<p>Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Indian National Congress (INC), said that the INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the "fascist rule" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also added that the bloc will take the "appropriate steps" at the "appropriate time" to make sure that&nbsp;people's desire are not ruled out by the BJP&nbsp;govt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amid speculations that the INDIA bloc's efforts in forming the government would make a major political churn after the election outcome, Kharge confirmed that they will sit in the opposition benches for now, various media houses reported citing sources.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/naidu-to-exact-his-pound-of-flesh-as-his-tdp-puts-five-key-demands-before-nda-reports-729059">Naidu to exact his pound of flesh as TDP puts five key demands before NDA: Reports</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>ER Eswaran, General Secretary, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) said, "The mandate is clearly for the INDIA bloc. But the situation is not conducive and numbers are not with us."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Leaders of the INDIA alliance including Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Raghav Chadha, Sharad Pawar, D Raja, Sanjay Raut, Akhilesh Yadav, Champai Soren, Supriya Sule and others were gathered at Kharge's residence on Wednesday (Jun 5) in Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-pm-modi-formally-elected-as-the-alliance-leader-by-nda-leaders-729101">Lok Sabha: PM Modi formally elected as alliance leader by all NDA partners</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;NDA's meet in Delhi: PM Narendra Modi elected as leader of alliance</strong></p>

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<p>After the meeting, Kharge addressed the media and said, "This is our decision and we altogether agreed on these points and we will keep up with the promises we have given to the people."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge thanked the people of India for the "overwhelming" support and also said that the people's mandate has given a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of "hate and corruption".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is a mandate in defence of the Constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism and also to save democracy," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Indian National Congress (INC), said that the INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the "fascist rule" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Indian National Congress (INC), said that the INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the "fascist rule" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also added that the bloc will take the "appropriate steps" at the "appropriate time" to make sure that people's desire are not ruled out by the BJP govt. Amid speculations that the INDIA bloc's efforts in forming the government would make a major political churn after the election outcome, Kharge confirmed that they will sit in the opposition benches for now, various media houses reported citing sources. Also read: Naidu to exact his pound of flesh as TDP puts five key demands before NDA: Reports ER Eswaran, General Secretary, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) said, "The mandate is clearly for the INDIA bloc. But the situation is not conducive and numbers are not with us." Leaders of the INDIA alliance including Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Raghav Chadha, Sharad Pawar, D Raja, Sanjay Raut, Akhilesh Yadav, Champai Soren, Supriya Sule and others were gathered at Kharge's residence on Wednesday (Jun 5) in Delhi. Also read: Lok Sabha: PM Modi formally elected as alliance leader by all NDA partners Watch: NDA's meet in Delhi: PM Narendra Modi elected as leader of alliance × After the meeting, Kharge addressed the media and said, "This is our decision and we altogether agreed on these points and we will keep up with the promises we have given to the people." Kharge thanked the people of India for the "overwhelming" support and also said that the people's mandate has given a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of "hate and corruption". "This is a mandate in defence of the Constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism and also to save democracy," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

INDIA bloc to 'sit in opposition benches for now', to fight against 'fascist rule' of BJP: Mallikarjun Kharge

<p>Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge targeted PM Narendra Modi on Saturday while drawing parallels between the Indian prime minister and poison.</p>

<p>While addressing a press conference in Karnataka's Kalaburgi on Friday (May 24), Kharge said, "Maa Ganga has called him (PM Modi). He is talking about 2047 plans... 2047 tak shaashwat bhi rahenge agar (if he stays alive till 2047). Sometimes he goes diving in the sea, sometimes he takes dips in Ganga waters, sometimes he goes into caves, and sometimes he meditates alone. I don't know, maybe he will get the fruits of all this 'tapasya'."</p>

<p>"I believe that if you work then you get to fill your stomach. If you do good work, then the results will be good. If you commit bad things, bad results will be there. If somebody does bad things and still gets good things, that's up to them. If I say this is poison and don't touch it, and if you still insist on licking it, then what will be the result? Modi is like that," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-throws-mujra-jibe-at-opposition-over-reservation-row-725326">Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi throws 'mujra' jibe at Opposition over reservation row</a></p>

<h2><strong>'Cursed our PM with malicious intent,' BJP leader Shazia Ilmi slams Congress chief</strong></h2>

