira ji was assassinated and I felt I had lost my mother and that incident changed my life forever,&#39;&#39; said Sonia Gandhi.</p>

<p>Since childhood, Rahul Gandhi had to bear the brunt of the violence. After joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person, said Sonia Gandhi</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;Rahul is my son, so I do not think for me to praise him is right but I would say that since childhood he had to bear the brunt of the violence, after joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person,&#39;&#39; she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;My support was taken away from me after Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi passed away. It took a long while to come to terms with it,&#39;&#39; Sonia Gandhi added.</p>

<p>Sonia Gandhi&#39;s address was interrupted by the noise of incessant fireworks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking on the occasion, former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh said that Rahul Gandhi was taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;Rahulji is taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics.As a distinguished academic pointed out that there are dangers that politics of fear will take over&nbsp;politics of hope, Rahul ji, we depend upon you to transform and sustain politics of hope, said Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The party&#39;s outgoing president Sonia Gandhi, Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi&#39;sister Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra and several Congress party leaders and cadres were present on the occasion.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Priyanka Gandhi Vadra &amp; her husband Robert Vadra reach Congress HQ at Akbar Road ahead of Rahul Gandhi taking charge as party President. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/SKBGPBVKlY">pic.twitter.com/SKBGPBVKlY</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941900787675930624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Manmohan&nbsp;also saluted Sonia Gandhi for uniting the party for 19 years and said that Rahul Gandhi would bring a sense of dedication and commitment as party president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;Now, that Sonia Ji is handing over reins of the party to Rahul ji we salute Sonia Ji for uniting the leadership, something that she has been doing since 19 years. Rahul Ji brings a new sense of dedication &amp; commitment as party president,&#39;&#39; Manmohan added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I am sure the party will scale new heights of glory under Rahul Gandhi, he further said.&nbsp;</p>


The Congress vice-president was handed over the certificate for taking over as the party's chief at a function at the party headquarters in Delhi

Rahul Gandhi took over as Congress President on Saturday. The Gandhi scion is taking over as the party's chief from his mother Sonia Gandhi who served as party president for 19 years. Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives at AICC HQ for Rahul Gandhi's swearing-in as Congress President; Sonia & Rahul Gandhi also seated at the stage. pic.twitter.com/l2Elo8WLS1 — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × The Congress vice-president was handed over the certificate for taking over as the party's chief at a function at the party headquarters 24, Akbar Road. The party's outgoing president Sonia Gandhi congratulated and blessed Rahul Gandhi for taking charge as Congress President. ''Indira Gandhi treated me like her own daughter and I learnt a lot about India from her. In 1984, Indira ji was assassinated and I felt I had lost my mother and that incident changed my life forever,'' said Sonia Gandhi. Since childhood, Rahul Gandhi had to bear the brunt of the violence. After joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person, said Sonia Gandhi ''Rahul is my son, so I do not think for me to praise him is right but I would say that since childhood he had to bear the brunt of the violence, after joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person,'' she said. ''My support was taken away from me after Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi passed away. It took a long while to come to terms with it,'' Sonia Gandhi added. Sonia Gandhi's address was interrupted by the noise of incessant fireworks. Speaking on the occasion, former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh said that Rahul Gandhi was taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics. ''Rahulji is taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics.As a distinguished academic pointed out that there are dangers that politics of fear will take over politics of hope, Rahul ji, we depend upon you to transform and sustain politics of hope, said Manmohan Singh. The party's outgoing president Sonia Gandhi, Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi'sister Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra and several Congress party leaders and cadres were present on the occasion. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & her husband Robert Vadra reach Congress HQ at Akbar Road ahead of Rahul Gandhi taking charge as party President. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/SKBGPBVKlY — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017 × Manmohan also saluted Sonia Gandhi for uniting the party for 19 years and said that Rahul Gandhi would bring a sense of dedication and commitment as party president. ''Now, that Sonia Ji is handing over reins of the party to Rahul ji we salute Sonia Ji for uniting the leadership, something that she has been doing since 19 years. Rahul Ji brings a new sense of dedication & commitment as party president,'' Manmohan added. I am sure the party will scale new heights of glory under Rahul Gandhi, he further said.

Rahul Gandhi takes charge as Congress President

<p>Grace is the word for Sonia Gandhi. Good or bad, in&nbsp;success or in failure, Sonia Gandhi would be remembered as a graceful politician. A person who guarded her privacy with fierce intensity and also worked tirelessly to ensure that the role of Nehru-Gandhi family remains intact within the Congress and in public memory. She implemented seminal legislations like MNREGA, Right to Information and food which catered to the poorest and empowered the middle class. On the other hand, she willingly accommodated all the little dynasties within and outside her party like a social network, meshing political with personal.</p>

<p>Her approach towards secularism and economy remained Nehruvian but still allowed Manmohan Singh to go ahead with radical steps like Nuclear deal with America where Congress had to work hard to ensure that the government doesn&rsquo;t fall. She balanced her social commitment with a neo-liberal economic approach of Manmohan Singh who opened Indian economy to the world.</p>

<p>The beauty of Sonia Gandhi lies in her contradictions which she wore very gracefully. After taking over the reign of the Congress&nbsp;she behaved like dowagers, ensuring that top position remains warm for her son Rahul. It did not mean that she did not accommodate the others. She did. Not only she shared power unlike Indira Gandhi but also allowed them to exercise it. The best example is her Political Secretary Ahmad Patel who virtually ran the party for her.</p>

<p>She remained committed to environmental causes like Indira Gandhi. Her focus remained on poor, marginal labourer, farmers and tribals. Many laws enacted during her tenure earned her the wrath of the powerful industrial lobby which eventually sided with Narendra Modi. She almost got labelled as anti-industry and Manmohan Singh had to face the brunt of it. In fact, the downside of her legacy is the institution of the Prime Minister got weak in her tenure. The emergence and assertion of Rahul Gandhi and her own National Advisory Council became the tool by the Opposition to ram Manmohan Singh as an ineffective politician. No one tried to break this image which ultimately harmed Gandhi&rsquo;s more than Manmohan Singh.</p>

<p>It still remains a mystery as to how she allowed Congress to commit hara-kiri by mishandling Telangana issue. Today Congress remains pariah in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The burden of carrying Raja into the ministry despite Manmohan Singh will fall on Sonia&rsquo;s shoulder and not on Manmohan Singh. She was consensus maker but failed to understand the power of d&eacute;tente when the face of the enemy changed. She brought Congress to power twice but failed to build the party apparatus which got tuned to riding to power on sympathy surge.</p>

<p>At a personal level, Sonia&rsquo;s cold fury would be missed by many. It remained her style.</p>

<p>Another of her big achievement was that she ended the isolation of the Congress Party. She broke the paradigm of the 70s. She understood that Congress will not be able to match BJP&rsquo;s Hindutva either in soft or hard form, therefore, she built alliances with regional parties who also felt threatened.</p>

<p>She builds bridges across parties including DMK, which allowed her to form the first Congress government after 1996. She managed a galaxy of leaders like Pranab Mukherji to Natwar Singh to Madhav Rao Scindhia to Sharad Pawar during her tenure. Later the very gravitas at the top and inherited squabble between them damaged the Congress. Sonia failed to control them.</p>

<p>She also failed to see the hardening of the Hindu sentiment against the Congress and the cultured surrounding of Sonia came to be perceived as elitist. Perhaps her political nuance became dated. Modi was an outsider and she immediately became a quintessential insider.</p>

<p>She also belonged to a different era. Even today, she does not have a twitter account nor she is on Facebook. Despite being in public, Sonia Gandhi&rsquo;s influence on 10 years of UPA continues to remain hidden. Most of her correspondence with important functionaries are in public domain. It would be of great interest how she shaped policy in conversations. But all said and done, in her beauty and ugliness, in her great achievement and failure, she remained a graceful politician. Grace defines her.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


She also belonged to a different era. Even today, she does not have a twitter account or Facebook account. Good or bad, in success or in failure, Sonia Gandhi would be remembered as a graceful politician