<p>After Kharge's strong remarks, &nbsp;BJP leader Shazia Ilmi denounced the Congress chief stating he cursed the prime minister of the country with "malicious intent".</p>

<p>"In his statement today, Kharge Ji has said that if PM Modi will even be there. This is the party that speaks of 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan'. 'Mohabat ki Dukan mein bikta hai nafrat ka saaman'. He has cursed our Prime Minister with malicious intent. The people of the country are watching and understanding the character of this party," Ilmi said.</p>

<p>Last year, Kharge had triggered a row after he likened PM Modi to a "poisonous snake" during a rally in Karnataka before the state's Assembly elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He later issued a clarification alleging that his remarks were not directed at PM Modi but at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideology, which he termed as "divisive".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge targeted PM Narendra Modi on Saturday while drawing parallels between the Indian prime minister and poison. While addressing a press conference in Karnataka's Kalaburgi on Friday (May 24), Kharge said, "Maa Ganga has called him (PM Modi).

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge targeted PM Narendra Modi on Saturday while drawing parallels between the Indian prime minister and poison. While addressing a press conference in Karnataka's Kalaburgi on Friday (May 24), Kharge said, "Maa Ganga has called him (PM Modi). He is talking about 2047 plans... 2047 tak shaashwat bhi rahenge agar (if he stays alive till 2047). Sometimes he goes diving in the sea, sometimes he takes dips in Ganga waters, sometimes he goes into caves, and sometimes he meditates alone. I don't know, maybe he will get the fruits of all this 'tapasya'." "I believe that if you work then you get to fill your stomach. If you do good work, then the results will be good. If you commit bad things, bad results will be there. If somebody does bad things and still gets good things, that's up to them. If I say this is poison and don't touch it, and if you still insist on licking it, then what will be the result? Modi is like that," he added. Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi throws 'mujra' jibe at Opposition over reservation row 'Cursed our PM with malicious intent,' BJP leader Shazia Ilmi slams Congress chief After Kharge's strong remarks, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi denounced the Congress chief stating he cursed the prime minister of the country with "malicious intent". "In his statement today, Kharge Ji has said that if PM Modi will even be there. This is the party that speaks of 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan'. 'Mohabat ki Dukan mein bikta hai nafrat ka saaman'. He has cursed our Prime Minister with malicious intent. The people of the country are watching and understanding the character of this party," Ilmi said. Last year, Kharge had triggered a row after he likened PM Modi to a "poisonous snake" during a rally in Karnataka before the state's Assembly elections. He later issued a clarification alleging that his remarks were not directed at PM Modi but at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideology, which he termed as "divisive". (With inputs from agencies)

Mallikarjun Kharge draws parallels between PM Modi and poison; ‘still insist on licking it’

<p><strong>Lok Sabha Elections 2024 phase 2 voting</strong>: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took to social media&nbsp;as 88 Lok Sabha seats went to polls on April 24 (Friday) across 13 states and union territories, and said that this is not an ordinary election.</p>

<p>"'We, the people of India' - this soul of the Constitution of India, should reverberate in your hearts and minds, before you push the voting button," Kharge, a former member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Gurmitkal Assembly constituency from 1972 to 2008, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Do not forget that this is not an ordinary election," wrote the senior Congress leader, adding that it is an "an election to protect Democracy from the clutches of dictatorship."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-phase-2-voting-what-is-at-stake-for-key-leaders-and-parties-715203">Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2 Voting: What is at stake for key leaders and parties?</a></strong></p>

<p>"To all my dear citizens, from 89 (sic) Constituencies in 13 States and UTs, do not get swayed by any diversionary tactics and lies," urged the 81-year-old leader. Notably, while earlier 89 constituencies were expected to vote in this phase of voting, votes are being polled in 88 constituencies as polling in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, was rescheduled after the death of a candidate from Bahujan Samaj Party. Betul will now vote in the third phase, due on May 7.</p>

<p>Noting the 'Nyay' (or justice) promises of the Congress party focused on&nbsp;youth, women, farmers, labourers and shareholding, Kharge urged the electorate to make their vote count. "For it may change the lives of 140 Crore Indians," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India General Elections 2024: Voting in 88 constituencies across India</strong></p>

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<p>"Imagine a future where Justice, Freedom, Equality and Liberty is guaranteed. A future where rapid inclusive growth and transformative policies are guaranteed," Kharge wrote.</p>