Grace is the word for Sonia Gandhi. Good or bad, in success or in failure, Sonia Gandhi would be remembered as a graceful politician. A person who guarded her privacy with fierce intensity and also worked tirelessly to ensure that the role of Nehru-Gandhi family remains intact within the Congress and in public memory. She implemented seminal legislations like MNREGA, Right to Information and food which catered to the poorest and empowered the middle class. On the other hand, she willingly accommodated all the little dynasties within and outside her party like a social network, meshing political with personal. Her approach towards secularism and economy remained Nehruvian but still allowed Manmohan Singh to go ahead with radical steps like Nuclear deal with America where Congress had to work hard to ensure that the government doesn’t fall. She balanced her social commitment with a neo-liberal economic approach of Manmohan Singh who opened Indian economy to the world. The beauty of Sonia Gandhi lies in her contradictions which she wore very gracefully. After taking over the reign of the Congress she behaved like dowagers, ensuring that top position remains warm for her son Rahul. It did not mean that she did not accommodate the others. She did. Not only she shared power unlike Indira Gandhi but also allowed them to exercise it. The best example is her Political Secretary Ahmad Patel who virtually ran the party for her. She remained committed to environmental causes like Indira Gandhi. Her focus remained on poor, marginal labourer, farmers and tribals. Many laws enacted during her tenure earned her the wrath of the powerful industrial lobby which eventually sided with Narendra Modi. She almost got labelled as anti-industry and Manmohan Singh had to face the brunt of it. In fact, the downside of her legacy is the institution of the Prime Minister got weak in her tenure. The emergence and assertion of Rahul Gandhi and her own National Advisory Council became the tool by the Opposition to ram Manmohan Singh as an ineffective politician. No one tried to break this image which ultimately harmed Gandhi’s more than Manmohan Singh. It still remains a mystery as to how she allowed Congress to commit hara-kiri by mishandling Telangana issue. Today Congress remains pariah in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The burden of carrying Raja into the ministry despite Manmohan Singh will fall on Sonia’s shoulder and not on Manmohan Singh. She was consensus maker but failed to understand the power of détente when the face of the enemy changed. She brought Congress to power twice but failed to build the party apparatus which got tuned to riding to power on sympathy surge. At a personal level, Sonia’s cold fury would be missed by many. It remained her style. Another of her big achievement was that she ended the isolation of the Congress Party. She broke the paradigm of the 70s. She understood that Congress will not be able to match BJP’s Hindutva either in soft or hard form, therefore, she built alliances with regional parties who also felt threatened. She builds bridges across parties including DMK, which allowed her to form the first Congress government after 1996. She managed a galaxy of leaders like Pranab Mukherji to Natwar Singh to Madhav Rao Scindhia to Sharad Pawar during her tenure. Later the very gravitas at the top and inherited squabble between them damaged the Congress. Sonia failed to control them. She also failed to see the hardening of the Hindu sentiment against the Congress and the cultured surrounding of Sonia came to be perceived as elitist. Perhaps her political nuance became dated. Modi was an outsider and she immediately became a quintessential insider. She also belonged to a different era. Even today, she does not have a twitter account nor she is on Facebook. Despite being in public, Sonia Gandhi’s influence on 10 years of UPA continues to remain hidden. Most of her correspondence with important functionaries are in public domain. It would be of great interest how she shaped policy in conversations. But all said and done, in her beauty and ugliness, in her great achievement and failure, she remained a graceful politician. Grace defines her. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: An era ends, Sonia Gandhi, a graceful politician

<p>Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was elected unopposed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Since there was only one candidate, I hereby declare Rahul Gandhi elected as the president of Indian National Congress,&quot; &nbsp;Ramachandran added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ramachandran added that Rahul would officially take over on December 16.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rahul Gandhi will be handed over the certificate of his election as the party President on 16th December in AICC office: Mullappally Ramachandran, Congress <a href="https://t.co/7gb7JTW1zb">pic.twitter.com/7gb7JTW1zb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940161982342115328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rahul&#39;s elevation -- which has been in the works for some time now -- brings his mother Sonia Gandhi&#39;s presidency to an end.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sonia has been president of the Congress for 19 years, the longest tenure ever.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Other people from the Nehru-Gandhi family who have been Congress presidents have included Jawaharlal Nehru, his father Motilal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Celebrations broke out outside the Congress party headquarters after the announcement:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Celebration outside Congress office in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> after official announcement of Rahul Gandhi as the Party President. <a href="https://t.co/xRsfHp25xH">pic.twitter.com/xRsfHp25xH</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940163506040537088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>And a number of senior leaders voiced their support, but all eyes continue to remain on the Gujarat election:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He has shown his mettle in Gujarat. The entire BJP including the PM himself, 80 ministers are sitting there for a month but are still unable to counter him: Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi elected as Congress President <a href="https://t.co/Fiqhw2pS2w">pic.twitter.com/Fiqhw2pS2w</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940165917811417089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Entire country has lots of expectations from Rahul Gandhi. Much before he was elected he has shown his mettle. He knows his responsibility: Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi elected as Congress President <a href="https://t.co/yvONXuRcFZ">pic.twitter.com/yvONXuRcFZ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940164934486212608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is the worst time in India under present govt. In such time Rahul Gandhi has been elected as party President. In Gujarat, he has proved he is the only candidate who can be relied upon. He is facing Modi confidently: Tarun Gogoi on Rahul Gandhi elected as the party President <a href="https://t.co/oFyfdctNYQ">pic.twitter.com/oFyfdctNYQ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940170846898872320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Rahul Gandhi has been elected president of the Indian National Congres. He was elected unopposed. Mullappally Ramachandran of the Congress said 89 nomination proposals were received, all of which were valid. "Since there was only one candidate, I hereby declare Rahul Gandhi elected as the president of Indian National Congress," Ramachandran added. Ramachandran added that Rahul would officially take over on December 16. Rahul Gandhi will be handed over the certificate of his election as the party President on 16th December in AICC office: Mullappally Ramachandran, Congress pic.twitter.com/7gb7JTW1zb — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × Rahul's elevation -- which has been in the works for some time now -- brings his mother Sonia Gandhi's presidency to an end. Sonia has been president of the Congress for 19 years, the longest tenure ever. Other people from the Nehru-Gandhi family who have been Congress presidents have included Jawaharlal Nehru, his father Motilal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi. Celebrations broke out outside the Congress party headquarters after the announcement: Celebration outside Congress office in #Delhi after official announcement of Rahul Gandhi as the Party President. pic.twitter.com/xRsfHp25xH — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × And a number of senior leaders voiced their support, but all eyes continue to remain on the Gujarat election: He has shown his mettle in Gujarat. The entire BJP including the PM himself, 80 ministers are sitting there for a month but are still unable to counter him: Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi elected as Congress President pic.twitter.com/Fiqhw2pS2w — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × Entire country has lots of expectations from Rahul Gandhi. Much before he was elected he has shown his mettle. He knows his responsibility: Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi elected as Congress President pic.twitter.com/yvONXuRcFZ — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × This is the worst time in India under present govt. In such time Rahul Gandhi has been elected as party President. In Gujarat, he has proved he is the only candidate who can be relied upon. He is facing Modi confidently: Tarun Gogoi on Rahul Gandhi elected as the party President pic.twitter.com/oFyfdctNYQ — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 ×

Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed

<p>The job has come easy to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-the-underdog-26329">Rahul Gandhi</a> as president of the Congress party but the task in front him is cut out. He takes over from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-turns-71-cong-leaders-and-workers-throng-residence-26315">Sonia Gandhi</a> who is the longest serving president of the Congress. Sonia Gandhi had certain comforts when she took over the Congress which Rahul does not enjoy, so there are less similarities between both events apart from the family name. Rahul inherits tougher and more challenging circumstances.</p>

<p>Sonia took over reins of the Congress in similar but less enduring circumstances and brought it to power by 2004. For Rahul, things are tougher. Sample this: Unlike 2003-04, Congress has collapsed in many states, number of states under Congress is miniscule, till 2003, the party still had many strong state leaders and seasoned politicians from Rajiv and Indira days which in 2017 are either not there or on the verge of retirement.</p>

<p><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-elected-congress-president-unopposed-26455">Also Read: Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed</a></strong></p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has his set of team but most of them have not served at the top rung of the UPA and for that reason for some time will have to depend on the older set when it comes to Parliament.</p>

<p>Sonia once in charge, gradually brought faces who were handpicked either by Indira or Sanjay Gandhi. Very few from the core team of Rajiv Gandhi were able to make to her inner circle. Whether it was Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh, Ambika Soni, Margaret Alva, Gulam Nabi Azad, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, Kamalnath, Hansraj Bhardwaj, AK Antony or Ahmad Patel, they had cut teeth into politics much before Sonia Gandhi entered politics.</p>

<p>On top of it, she had to face much gentler Atal Bihari Vajpayee who never brought his political battle to the Gandhi family&#39;s home or bastion. On the other hand, Narendra Modi has done all of that. He has made dynasty an issue for Congress, charged them as un-Indian, and openly questioned the Congress abroad. All of it cannot be pinned on Rahul because political flanks were left vulnerable by the Congress and he took advantage of it. Rahul Gandhi will have to deal with all of them apart from a very visible RSS which was not the case under Vajpayee government. Rahul Gandhi will have to work through states where Congress has an organizational vacuum. These states are in plenty unlike 1999. These states are Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Together, they constitute more than 200 Lok Sabha seats. And it does not stop here. For the first time, even North East is vulnerable where BJP has made massive in roads. For this reason, Rahul Gandhi&#39;s journey is going to be tougher.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
But in politics nothing succeeds like success. The differentiator between Modi and the rest is that he is a vote catcher and that too a mammoth one. Secondly, despite murmurs he unites all the BJP workers if not the leaders.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi has neither proved to be a vote catcher nor a glue to keep the Congress united. In past, most of the Congress leaders from the state and Centre left the Congress accusing Rahul Gandhi. If Rahul Gandhi can unite the Congress party, it will be his first big step. The second step would be to have a victory solely attributable to him.</p>

<p>Third and the most important challenge for Rahul Gandhi would be to create a balance between building a coalition to keep BJP at bay and building Congress party brick by brick which has been corroded from seam by the very regional parties which had supported it at the Centre. Right now, the core has shrunk and regional parties have become assertive to a point where Congress is being treated as one amongst many.</p>

<p>Lastly, he needs to be seen as a sole challenger to Modi in India. He cannot afford another to be like Kejriwal. He has shown a bit of it in Gujarat. If this sense of challenge continues to emanate from Rahul Gandhi, he will be considered as the sole challenger by public against Modi. The public would say that Rahul Gandhi has arrived. For now, jury is out and all eyes are set on Gujarat where Congress has given a good fight.</p>

<p><strong>Watch this WION Special</strong></p>

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Rahul Gandhi has his set of team but most of them have not served at the top rung of the UPA and for that reason for some time will have to depend on the older set when it comes to Parliament.

The job has come easy to Rahul Gandhi as president of the Congress party but the task in front him is cut out. He takes over from Sonia Gandhi who is the longest serving president of the Congress. Sonia Gandhi had certain comforts when she took over the Congress which Rahul does not enjoy, so there are less similarities between both events apart from the family name. Rahul inherits tougher and more challenging circumstances. Sonia took over reins of the Congress in similar but less enduring circumstances and brought it to power by 2004. For Rahul, things are tougher. Sample this: Unlike 2003-04, Congress has collapsed in many states, number of states under Congress is miniscule, till 2003, the party still had many strong state leaders and seasoned politicians from Rajiv and Indira days which in 2017 are either not there or on the verge of retirement. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi elected Congress president, unopposed Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has his set of team but most of them have not served at the top rung of the UPA and for that reason for some time will have to depend on the older set when it comes to Parliament. Sonia once in charge, gradually brought faces who were handpicked either by Indira or Sanjay Gandhi. Very few from the core team of Rajiv Gandhi were able to make to her inner circle. Whether it was Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh, Ambika Soni, Margaret Alva, Gulam Nabi Azad, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, Kamalnath, Hansraj Bhardwaj, AK Antony or Ahmad Patel, they had cut teeth into politics much before Sonia Gandhi entered politics. On top of it, she had to face much gentler Atal Bihari Vajpayee who never brought his political battle to the Gandhi family's home or bastion. On the other hand, Narendra Modi has done all of that. He has made dynasty an issue for Congress, charged them as un-Indian, and openly questioned the Congress abroad. All of it cannot be pinned on Rahul because political flanks were left vulnerable by the Congress and he took advantage of it. Rahul Gandhi will have to deal with all of them apart from a very visible RSS which was not the case under Vajpayee government. Rahul Gandhi will have to work through states where Congress has an organizational vacuum. These states are in plenty unlike 1999. These states are Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Together, they constitute more than 200 Lok Sabha seats. And it does not stop here. For the first time, even North East is vulnerable where BJP has made massive in roads. For this reason, Rahul Gandhi's journey is going to be tougher. But in politics nothing succeeds like success. The differentiator between Modi and the rest is that he is a vote catcher and that too a mammoth one. Secondly, despite murmurs he unites all the BJP workers if not the leaders. Rahul Gandhi has neither proved to be a vote catcher nor a glue to keep the Congress united. In past, most of the Congress leaders from the state and Centre left the Congress accusing Rahul Gandhi. If Rahul Gandhi can unite the Congress party, it will be his first big step. The second step would be to have a victory solely attributable to him. Third and the most important challenge for Rahul Gandhi would be to create a balance between building a coalition to keep BJP at bay and building Congress party brick by brick which has been corroded from seam by the very regional parties which had supported it at the Centre. Right now, the core has shrunk and regional parties have become assertive to a point where Congress is being treated as one amongst many. Lastly, he needs to be seen as a sole challenger to Modi in India. He cannot afford another to be like Kejriwal. He has shown a bit of it in Gujarat. If this sense of challenge continues to emanate from Rahul Gandhi, he will be considered as the sole challenger by public against Modi. The public would say that Rahul Gandhi has arrived. For now, jury is out and all eyes are set on Gujarat where Congress has given a good fight. Watch this WION Special ×

Rahul takes over as Congress president, but faces greater challenges than mother Sonia Gandhi

<p>Rahul Gandhi is likely to assume the reins of the Congress on December 16, marking a generational shift in the grand old party when his mother and its longest-serving president would formally hand over the baton to him.</p>

<p>While pageantry would herald the dawn of a new era in the party which has ruled the country for over half-a-century since independence, the 47-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family will face the daunting task of restoring lost glory to the party whose fortunes have been dwindling in the recent past.</p>

<p>Today, the party, which once controlled almost the entire country, has its governments in just five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry.</p>

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<h5>A sure-footed Rahul Gandhi powered a spirited campaign for the Congress in Gujarat, and a win in the election, which many analysts say could be a&nbsp;dead heat between the two parties, would come as a massive boost for him</h5>
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<p>The announcement of Rahul Gandhi&#39;s elevation, however, is likely to be made tomorrow, the last date of withdrawal of nomination for the election of the Congress president which is a one horse race.</p>

<p>Altogether 89 nominations received in his favour were found to be valid during scrutiny.</p>

<p>The Congress&#39;s Central Election Authority chairman Mullapally Ramachandran, and CEA members Madhusudan Mistry and Bhubaneswar Kalita will announce that Gandhi&#39;s was the only nomination for the top job tomorrow.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi would, however, be handed over the certificate appointing him the party president on December 16 in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders, Ramachandran said.</p>

<p>Sonia Gandhi will officially hand over the mantle of the 132-year-old party to her son around 11am after which Rahul Gandhi will meet leaders from across the country at the Congress&#39;s headquarters, party sources said.</p>

<p>The Congress has been losing state after state since the 2014 Lok Sabha election with the exception of Punjab.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi&#39;s elevation would come just two days ahead of the counting of votes for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly poll.</p>

<p>A sure-footed Rahul Gandhi powered a spirited campaign for the Congress in Gujarat, and a win in the election, which many analysts say could be a&nbsp;dead heat between the two parties, would come as a massive boost for him.</p>

<p>&quot;Delivering in Gujarat will be important as it is the immediate test facing Rahul Gandhi, who has mounted a strong anti-BJP campaign in the state and led personally from the front. We are looking at victory in Gujarat,&quot; said a Congress leader and former chief minister.</p>

<p>Mahila Congress chief and party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said reorganising the party would be another major task for him.</p>

<p>&quot;Every post comes with a challenge. He has to rebuild the party at the grassroots and strengthen the ideological base. His undisputed election as party president is a sign of his strength. He will have to take everyone along from the AICC level right up to the states,&quot; she told PTI.</p>

<p>Striking a balance between the old guard and the young leaders would be a key to running the organisation which has many seasoned politicians whose wisdom he could use as he steers the party.</p>

<p>Gandhi had said in the past that he would draw upon a blend of experience of the old and the energy of the young.</p>

<p>&quot;Initial signs are encouraging since he put veterans like Ashok Gehlot and Sushil Kumar Shinde in charge of elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh respectively and was willing to bank on them,&quot; said a leader. He also got appointed young leaders as secretaries.</p>

<p>Clarity on the party&#39;s ideological stand on the issue of Hindutva would also be important as he is being seen as projecting the Congress&#39;s soft Hindutva with his visit to temples in Gujarat. He has also proclaimed himself a &quot;Shiv bhakt&quot;.</p>

<p>These visits are also being seen as an attempt to blunt the BJP&#39;s accusation against the party of Muslim appeasement.</p>

<p>&quot;This is to course-correct after it was felt that an overtly pro-minority image of the Congress undermined its electoral prospects on the eve of 2014 Lok Sabha elections,&quot; a party veteran noted, adding cobbling together electoral alliances will also be key to the future growth of the party.</p>

<p>Another former union minister said every state had its own set of challenges and Gandhi would be expected to take informed decisions in each by taking everyone along.</p>

<p>Gandhi has already been taking all major decisions in the party even though his formal elevation was delayed due to a long-drawn internal election process.</p>

<p>The deadline set by the Election Commission for conclusion of the organisational elections in the Congress expires on December 31.</p>