<p>Appealing the first time voters to cast their ballot, the senior Congress leader said: "My dear first time voters, cut the clutter and distance the din, for you are the real changemakers and I welcome each one of you in this movement for Democracy."</p>

<p>"Everyone, please come out and VOTE in large numbers," he wrote.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Lok Sabha Elections 2024 phase 2 voting: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took to social media as 88 Lok Sabha seats went to polls on April 24 (Friday) across 13 states and union territories, and said that this is not an ordinary election.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 phase 2 voting: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took to social media as 88 Lok Sabha seats went to polls on April 24 (Friday) across 13 states and union territories, and said that this is not an ordinary election. "'We, the people of India' - this soul of the Constitution of India, should reverberate in your hearts and minds, before you push the voting button," Kharge, a former member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Gurmitkal Assembly constituency from 1972 to 2008, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Do not forget that this is not an ordinary election," wrote the senior Congress leader, adding that it is an "an election to protect Democracy from the clutches of dictatorship." Also read | Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2 Voting: What is at stake for key leaders and parties? "To all my dear citizens, from 89 (sic) Constituencies in 13 States and UTs, do not get swayed by any diversionary tactics and lies," urged the 81-year-old leader. Notably, while earlier 89 constituencies were expected to vote in this phase of voting, votes are being polled in 88 constituencies as polling in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, was rescheduled after the death of a candidate from Bahujan Samaj Party. Betul will now vote in the third phase, due on May 7. Noting the 'Nyay' (or justice) promises of the Congress party focused on youth, women, farmers, labourers and shareholding, Kharge urged the electorate to make their vote count. "For it may change the lives of 140 Crore Indians," he added. Also watch | India General Elections 2024: Voting in 88 constituencies across India × "Imagine a future where Justice, Freedom, Equality and Liberty is guaranteed. A future where rapid inclusive growth and transformative policies are guaranteed," Kharge wrote. Appealing the first time voters to cast their ballot, the senior Congress leader said: "My dear first time voters, cut the clutter and distance the din, for you are the real changemakers and I welcome each one of you in this movement for Democracy." "Everyone, please come out and VOTE in large numbers," he wrote. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha Elections phase 2 voting: Mallikarjun Kharge tries to hold on to last straws in his appeal for vote

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<p>Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Mar 28) hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter's remarks on the country's judiciary. Prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra and Adish Aggarwala wrote to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud expressing concern over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity.</p>

<p>In the letter to CJI Chandrachud, the lawyers said that they were expressing concerns about how a vested interest group was trying to press the judiciary, influence the judicial process and defame the country's courts based on frivolous logic and stale political agendas.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra, Adish Aggarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, Swaroopama Chaturvedi have written to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CJIChandrachud?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CJIChandrachud</a> expressing concern over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity. <a href="https://t.co/jnOVOUwvBB">pic.twitter.com/jnOVOUwvBB</a></p>
— LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawBeatInd/status/1773210523145777472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Their antics are vitiating the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterises the functioning of the judiciary," the letter added.</p>

<h2><strong>Modi vs Congress over the letter</strong></h2>

<p>In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi on Thursday shared the letter and slammed the Congress. "To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. 5 decades ago itself they had called for a "committed judiciary" - they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests but desist from any commitment towards the nation," Modi said.</p>

<p>"No wonder 140 crore Indians are rejecting them," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>Kharge hits back</strong></h2>

<p>Hitting back at the prime minister, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "...you are obviously not aware, but it is not proper form for the PM to comment on our judiciary."</p>

<p>Kharge posed four questions to Modi among which one included about former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My statement on PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>'s remarks on Judiciary - <a href="https://t.co/yLtSR8zKkF">https://t.co/yLtSR8zKkF</a> <a href="https://t.co/RSGc2jIrBC">pic.twitter.com/RSGc2jIrBC</a></p>
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1773373189667553301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Modi ji, India's institutions are the property of India's people. You are personally responsible for usurping their powers and weakening our country," Kharge said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Congress party helped build and nurture these institutions. Thousands of our workers and leaders gave their lives for them. We will take these institutions back from you and return them to the people of India," the Congress chief added.&nbsp;</p>


Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Mar 28) hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter's remarks on the country's judiciary.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Mar 28) hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter's remarks on the country's judiciary. Prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra and Adish Aggarwala wrote to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud expressing concern over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity. In the letter to CJI Chandrachud, the lawyers said that they were expressing concerns about how a vested interest group was trying to press the judiciary, influence the judicial process and defame the country's courts based on frivolous logic and stale political agendas. Prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra, Adish Aggarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, Swaroopama Chaturvedi have written to #CJIChandrachud expressing concern over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity. pic.twitter.com/jnOVOUwvBB — LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) March 28, 2024 × "Their antics are vitiating the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterises the functioning of the judiciary," the letter added. Modi vs Congress over the letter In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi on Thursday shared the letter and slammed the Congress. "To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. 5 decades ago itself they had called for a "committed judiciary" - they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests but desist from any commitment towards the nation," Modi said. "No wonder 140 crore Indians are rejecting them," he added. Kharge hits back Hitting back at the prime minister, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "...you are obviously not aware, but it is not proper form for the PM to comment on our judiciary." Kharge posed four questions to Modi among which one included about former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. My statement on PM @narendramodi's remarks on Judiciary - https://t.co/yLtSR8zKkF pic.twitter.com/RSGc2jIrBC — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 28, 2024 × "Modi ji, India's institutions are the property of India's people. You are personally responsible for usurping their powers and weakening our country," Kharge said. "The Congress party helped build and nurture these institutions. Thousands of our workers and leaders gave their lives for them. We will take these institutions back from you and return them to the people of India," the Congress chief added.

You're responsible for weakening India: Cong chief Kharge hits out at Indian PM Modi over remark on judiciary

In Karnataka, the Congress party has fielded Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from his home turf of Gulbarga.

Lok Sabha Elections: Why is Congress fielding Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law from Gulbarga?

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<p>The Congress, which is the main opposition party in India, slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the freezing of its bank accounts weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country. Addressing a party press conference in New Delhi, Congress Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi said, "This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister...So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no democracy in India today."</p>

<p>"Twenty per cent of India votes for us and we are not able to pay Rs 2 for anything. It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections. Even if our bank accounts are unfrozen today, a huge amount of debt damage has been done to Indian democracy," Gandhi, the former party president, said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | On freezing of party accounts ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister...So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no… <a href="https://t.co/W9SOKyxU4z">pic.twitter.com/W9SOKyxU4z</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1770705334148972635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"What’s interesting to me is that there are institutions in this country that are supposed to protect the democratic framework. There is an Election Commission in the country but it has not even said anything; that you have frozen the bank accounts of one of the biggest political parties and largest opposition in the country," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'Systematic effort by PM to cripple Cong financially'</strong></h2>

<p>Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was present at the press conference, said on Thursday that a systematic effort was underway by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cripple the Congress financially.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">VIDEO | Here’s what former Congress president Sonia Gandhi said during a press conference in Delhi.<br />
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“The issue we are taking up today is extremely serious. The issue affects not just Indian National Congress but the democracy itself. A systematic effort is underway by the Prime… <a href="https://t.co/BijzOEpSes">pic.twitter.com/BijzOEpSes</a></p>
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1770703405960311275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our very best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign. On one hand, there is the Electoral Bond issue which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Electoral Bonds benefitted the BJP hugely. On the other hand, the finances of the principal opposition party - the INC - are under a determined assault. This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic," she told reporters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, meanwhile, appealed to the constitutional bodies to allow the Congress to access its bank accounts if they wanted free and fair elections.</p>

<p>"Defreeze our accounts to ensure a level playing field in polls," Kharge said.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>BJP hits back</strong></h2>

<p>Hitting back at the Congress' remarks over its bank accounts being frozen, the BJP said that in the utter desperation of defeat, the Congress created an alibi.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: At the BJP Press Conference, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "If we summarise the press conference of Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, we can say that in the utter desperation of defeat, the Congress party has created an alibi today." <a href="https://t.co/JXzUrbZE0e">pic.twitter.com/JXzUrbZE0e</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1770735144225079804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"As far as bank account freezing is concerned if you are a defaulter, you will be treated like one. The sense of entitlement that the Gandhi family had that even if we were a defaulter, provisions of the law of this country would not apply to us. The era of this kind of entitlement is now over under PM Narendra Modi..." BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.&nbsp;</p>


The Congress, which is the main opposition party in India, slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the freezing of its bank accounts weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country.