<p>Organisational elections in the Congress were due in 2015. The party constitution provides for elections to be held every five years. The last such polls were held in 2010.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi, who was initially hesitant about taking over the reins from Sonia Gandhi, who held the party&#39;s top post for 19 years, will be the sixth member and fifth generation leader of the Nehru-Gandhi clan to occupy the post. These include Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi.</p>

<p>Some eminent leaders who held the post in the pre- independence era included Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Abul Kalam Azad, Vallabhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad.</p>

<p>Eminent people like Madan Mohan Malviya, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Dadabhai Naoroji, Annie Besant and Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, the first party president, also led the party in the pre-independence era.</p>


The announcement though is expected to be made tomorrow

Rahul Gandhi is likely to assume the reins of the Congress on December 16, marking a generational shift in the grand old party when his mother and its longest-serving president would formally hand over the baton to him. While pageantry would herald the dawn of a new era in the party which has ruled the country for over half-a-century since independence, the 47-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family will face the daunting task of restoring lost glory to the party whose fortunes have been dwindling in the recent past. Today, the party, which once controlled almost the entire country, has its governments in just five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. A sure-footed Rahul Gandhi powered a spirited campaign for the Congress in Gujarat, and a win in the election, which many analysts say could be a dead heat between the two parties, would come as a massive boost for him × The announcement of Rahul Gandhi's elevation, however, is likely to be made tomorrow, the last date of withdrawal of nomination for the election of the Congress president which is a one horse race. Altogether 89 nominations received in his favour were found to be valid during scrutiny. The Congress's Central Election Authority chairman Mullapally Ramachandran, and CEA members Madhusudan Mistry and Bhubaneswar Kalita will announce that Gandhi's was the only nomination for the top job tomorrow. Rahul Gandhi would, however, be handed over the certificate appointing him the party president on December 16 in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders, Ramachandran said. Sonia Gandhi will officially hand over the mantle of the 132-year-old party to her son around 11am after which Rahul Gandhi will meet leaders from across the country at the Congress's headquarters, party sources said. The Congress has been losing state after state since the 2014 Lok Sabha election with the exception of Punjab. Rahul Gandhi's elevation would come just two days ahead of the counting of votes for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly poll. A sure-footed Rahul Gandhi powered a spirited campaign for the Congress in Gujarat, and a win in the election, which many analysts say could be a dead heat between the two parties, would come as a massive boost for him. "Delivering in Gujarat will be important as it is the immediate test facing Rahul Gandhi, who has mounted a strong anti-BJP campaign in the state and led personally from the front. We are looking at victory in Gujarat," said a Congress leader and former chief minister. Mahila Congress chief and party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said reorganising the party would be another major task for him. "Every post comes with a challenge. He has to rebuild the party at the grassroots and strengthen the ideological base. His undisputed election as party president is a sign of his strength. He will have to take everyone along from the AICC level right up to the states," she told PTI. Striking a balance between the old guard and the young leaders would be a key to running the organisation which has many seasoned politicians whose wisdom he could use as he steers the party. Gandhi had said in the past that he would draw upon a blend of experience of the old and the energy of the young. "Initial signs are encouraging since he put veterans like Ashok Gehlot and Sushil Kumar Shinde in charge of elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh respectively and was willing to bank on them," said a leader. He also got appointed young leaders as secretaries. Clarity on the party's ideological stand on the issue of Hindutva would also be important as he is being seen as projecting the Congress's soft Hindutva with his visit to temples in Gujarat. He has also proclaimed himself a "Shiv bhakt". These visits are also being seen as an attempt to blunt the BJP's accusation against the party of Muslim appeasement. "This is to course-correct after it was felt that an overtly pro-minority image of the Congress undermined its electoral prospects on the eve of 2014 Lok Sabha elections," a party veteran noted, adding cobbling together electoral alliances will also be key to the future growth of the party. Another former union minister said every state had its own set of challenges and Gandhi would be expected to take informed decisions in each by taking everyone along. Gandhi has already been taking all major decisions in the party even though his formal elevation was delayed due to a long-drawn internal election process. The deadline set by the Election Commission for conclusion of the organisational elections in the Congress expires on December 31. Organisational elections in the Congress were due in 2015. The party constitution provides for elections to be held every five years. The last such polls were held in 2010. Rahul Gandhi, who was initially hesitant about taking over the reins from Sonia Gandhi, who held the party's top post for 19 years, will be the sixth member and fifth generation leader of the Nehru-Gandhi clan to occupy the post. These include Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi. Some eminent leaders who held the post in the pre- independence era included Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Abul Kalam Azad, Vallabhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad. Eminent people like Madan Mohan Malviya, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Dadabhai Naoroji, Annie Besant and Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, the first party president, also led the party in the pre-independence era.

Rahul Gandhi likely to take over as Congress president on December 16

<p>Yesterday it was declared that Rahul Gandhi will be the president of Congress party. Rahul Gandhi has submitted his application for the president&#39;s post. Top leaders and senior persons are blessing him. Congress supporters all over India are celebrating too. Rahul Gandhi himself went to Pranab Mukherjee&#39;s house to seek blessings. Senior members like Sushil Shinde and former chief minister of New Delhi, Sheila Dixit congratulated him. Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh also came to greet him.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This shows that Rahul Gandhi is all set to be the president of the Congress party. You will be surprised to know that there is a committee also which has been set up for choosing the party president.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>On 5th December, the committee will check the enrolled names. Then it will be clear whether any other person is in the race or not. Then on the 16th, the voting will happen and on 19th the results will be out.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>But sources claim that the coronation ceremony will take place on 11th December itself as there is no scope for any other contender.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Party workers are very happy as they are considering Rahul Gandhi as the new hope and beginning of a new era. But amidst all of this, Manishankar Ayyar of Congress gave a controversial statement and mentioned about Jehangir,&nbsp; Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. After that Prime minister Narendra Modi compared Rahul Gandhi with Aurangzeb.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Again history has become very important for people. People are talking about Mughals and especially about Aurangzeb. Today&#39;s generation thinks whatever is written in the books is true.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You must have heard the glorious sagas of the Mughal emperors from many intellectuals. Many people are talking about Mughal emperors and some of these intellectuals claim Akbar as the champion of secularism. They also say that during the reign of the Mughals, India became the &quot;golden bird&quot;. The economy was racing ahead, and Aurangzeb brought many changes for the betterment of the economy.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>While researching, we read M A Khan&#39;s book &quot;Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism, and Slavery&quot;. He has written a lot about the Mughal empire. We also read a book by Fran&ccedil;ois Gautier &quot;Rewriting Indian History&quot;.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The most pertinent question is, was secularism introduced by Mughal emperor Akbar?</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>M A Khan has mentioned in his book that Akbar invaded Chittor in 1568 and killed almost 8000 Rajput soldiers. He forced all the widows to become the slaves but they refused and did Jauhar (Self-immolation) to save their honour. M A Khan has written a lot about Mughal cruelty.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>M A Khan has mentioned one book named &quot;Al-Tareekh&quot; by a historian Ibn Aksari. He cited that Aurangzeb used to give higher posts to the Hindu by changing their religion. If a Hindu prisoner showed readiness to change their religion then he used to release him.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the year 1658, Aurangzeb said he would give Rs 4&nbsp; to men and Rs 2&nbsp; to women if they change their religion.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were tax exemptions also for those who used to change their religion.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>On page 39, Fran&ccedil;ois Gautier has written in his book &quot;Rewriting Indian history&quot; that the temples were demolished and mosques were built in that place. The document written at the time of Aurangzeb has details that 63 temples were demolished. Abu Tarab was appointed for it and he used to look after the demolition.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the book &quot;The world Economy&quot; it is mentioned that in the Gupta empire, India&#39;s GDP was 30 per cent of world&#39;s GDP. During Aurangzeb&#39;s rule,&nbsp; India&#39;s GDP was 22.5 per cent.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gupta empire is 1300 years older than Mughal empire. That means India was quite a prosperous nation far before the Mughals came.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is unfortunate that when European countries are moving towards industrialisation, Indian politicians, in very similar ways to that of Aurangzeb, are making new policies to paint the country with communal colours.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


It is unfortunate that when European countries are moving towards industrialisation, Indian politicians, in very similar ways to that of Aurangzeb, are making new policies to paint the country with communal colours.

Yesterday it was declared that Rahul Gandhi will be the president of Congress party. Rahul Gandhi has submitted his application for the president's post. Top leaders and senior persons are blessing him. Congress supporters all over India are celebrating too. Rahul Gandhi himself went to Pranab Mukherjee's house to seek blessings. Senior members like Sushil Shinde and former chief minister of New Delhi, Sheila Dixit congratulated him. Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh also came to greet him. This shows that Rahul Gandhi is all set to be the president of the Congress party. You will be surprised to know that there is a committee also which has been set up for choosing the party president. On 5th December, the committee will check the enrolled names. Then it will be clear whether any other person is in the race or not. Then on the 16th, the voting will happen and on 19th the results will be out. But sources claim that the coronation ceremony will take place on 11th December itself as there is no scope for any other contender. Party workers are very happy as they are considering Rahul Gandhi as the new hope and beginning of a new era. But amidst all of this, Manishankar Ayyar of Congress gave a controversial statement and mentioned about Jehangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. After that Prime minister Narendra Modi compared Rahul Gandhi with Aurangzeb. Again history has become very important for people. People are talking about Mughals and especially about Aurangzeb. Today's generation thinks whatever is written in the books is true. You must have heard the glorious sagas of the Mughal emperors from many intellectuals. Many people are talking about Mughal emperors and some of these intellectuals claim Akbar as the champion of secularism. They also say that during the reign of the Mughals, India became the "golden bird". The economy was racing ahead, and Aurangzeb brought many changes for the betterment of the economy. While researching, we read M A Khan's book "Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism, and Slavery". He has written a lot about the Mughal empire. We also read a book by François Gautier "Rewriting Indian History". The most pertinent question is, was secularism introduced by Mughal emperor Akbar? M A Khan has mentioned in his book that Akbar invaded Chittor in 1568 and killed almost 8000 Rajput soldiers. He forced all the widows to become the slaves but they refused and did Jauhar (Self-immolation) to save their honour. M A Khan has written a lot about Mughal cruelty. M A Khan has mentioned one book named "Al-Tareekh" by a historian Ibn Aksari. He cited that Aurangzeb used to give higher posts to the Hindu by changing their religion. If a Hindu prisoner showed readiness to change their religion then he used to release him. In the year 1658, Aurangzeb said he would give Rs 4 to men and Rs 2 to women if they change their religion. There were tax exemptions also for those who used to change their religion. On page 39, François Gautier has written in his book "Rewriting Indian history" that the temples were demolished and mosques were built in that place. The document written at the time of Aurangzeb has details that 63 temples were demolished. Abu Tarab was appointed for it and he used to look after the demolition. In the book "The world Economy" it is mentioned that in the Gupta empire, India's GDP was 30 per cent of world's GDP. During Aurangzeb's rule, India's GDP was 22.5 per cent. Gupta empire is 1300 years older than Mughal empire. That means India was quite a prosperous nation far before the Mughals came. It is unfortunate that when European countries are moving towards industrialisation, Indian politicians, in very similar ways to that of Aurangzeb, are making new policies to paint the country with communal colours. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Rahul's coronation and not so glorious reign of Aurangzeb

<p>The ruling Congress in Meghalaya has suffered another jolt with state party president and four-time chief minister DD Lapang deciding to opt out of assembly poll race, due early next year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- deputy chief minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 85-year-old veteran leader met All India Congress&nbsp;Committee president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi yesterday to inform her of his decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;She wished me well and said I should continue to keep the party united and share my experience and advisories with the workers and leaders,&quot; Lapang said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former CM also exchanged greetings with Meghalaya party in-charge C P Joshi during a meeting called to discuss the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had informed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma about his decision prior to his meeting with Sonia Gandhi yesterday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lapang had won the Nongpoh seat in the 1972 assembly elections as an Independent candidate. He later joined the Congress and was elected chief minister in 1992, 2003, 2007 and 2009.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, he never completed his tenure as the chief minister.</p>


Lapang's announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- Deputy Chief Minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya has suffered another jolt with state party president and four-time chief minister DD Lapang deciding to opt out of assembly poll race, due early next year. His announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- deputy chief minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions. The 85-year-old veteran leader met All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi yesterday to inform her of his decision. "She wished me well and said I should continue to keep the party united and share my experience and advisories with the workers and leaders," Lapang said in a statement. The former CM also exchanged greetings with Meghalaya party in-charge C P Joshi during a meeting called to discuss the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president. He had informed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma about his decision prior to his meeting with Sonia Gandhi yesterday. Lapang had won the Nongpoh seat in the 1972 assembly elections as an Independent candidate. He later joined the Congress and was elected chief minister in 1992, 2003, 2007 and 2009. However, he never completed his tenure as the chief minister.

Meghalaya Congress President DD Lapang opts out of Assembly poll race

<p>Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination for the post of the party&#39;s president today morning.</p>

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<p><br />
The Congress vice-president&nbsp;is likely to step into the shoes of his mother Sonia Gandhi who who has been holding the post of Congress president for nearly two decades.</p>

<p>Today is the last day for the filing of nominations, the process for which began on Friday. Rahul is expected to run unopposed for the post of the party chief. However, the news can only be confirmed once&nbsp;the names of contenders are published on Tuesday&nbsp;after scrutiny of nominations.</p>

<p>Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he thought Rahul Gandhi would make a &quot;very good prime minister&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;If you ask me, I think he will make a very good Prime Minister,&quot;&nbsp;Captain Amarinder Singh told ANI.</p>

<p>Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was equally effusive in his praise, calling Rahul Gandhi the &quot;darling of the Congress&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;Rahul Gandhi is a darling of the Congress and he will carry forward the great traditions of the party,&quot; the former prime minister said.</p>

<p>Rahul&#39;s nomination comes amid a much-publicised discord.</p>

<p>Former Maharashtra Congress secretary&nbsp;Shehzad Poonawalla&nbsp;today called the election an eyewash.</p>

<p>&quot;My sources are telling me that there is talk among the courtiers that a dummy candidate should be brought in so that this looks like an election. However, now they cannot throw dust in the eyes of the people,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Shehzad Poonawalla had recently alleged that the party&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-office-insulted-me-shehzad-poonawala-25756">presidential elections were rigged</a>.</p>

<p>He had&nbsp;said that they are a &quot;selection&quot;, not an &quot;election&quot; and claimed that he has information that the delegates who will vote in the election for the post of party president had been appointed for their loyalty.</p>

<p>On November 20, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the Congress party president.</p>

<p>The party has set December 16 as the date of polls -- &quot;if necessary&quot;. That is if there is any candidate other than Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on December 19.</p>

<p>If there is no candidate other than Rahul Gandhi, the Congress will declare him president of the party on the last date of scrutiny.</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from ANI</em>)</p>


The Congress vice-president?is likely to step into the shoes of his mother Sonia Gandhi who who has been holding the post pf Congress president for nearly two decades

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination for the post of the party's president today morning. Delhi: Rahul Gandhi at AICC HQ,files nomination for Congress President pic.twitter.com/QUHFFtHNXb — ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2017 × Rahul Gandhi with Dr.Manmohan Singh and other senior party leaders at AICC HQ after filing nomination pic.twitter.com/ilzQEu68tH — ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2017 × Delhi: Rahul Gandhi with senior party leaders Mohsina Kidwai and Sheila Dikshit after filing nomination for Congress President pic.twitter.com/bxVrQRkM9S — ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2017 × The Congress vice-president is likely to step into the shoes of his mother Sonia Gandhi who who has been holding the post of Congress president for nearly two decades. Today is the last day for the filing of nominations, the process for which began on Friday. Rahul is expected to run unopposed for the post of the party chief. However, the news can only be confirmed once the names of contenders are published on Tuesday after scrutiny of nominations. Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he thought Rahul Gandhi would make a "very good prime minister". "If you ask me, I think he will make a very good Prime Minister," Captain Amarinder Singh told ANI. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was equally effusive in his praise, calling Rahul Gandhi the "darling of the Congress". "Rahul Gandhi is a darling of the Congress and he will carry forward the great traditions of the party," the former prime minister said. Rahul's nomination comes amid a much-publicised discord. Former Maharashtra Congress secretary Shehzad Poonawalla today called the election an eyewash. "My sources are telling me that there is talk among the courtiers that a dummy candidate should be brought in so that this looks like an election. However, now they cannot throw dust in the eyes of the people," he said. Shehzad Poonawalla had recently alleged that the party's presidential elections were rigged. He had said that they are a "selection", not an "election" and claimed that he has information that the delegates who will vote in the election for the post of party president had been appointed for their loyalty. On November 20, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the Congress party president. The party has set December 16 as the date of polls -- "if necessary". That is if there is any candidate other than Gandhi. The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on December 19. If there is no candidate other than Rahul Gandhi, the Congress will declare him president of the party on the last date of scrutiny. (With inputs from ANI)

Rahul Gandhi files nomination for Congress president, Amarinder Singh says 'will make very good prime minister'