The Congress, which is the main opposition party in India, slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the freezing of its bank accounts weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country. Addressing a party press conference in New Delhi, Congress Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi said, "This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister...So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no democracy in India today." "Twenty per cent of India votes for us and we are not able to pay Rs 2 for anything. It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections. Even if our bank accounts are unfrozen today, a huge amount of debt damage has been done to Indian democracy," Gandhi, the former party president, said. #WATCH | On freezing of party accounts ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister...So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no… pic.twitter.com/W9SOKyxU4z — ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024 × "What’s interesting to me is that there are institutions in this country that are supposed to protect the democratic framework. There is an Election Commission in the country but it has not even said anything; that you have frozen the bank accounts of one of the biggest political parties and largest opposition in the country," he added. 'Systematic effort by PM to cripple Cong financially' Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was present at the press conference, said on Thursday that a systematic effort was underway by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cripple the Congress financially. VIDEO | Here’s what former Congress president Sonia Gandhi said during a press conference in Delhi. “The issue we are taking up today is extremely serious. The issue affects not just Indian National Congress but the democracy itself. A systematic effort is underway by the Prime… pic.twitter.com/BijzOEpSes — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 21, 2024 × "However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our very best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign. On one hand, there is the Electoral Bond issue which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Electoral Bonds benefitted the BJP hugely. On the other hand, the finances of the principal opposition party - the INC - are under a determined assault. This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic," she told reporters. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, meanwhile, appealed to the constitutional bodies to allow the Congress to access its bank accounts if they wanted free and fair elections. "Defreeze our accounts to ensure a level playing field in polls," Kharge said. BJP hits back Hitting back at the Congress' remarks over its bank accounts being frozen, the BJP said that in the utter desperation of defeat, the Congress created an alibi. #WATCH | Delhi: At the BJP Press Conference, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "If we summarise the press conference of Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, we can say that in the utter desperation of defeat, the Congress party has created an alibi today." pic.twitter.com/JXzUrbZE0e — ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024 × "As far as bank account freezing is concerned if you are a defaulter, you will be treated like one. The sense of entitlement that the Gandhi family had that even if we were a defaulter, provisions of the law of this country would not apply to us. The era of this kind of entitlement is now over under PM Narendra Modi..." BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.

Lok Sabha polls | 'Criminal act by Modi, Shah': Congress slams govt over bank account freeze, BJP hits back

<p>India, the world’s largest democracy is set to hold its general elections, with around 970 million registered voters heading to the polls to choose who will lead the country for the next five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the upcoming election, the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has sought a third consecutive term in office.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, 26 opposition parties in the country, last year, formed an alliance called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to stop the PM Modi-led NDA from winning in the upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;India: PM Modi addresses rally in Telangana, pushes big in South Indian states</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-pm-modi-addresses-rally-in-telangana-pushes-big-in-south-indian-states-700736/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Currently, there are two main alliances – NDA and INDIA – which include several parties.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>NDA alliance</strong></h2>

<p>The BJP-led NDA is an alliance of right-wing conservative parties in India formed in 1998 to keep Congress out of power. The NDA alliance won in 1999 under the leadership of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and has been in power since 2014 with PM Modi at the helm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prominent parties in the NDA alliance include the National People’s Party (NPP), Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-all-you-need-to-know-about-top-20-candidates-of-mega-polls-700743">Lok Sabha Elections 2024: All you need to know about top 20 candidates of mega polls</a></strong></p>

<p>The prime ministerial candidate of the alliance in the upcoming election is the incumbent PM Narendra Modi who has claimed that the NDA will win more than 400 seats in the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>INDIA Bloc</strong></h2>

<p>In 2023, 26 opposition parties in the country came together to form the INDIA bloc. Currently, the alliance is being led by Mallikarjun Kharge who is also the president of the Congress party since 2022 and has been the leader of the opposition in the upper house of the parliament (Rajya Sabha), since the year before that.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prominent parties in the INDIA alliance include All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Rashtriya Janata Dal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the incumbent PM has claimed that their alliance will win more than 400 seats, the INDIA alliance is yet to choose their prime ministerial candidate with many politicians in the bloc vying for the role.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-election-2024-date-announced-check-full-schedule-voting-and-result-of-india-general-elections-700677">Lok Sabha Election 2024: Voting from April 11 in seven phases: Check full schedule here</a></strong></p>

<p>Speaking about the uncertainty, the alliance’s PM candidate, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, last week downplaying the issue said party ideology and campaigning are more important.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In our country, elections are not beauty contests. In our country, competition is held between the parties, its ideology, its symbol, its campaigning,” Ramesh told news agency ANI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


India, the world’s largest democracy is set to hold its general elections, with around 970 million registered voters heading to the polls to choose who will lead the country for the next five years.