<p>After waiting in the wings for years, the 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi is set to succeed his mother Sonia Gandhi as Congress president and is likely to be elected unopposed like she has been for the last 17 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Gandhi scion shot to public limelight in March 2004 when he announced his entry into politics by contesting and winning Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2004, retaining the family stronghold with a victory margin of over 100,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi was appointed General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on 24 September 2007 and was elevated to the position of the vice-president of the party in January 2013.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Education:&nbsp;</strong><br />
Rahul Gandhi attended St. Columba&#39;s School in Delhi before entering The Doon School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand from 1981 to 1983. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In 1989, he joined St. Stephen&#39;s College, Delhi but moved to Harvard University after first-year examinations. In 1991, after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, he shifted to Rollins College in Florida, USA, due to security concerns and obtained his B.A. in 1994. During his time at Rollins, he assumed the pseudonym Raul Vinci and his identity was known only to the university officials and security agencies. He further went on to obtain an M.Phil from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995. &nbsp;</p>

<p>After graduation, Rahul Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm, in London. In 2002, he was one of the directors of Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm Backops Services Private Ltd. &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Controversies: &nbsp;&nbsp;</strong><br />
During a rally in Allahabad, Gandhi said &quot;Poverty is just a state of mind. It does not mean the scarcity of food, money or material things. If one possesses self-confidence, then one can overcome poverty.&quot; The phrase &quot;state of mind&quot; drew sharp criticism with BJP Uttar Pradesh spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleging him to be mocking the poor.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
In 2013, Rahul Gandhi rejected as &quot;complete nonsense&quot; the ordinance to save convicted legislators from disqualification. In a powerful intervention, he sealed the fate of the contentious legislation, embarrassed PM Manmohan Singh hours before his meeting with Barack Obama in Washington DC and publicly rebuked the party, old guard. &quot;I&#39;ll tell you what my opinion on the ordinance is. It&#39;s complete nonsense. It should be torn up and thrown away. That is my personal opinion,&quot; Rahul said then said, stunning his audience at a press meet where he made a surprise entry.</p>

<p>Rahul will face his first big test as soon as he becomes president with the Gujarat elections set to take place next month.</p>

<p>Gujarat has proved to be Congress&#39;s Waterloo ever since Modi took over the reins back in 2001, however, this time with Modi as PM, the Congress leader often ridiculed and dismissed as &quot;Pappu&quot;&nbsp;by the opposition will have to prove his credentials in a&nbsp;political slugfest which will no doubt set the tone for him and the party.</p>


In 1991, after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, Rahul Gandhi shifted to Rollins College in Florida, USA, due to security concerns and obtained his B.A. in 1994.

After waiting in the wings for years, the 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi is set to succeed his mother Sonia Gandhi as Congress president and is likely to be elected unopposed like she has been for the last 17 years. The Gandhi scion shot to public limelight in March 2004 when he announced his entry into politics by contesting and winning Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2004, retaining the family stronghold with a victory margin of over 100,000. Gandhi was appointed General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on 24 September 2007 and was elevated to the position of the vice-president of the party in January 2013. Education: Rahul Gandhi attended St. Columba's School in Delhi before entering The Doon School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand from 1981 to 1983. In 1989, he joined St. Stephen's College, Delhi but moved to Harvard University after first-year examinations. In 1991, after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, he shifted to Rollins College in Florida, USA, due to security concerns and obtained his B.A. in 1994. During his time at Rollins, he assumed the pseudonym Raul Vinci and his identity was known only to the university officials and security agencies. He further went on to obtain an M.Phil from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995. After graduation, Rahul Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group, a management consulting firm, in London. In 2002, he was one of the directors of Mumbai-based technology outsourcing firm Backops Services Private Ltd. Controversies: During a rally in Allahabad, Gandhi said "Poverty is just a state of mind. It does not mean the scarcity of food, money or material things. If one possesses self-confidence, then one can overcome poverty." The phrase "state of mind" drew sharp criticism with BJP Uttar Pradesh spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleging him to be mocking the poor. In 2013, Rahul Gandhi rejected as "complete nonsense" the ordinance to save convicted legislators from disqualification. In a powerful intervention, he sealed the fate of the contentious legislation, embarrassed PM Manmohan Singh hours before his meeting with Barack Obama in Washington DC and publicly rebuked the party, old guard. "I'll tell you what my opinion on the ordinance is. It's complete nonsense. It should be torn up and thrown away. That is my personal opinion," Rahul said then said, stunning his audience at a press meet where he made a surprise entry. Rahul will face his first big test as soon as he becomes president with the Gujarat elections set to take place next month. Gujarat has proved to be Congress's Waterloo ever since Modi took over the reins back in 2001, however, this time with Modi as PM, the Congress leader often ridiculed and dismissed as "Pappu" by the opposition will have to prove his credentials in a political slugfest which will no doubt set the tone for him and the party.

From 'prince' to Congress president: Story of Rahul Gandhi's ascension

<p>The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is underway at 10 Janpath. Several prominent leaders of the party are taking part in the meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The CWC, party&#39;s highest decision-making body, is likely to set the ball rolling for Rahul Gandhi&#39;s elevation as Congress president.</p>

<p>After missing several deadlines, the CWC &nbsp;is expected to approve an election today.</p>

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<p>According to the party constitution, the CWC meeting is required to approve the schedule for the election of the party president. This will be the final step for Rahul &nbsp;Gandhi to be elevated as President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).</p>

<p>And as it is unlikely that there will be a contender to challenge Rahul, his election will be complete by mid-December.</p>

<p>The decision came after a meeting was held on Saturday.</p>

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<p>The elevation of Rahul Gandhi will mean that he will also be heading the final phase of the politically crucial Gujarat elections as AICC chief.</p>

<p>Rahul&#39;s taking charge of the party will bring the end of an era of Sonia Gandi heading as party chief and it will end a long apprenticeship that saw Rahul being named vice-president in January 2013.</p>


After missing several deadlines, the CWC is expected to approve an election today

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is underway at 10 Janpath. Several prominent leaders of the party are taking part in the meeting. The CWC, party's highest decision-making body, is likely to set the ball rolling for Rahul Gandhi's elevation as Congress president. After missing several deadlines, the CWC is expected to approve an election today. Delhi: Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting underway at 10, Janpath pic.twitter.com/pBjydJoqij — ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2017 × According to the party constitution, the CWC meeting is required to approve the schedule for the election of the party president. This will be the final step for Rahul Gandhi to be elevated as President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). And as it is unlikely that there will be a contender to challenge Rahul, his election will be complete by mid-December. The decision came after a meeting was held on Saturday. Delhi: Congress Working Committee(CWC) meeting to begin shortly, leaders arrive at 10 Janpath pic.twitter.com/pHKnqYdLDd — ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2017 × The elevation of Rahul Gandhi will mean that he will also be heading the final phase of the politically crucial Gujarat elections as AICC chief. Rahul's taking charge of the party will bring the end of an era of Sonia Gandi heading as party chief and it will end a long apprenticeship that saw Rahul being named vice-president in January 2013.

CWC meet gets underway at 10 Janpath, to pave way for Rahul Gandhi's elevation as party president

<p>Rahul Gandhi is all set to take over as the Congress President. The change is happening at a&nbsp;time when Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s media campaign has started to make an impression on the public. How deep and lasting the impression will be is a question whose answer will only be available&nbsp;in the results of upcoming elections.&nbsp; It is difficult to assess public figures in sub-continental politics as political structures remain feudal but Rahul&rsquo;s assessment will have to be done on what he did and what he seems to be doing.</p>

<p>The real Gandhi is a mystery. His actions will tell us the real story. Whether he is a misunderstood leader or a flawed one, his actions will define him as he stands on the cusp of change.</p>

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<h5>Rahul Gandhi is a leader in search of a victory. His party has seen many but he hasn&rsquo;t tasted one which can solely be attributed to his abilities.</h5>
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<p>On the first look, he is a leader in search of a victory. His party has seen many but he hasn&rsquo;t tasted one which can solely be attributed to his abilities. He tried his luck in Uttar Pradesh but failed thrice. He is giving his best in Gujarat but the jury is still out on it. In every politics, leaders are foremost defined by their victories and mass appeal. The ability of a leader to deliver elections make or break him.</p>

<p>This rule also applies to Rahul Gandhi. Any victory attributed to him will redefine him. He is in search of his. He is in search of his mass appeal which runs bigger than his party. In our feudal sub-continent, a leader is considered &lsquo;arrived&rsquo; when his footprint exceeds that of his party. Sonia delivered 2004 Lok Sabha elections and Manmohan Singh 2009. They were loved and rewarded for it. Sonia as a coalition builder and Mr Singh as Singh is King. Both Sonia and Manmohan Singh changed with the time and so has Rahul Gandhi.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Whether it is a lasting tilak on his forehead or multiple temple visits, he has made those rituals public for the larger body to see that he understands the diversity of Hinduism and is keen to participate in it. Earlier, he wanted to change the party and today he wants to be the glue which brings everyone together. His earlier version of secularism was rooted in his European experience but today it travels a civilisational path where the state remains secular but civil society&rsquo;s behaviour gets moderated by the largest majority of the country.</p>