India, the world’s largest democracy is set to hold its general elections, with around 970 million registered voters heading to the polls to choose who will lead the country for the next five years. In the upcoming election, the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has sought a third consecutive term in office. Meanwhile, 26 opposition parties in the country, last year, formed an alliance called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to stop the PM Modi-led NDA from winning in the upcoming elections. WATCH | India: PM Modi addresses rally in Telangana, pushes big in South Indian states Currently, there are two main alliances – NDA and INDIA – which include several parties. NDA alliance The BJP-led NDA is an alliance of right-wing conservative parties in India formed in 1998 to keep Congress out of power. The NDA alliance won in 1999 under the leadership of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and has been in power since 2014 with PM Modi at the helm. Prominent parties in the NDA alliance include the National People’s Party (NPP), Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP). Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: All you need to know about top 20 candidates of mega polls The prime ministerial candidate of the alliance in the upcoming election is the incumbent PM Narendra Modi who has claimed that the NDA will win more than 400 seats in the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha). INDIA Bloc In 2023, 26 opposition parties in the country came together to form the INDIA bloc. Currently, the alliance is being led by Mallikarjun Kharge who is also the president of the Congress party since 2022 and has been the leader of the opposition in the upper house of the parliament (Rajya Sabha), since the year before that. Prominent parties in the INDIA alliance include All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Rashtriya Janata Dal. While the incumbent PM has claimed that their alliance will win more than 400 seats, the INDIA alliance is yet to choose their prime ministerial candidate with many politicians in the bloc vying for the role. Also Read | Lok Sabha Election 2024: Voting from April 11 in seven phases: Check full schedule here Speaking about the uncertainty, the alliance’s PM candidate, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, last week downplaying the issue said party ideology and campaigning are more important. “In our country, elections are not beauty contests. In our country, competition is held between the parties, its ideology, its symbol, its campaigning,” Ramesh told news agency ANI. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: List of parties competing in the upcoming polls

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has indicated that he might not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, citing his age as a factor influencing this decision. Kharge was the MP from Karnataka's Gulbarga from 2009-2014 and had lost from the same seat in 2019.

India Elections 2024: Mallikarjun Kharge to not contest in Lok Sabha polls?

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<p>Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (Feb 26) wrote to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on the central government's Agnipath scheme — an initiative for the youth to join the armed forces on short-term basis. Kharge said he was writing the letter to President Murmu to highlight the gross injustice to almost 200,000 young men and women whose futures have become uncertain due to the ending of the regular recruitment process and imposing the scheme.<br />
<br />
There had been widespread protests in June 2022 after the launch of the Agnipath scheme but since then many youths have already joined the armed forces as Agniveers. The Congress president's letter to President Murmu comes at a time when general elections in India are just a couple of months away.</p>

<p>“Recently I met them and they told me that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force," Kharge said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/agniveer-dies-in-siachen-while-on-duty-indian-army-pays-tribute-649974">Agniveer dies in Siachen while on duty, Indian Army pays tribute</a></strong></p>

<p>"These young men and women had struggled against all odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam. Until 31 May 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'Scheme is discriminatory'</strong></h2>

<p>Kharge told Murmu that the scheme is discriminatory "among our jawans by creating parallel cadres of soldiers who are expected to work on similar tasks but with very different emoluments, benefits and prospects." The Congress chief added that the majority of Agniveers (the beneficiaries of the scheme) would be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service.</p>

<p>"Our youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that NYAY and justice is done,” he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My letter to the Hon’ble President of India (<a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rashtrapatibhvn</a>) highlighting the gross injustice to almost two lakh young men and women whose future has become uncertain due to ending of regular recruitment process and imposing Agnipath Scheme for the Armed Forces by the Union… <a href="https://t.co/nZceaXpKs0">pic.twitter.com/nZceaXpKs0</a></p>
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1761990787313934415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Agnipath scheme was rolled out by the central government in June 2022 for short-term induction of the youth into the armed forces. The scheme provides for recruiting youth between the ages of 17.2 and 21 for a service of four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of the Agniveers for 15 more years.</p>