<p>Obviously, he doesn&rsquo;t accept its zealotry but accepts that there nothing wrong in expressing political thought through classical religious or cultural idioms like &#39;machli ki aankh&#39; which did in monday&rsquo;s CWC which is associated with Arjuna&rsquo;s &lsquo;focus&rsquo; in Mahabharat.</p>

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<h5>Rahul is both weakness and strength of the Congress party. He unites the party but also ensures that mobility is restricted to the second tier.</h5>
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<p>He has a very well entrenched and sophisticated opponent in Modi. He represents the worst fears of the Congress. PM cut from the traditional cloth of RSS against whom the founding fathers of the Congress battled. His life too will be full of contradictions. Rahul is both weakness and strength of the Congress party. He unites the party but also ensures that mobility is restricted to the second tier.</p>

<p>He can allow families greater political space than BJP but cannot stop them for the sake of organisational parity. YSR Reddy&rsquo;s legacy is a classic example of it when his son Jagan Mohan Reddy rebelled against the Congress.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s journey has been that of privilege but it brought in its own set of contradictions. Rahul was new and untainted. He was fresh with ideas. The Congress party was set in the ways and since Rahul Gandhi came top down, the changes became even more difficult to effect. His ideas drew legitimacy from his lineage and not popular appeal. Things Kejriwal and Modi did Rahul could not because he had to deal with a well-placed power arrangement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He wanted to do surgery on a system which enabled Congress to stay in power but also corroded its organisational base. Congress had the freedom of alliance but the very openness became its bane as regional powers profited at their expense.&nbsp;Congress stuck to the status quo, fearing that BJP would come to power. The very right enabled the regime but became an extra baggage as Opposition lumped it as feudal and slow on the industry.</p>

<p>The division of power which propelled Sonia as &#39;tyaag ki devi&#39; (goddess of sacrifice) was turned into a slogan of PM without authority and Sonia with power but without accountability. These are the paradoxes which affected Rahul Gandhi in the last 13 years. He wanted to be an outsider in a system controlled by her family but got rejected as good pedigree became a bad word. Politics by that time was already controlled by multiple outsiders.</p>

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<h5>Sonia&rsquo;s Congress was different from that of Rajiv. Indira&rsquo;s Congress was vastly different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru and that of Lal Bahadur Shastri.</h5>
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<p>It is not known what Rahul thinks of it. He has no choice but to accept the disability and fight with It. In today&rsquo;s world, the face of an individual defines the body politics of a party. Rahul who was conceived as a part-time politician today has become a full-time consummate politician. He has shown the ability to fight back. He has shown the ability even to force changes in PM&rsquo;s strategy. It is for no reason that &#39;suit boot ki Sarkar&#39; - a slogan coined by Rahul riled the BJP government the most.</p>

<p>Every Congress president has refashioned the party in their own image. Sonia&rsquo;s Congress was different from that of Rajiv. Indira&rsquo;s Congress was vastly different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. India will now see Rahul&rsquo;s Congress. Lastly, elevation is a foregone conclusion and easy, but running the party would be the where the real challenge lies.</p>


Rahul Gandhi, who was conceived as a part-time politician, has today become a consummate, full-time one

Rahul Gandhi is all set to take over as the Congress President. The change is happening at a time when Rahul Gandhi’s media campaign has started to make an impression on the public. How deep and lasting the impression will be is a question whose answer will only be available in the results of upcoming elections. It is difficult to assess public figures in sub-continental politics as political structures remain feudal but Rahul’s assessment will have to be done on what he did and what he seems to be doing. The real Gandhi is a mystery. His actions will tell us the real story. Whether he is a misunderstood leader or a flawed one, his actions will define him as he stands on the cusp of change. Rahul Gandhi is a leader in search of a victory. His party has seen many but he hasn’t tasted one which can solely be attributed to his abilities. × On the first look, he is a leader in search of a victory. His party has seen many but he hasn’t tasted one which can solely be attributed to his abilities. He tried his luck in Uttar Pradesh but failed thrice. He is giving his best in Gujarat but the jury is still out on it. In every politics, leaders are foremost defined by their victories and mass appeal. The ability of a leader to deliver elections make or break him. This rule also applies to Rahul Gandhi. Any victory attributed to him will redefine him. He is in search of his. He is in search of his mass appeal which runs bigger than his party. In our feudal sub-continent, a leader is considered ‘arrived’ when his footprint exceeds that of his party. Sonia delivered 2004 Lok Sabha elections and Manmohan Singh 2009. They were loved and rewarded for it. Sonia as a coalition builder and Mr Singh as Singh is King. Both Sonia and Manmohan Singh changed with the time and so has Rahul Gandhi. Whether it is a lasting tilak on his forehead or multiple temple visits, he has made those rituals public for the larger body to see that he understands the diversity of Hinduism and is keen to participate in it. Earlier, he wanted to change the party and today he wants to be the glue which brings everyone together. His earlier version of secularism was rooted in his European experience but today it travels a civilisational path where the state remains secular but civil society’s behaviour gets moderated by the largest majority of the country. Obviously, he doesn’t accept its zealotry but accepts that there nothing wrong in expressing political thought through classical religious or cultural idioms like 'machli ki aankh' which did in monday’s CWC which is associated with Arjuna’s ‘focus’ in Mahabharat. Rahul is both weakness and strength of the Congress party. He unites the party but also ensures that mobility is restricted to the second tier. × He has a very well entrenched and sophisticated opponent in Modi. He represents the worst fears of the Congress. PM cut from the traditional cloth of RSS against whom the founding fathers of the Congress battled. His life too will be full of contradictions. Rahul is both weakness and strength of the Congress party. He unites the party but also ensures that mobility is restricted to the second tier. He can allow families greater political space than BJP but cannot stop them for the sake of organisational parity. YSR Reddy’s legacy is a classic example of it when his son Jagan Mohan Reddy rebelled against the Congress. Rahul Gandhi’s journey has been that of privilege but it brought in its own set of contradictions. Rahul was new and untainted. He was fresh with ideas. The Congress party was set in the ways and since Rahul Gandhi came top down, the changes became even more difficult to effect. His ideas drew legitimacy from his lineage and not popular appeal. Things Kejriwal and Modi did Rahul could not because he had to deal with a well-placed power arrangement. He wanted to do surgery on a system which enabled Congress to stay in power but also corroded its organisational base. Congress had the freedom of alliance but the very openness became its bane as regional powers profited at their expense. Congress stuck to the status quo, fearing that BJP would come to power. The very right enabled the regime but became an extra baggage as Opposition lumped it as feudal and slow on the industry. The division of power which propelled Sonia as 'tyaag ki devi' (goddess of sacrifice) was turned into a slogan of PM without authority and Sonia with power but without accountability. These are the paradoxes which affected Rahul Gandhi in the last 13 years. He wanted to be an outsider in a system controlled by her family but got rejected as good pedigree became a bad word. Politics by that time was already controlled by multiple outsiders. Sonia’s Congress was different from that of Rajiv. Indira’s Congress was vastly different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru and that of Lal Bahadur Shastri. × It is not known what Rahul thinks of it. He has no choice but to accept the disability and fight with It. In today’s world, the face of an individual defines the body politics of a party. Rahul who was conceived as a part-time politician today has become a full-time consummate politician. He has shown the ability to fight back. He has shown the ability even to force changes in PM’s strategy. It is for no reason that 'suit boot ki Sarkar' - a slogan coined by Rahul riled the BJP government the most. Every Congress president has refashioned the party in their own image. Sonia’s Congress was different from that of Rajiv. Indira’s Congress was vastly different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. India will now see Rahul’s Congress. Lastly, elevation is a foregone conclusion and easy, but running the party would be the where the real challenge lies.

On cusp of change, can Rahul Gandhi lead Congress?

<p>Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the Narendra Modi government&nbsp;saying the country was getting increasingly divided in the name of &quot;narrow nationalism&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;The liberal, tolerant Indian ethos that former prime minister late Indira Gandhi embodied is being rejected and repudiated,&quot; she said in a&nbsp;speech at a function in which the 30th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration was conferred on Carnatic musician T M Krishna.</p>

<p>She also said that the idea of India that Indira Gandhi fought for has been thrown fundamentally into question by the &quot;rising intolerance&quot; that one witnessed today. &quot;The country&#39;s heritage is now in the hands of those who are bent upon rewriting history, imposing falsehood and unscientific ideas on our people and stifling independent thinking,&quot; Gandhi said without naming any party or individual.</p>

<p>&quot;We must be undaunted, unafraid, and uncompromising against the forces of darkness that seek to engulf our land,&quot; she added.</p>

<p>Indira Gandhi, she said, led India through major transformations and in her 16-year long battle against poverty and social injustice, she gave her all to make the country self-reliant in agriculture, industry and technology.</p>

<p>Sonia Gandhi said that after Operation Bluestar, when she was advised to transfer some bodyguards out of her service, she refused, saying that she would not judge anyone on the basis of religion.</p>


Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the Narendra Modi government saying the country was getting increasingly divided in the name of "narrow nationalism".

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the Narendra Modi government saying the country was getting increasingly divided in the name of "narrow nationalism". "The liberal, tolerant Indian ethos that former prime minister late Indira Gandhi embodied is being rejected and repudiated," she said in a speech at a function in which the 30th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration was conferred on Carnatic musician T M Krishna. She also said that the idea of India that Indira Gandhi fought for has been thrown fundamentally into question by the "rising intolerance" that one witnessed today. "The country's heritage is now in the hands of those who are bent upon rewriting history, imposing falsehood and unscientific ideas on our people and stifling independent thinking," Gandhi said without naming any party or individual. "We must be undaunted, unafraid, and uncompromising against the forces of darkness that seek to engulf our land," she added. Indira Gandhi, she said, led India through major transformations and in her 16-year long battle against poverty and social injustice, she gave her all to make the country self-reliant in agriculture, industry and technology. Sonia Gandhi said that after Operation Bluestar, when she was advised to transfer some bodyguards out of her service, she refused, saying that she would not judge anyone on the basis of religion.

Sonia Gandhi attacks Modi government, says country getting divided in the name of narrow nationalism

<p>The new Congress president should be appointed through consensus and not election as it helps to bind the party and Rahul Gandhi is certainly up to it, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today.</p>

<p>He also said that it was up to Sonia Gandhi whether she will continue as party chief for another term and the party will be happy if she decides so.</p>

<p>Amarinder, however, favoured projection of regional leaders in Congress and making them the party&#39;s face in each state ahead of assembly elections.</p>

<p>&quot;Elections are always bitter and consensus keeps the party together. There should be a consensus on the party president.</p>

<p>&quot;You don&#39;t have any bad blood. It is all happening in a happy way,&quot; he told PTI in an interview. The organisational election process within the Congress party is underway and the new party chief has to be elected by October 15.</p>

<p>On Sonia Gandhi, he said it will be entirely her call on whether to continue for another term till 2019.</p>

<p>&quot;She has worked very hard. If she wants to stay, I think the party will be too happy. If she wants to go, I think Rahul is in a position to take over... . As party Vice President, I have been dealing with him for 2-3 years, I find that he is certainly up to it,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>He, however, said his impression is that she feels she has done enough.</p>

<p>She has not had time off for the last 20 years, which is a long time, ever since she took over as party chief in 1997, Amarinder said.</p>

<p>Asked whether he prefers someone other that a member of the Gandhi family to lead the party, he said traditionally the Congress has been headed by a member of the Nehru Gandhi family.</p>

<p>From Motilal Nehru to Jawaharlal Nehru and then Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, except for some leaders in between, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;I am going to vote for Rahul. Who else do we have,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Asked what is holding Rahul back from taking over, the Punjab leader said he is already going through the process.</p>

<p>&quot;I think one must not write off Rahul. People are trying to write him off. They are trying to fob him off, calling him childish names. That is unnecessary. I think he is very perceptive and very decisive,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>On promoting regional talent within the party, Amarinder said every state has regional leaders unlike in the past and the Congress has to project them ahead of elections, as people these days vote for a face.</p>

<p>He said all states have regional parties and regional leaders and everyone knows if they win, who will be the chief minister. This was not the case earlier when it was Jan Sangh or Congress.</p>

<p>&quot;So you should have to have a face. Congress must come down to this point. If Himachal is tomorrow, then who is the face. This is very important today,&quot; he said and cited his own case.</p>

<p>Singh was named the CM candidate by the party ahead of the Punjab assembly election, in a departure from tradition.</p>

<p>&quot;You must project a leader in advance. Look at me, the whole campaign was focused on me. Projection is important,&quot; he said, adding that the Congress has no dearth of young leaders in every state and cited some names too.</p>

<p>&quot;You cannot write off Congress like this. I am sure other states must be having leaders also,&quot; he said.<br />
On the current state of affairs in the Congress, which has lost one election after another except Punjab, the state chief minister said he is not worried about the situation as the country moved in a cycle, which will soon reverse.</p>

<p>&quot;Today there may be an upswing for BJP, but who knows two years hence,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Amarinder said India has so many problems and people are hoping for somebody who does better and if one does not deliver, they choose the other the next time.</p>

<p>He also cited Arvind Kejriwala&#39;s example, whose party was rejected by voters in the civic polls in Delhi.</p>

<p>&quot;You see Mr Kejriwal being pushed out. Because they feel he has not delivered. So delivery is important,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Having spent around five decades in politics, the Punjab chief minister said he has seen ups and downs including the time when the Congress &quot;won only one state and one seat in the whole of North India of Karan Singh&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;This was when Indira Gandhi lost, Sanjay Gandhi and I also lost. Then suddenly in two years we bounced back again. I am not worried about this. This is a cycle that happens in this country,&quot; he said, recollecting times when Indira Gandhi was at the helm.</p>

<p>Amarinder, who also holds the post of Punjab Congress chief, has also asked Rahul Gandhi to relieve him from the party post saying he will not be able to do justice to the job.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


The Punjab chief minister said the new president of the party should be appointed through consensus and not election

The new Congress president should be appointed through consensus and not election as it helps to bind the party and Rahul Gandhi is certainly up to it, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today. He also said that it was up to Sonia Gandhi whether she will continue as party chief for another term and the party will be happy if she decides so. Amarinder, however, favoured projection of regional leaders in Congress and making them the party's face in each state ahead of assembly elections. "Elections are always bitter and consensus keeps the party together. There should be a consensus on the party president. "You don't have any bad blood. It is all happening in a happy way," he told PTI in an interview. The organisational election process within the Congress party is underway and the new party chief has to be elected by October 15. On Sonia Gandhi, he said it will be entirely her call on whether to continue for another term till 2019. "She has worked very hard. If she wants to stay, I think the party will be too happy. If she wants to go, I think Rahul is in a position to take over... . As party Vice President, I have been dealing with him for 2-3 years, I find that he is certainly up to it," he said. He, however, said his impression is that she feels she has done enough. She has not had time off for the last 20 years, which is a long time, ever since she took over as party chief in 1997, Amarinder said. Asked whether he prefers someone other that a member of the Gandhi family to lead the party, he said traditionally the Congress has been headed by a member of the Nehru Gandhi family. From Motilal Nehru to Jawaharlal Nehru and then Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, except for some leaders in between, he said. "I am going to vote for Rahul. Who else do we have," he said. Asked what is holding Rahul back from taking over, the Punjab leader said he is already going through the process. "I think one must not write off Rahul. People are trying to write him off. They are trying to fob him off, calling him childish names. That is unnecessary. I think he is very perceptive and very decisive," he said. On promoting regional talent within the party, Amarinder said every state has regional leaders unlike in the past and the Congress has to project them ahead of elections, as people these days vote for a face. He said all states have regional parties and regional leaders and everyone knows if they win, who will be the chief minister. This was not the case earlier when it was Jan Sangh or Congress. "So you should have to have a face. Congress must come down to this point. If Himachal is tomorrow, then who is the face. This is very important today," he said and cited his own case. Singh was named the CM candidate by the party ahead of the Punjab assembly election, in a departure from tradition. "You must project a leader in advance. Look at me, the whole campaign was focused on me. Projection is important," he said, adding that the Congress has no dearth of young leaders in every state and cited some names too. "You cannot write off Congress like this. I am sure other states must be having leaders also," he said. On the current state of affairs in the Congress, which has lost one election after another except Punjab, the state chief minister said he is not worried about the situation as the country moved in a cycle, which will soon reverse. "Today there may be an upswing for BJP, but who knows two years hence," he said. Amarinder said India has so many problems and people are hoping for somebody who does better and if one does not deliver, they choose the other the next time. He also cited Arvind Kejriwala's example, whose party was rejected by voters in the civic polls in Delhi. "You see Mr Kejriwal being pushed out. Because they feel he has not delivered. So delivery is important," he said. Having spent around five decades in politics, the Punjab chief minister said he has seen ups and downs including the time when the Congress "won only one state and one seat in the whole of North India of Karan Singh". "This was when Indira Gandhi lost, Sanjay Gandhi and I also lost. Then suddenly in two years we bounced back again. I am not worried about this. This is a cycle that happens in this country," he said, recollecting times when Indira Gandhi was at the helm. Amarinder, who also holds the post of Punjab Congress chief, has also asked Rahul Gandhi to relieve him from the party post saying he will not be able to do justice to the job. (PTI)

New Congress president should be appointed through consensus: Amarinder Singh