<p>Some of the broad objectives of the scheme are:&nbsp;to enhance the youthful profile of the armed forces so that they are at their fighting best at all times with increased risk-taking ability; to provide abilities and qualities such as discipline, dynamism, motivation and work-skills so that the youth remain an asset; and to imbibe the armed forces' ethos, courage, camaraderie, commitment and teamwork in the youth.</p>

<p>According to Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande, the scheme was finalised after extensive consultations.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Congress hits out at Centre over scheme</strong></h2>

<p>Apart from Mallikarjun Kharge, other Congress leaders also criticised the central government over the scheme. "Approximately 150,000 people who qualified all the phases of the Army recruitment process, their joining was denied after Covid. Today, they are unemployed... Then, you came up with the Agnipath scheme, even the defence experts are against this scheme... You played with the nation's security and with the youth's future," Congress leader Pawan Khera told the news agency ANI.</p>

<p>Congress leader Sachin Pilot, meanwhile, said that the scheme was implemented in a hurry.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: On the Agnipath scheme, Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "Completely stopping the previous process of recruitment in the Army and conducting all the recruitments only through Agnipath, keeping only 25% of the total recruitments after 4 years and retiring the… <a href="https://t.co/imCo4YJwYC">pic.twitter.com/imCo4YJwYC</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1762028340880322659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Completely stopping the previous process of recruitment in the Army and conducting all the recruitments only through Agnipath, keeping only 25% of the total recruitments after 4 years and retiring the whole 75% is not at all a positive step for the Army," Pilot told ANI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (Feb 26) wrote to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on the central government's Agnipath scheme — an initiative for the youth to join the armed forces on short-term basis.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (Feb 26) wrote to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on the central government's Agnipath scheme — an initiative for the youth to join the armed forces on short-term basis. Kharge said he was writing the letter to President Murmu to highlight the gross injustice to almost 200,000 young men and women whose futures have become uncertain due to the ending of the regular recruitment process and imposing the scheme. There had been widespread protests in June 2022 after the launch of the Agnipath scheme but since then many youths have already joined the armed forces as Agniveers. The Congress president's letter to President Murmu comes at a time when general elections in India are just a couple of months away. “Recently I met them and they told me that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force," Kharge said. Also read | Agniveer dies in Siachen while on duty, Indian Army pays tribute "These young men and women had struggled against all odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam. Until 31 May 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme," he added. 'Scheme is discriminatory' Kharge told Murmu that the scheme is discriminatory "among our jawans by creating parallel cadres of soldiers who are expected to work on similar tasks but with very different emoluments, benefits and prospects." The Congress chief added that the majority of Agniveers (the beneficiaries of the scheme) would be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service. "Our youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that NYAY and justice is done,” he added. My letter to the Hon’ble President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) highlighting the gross injustice to almost two lakh young men and women whose future has become uncertain due to ending of regular recruitment process and imposing Agnipath Scheme for the Armed Forces by the Union… pic.twitter.com/nZceaXpKs0 — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 26, 2024 × The Agnipath scheme was rolled out by the central government in June 2022 for short-term induction of the youth into the armed forces. The scheme provides for recruiting youth between the ages of 17.2 and 21 for a service of four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of the Agniveers for 15 more years. Some of the broad objectives of the scheme are: to enhance the youthful profile of the armed forces so that they are at their fighting best at all times with increased risk-taking ability; to provide abilities and qualities such as discipline, dynamism, motivation and work-skills so that the youth remain an asset; and to imbibe the armed forces' ethos, courage, camaraderie, commitment and teamwork in the youth. According to Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande, the scheme was finalised after extensive consultations. Congress hits out at Centre over scheme Apart from Mallikarjun Kharge, other Congress leaders also criticised the central government over the scheme. "Approximately 150,000 people who qualified all the phases of the Army recruitment process, their joining was denied after Covid. Today, they are unemployed... Then, you came up with the Agnipath scheme, even the defence experts are against this scheme... You played with the nation's security and with the youth's future," Congress leader Pawan Khera told the news agency ANI. Congress leader Sachin Pilot, meanwhile, said that the scheme was implemented in a hurry. #WATCH | Delhi: On the Agnipath scheme, Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "Completely stopping the previous process of recruitment in the Army and conducting all the recruitments only through Agnipath, keeping only 25% of the total recruitments after 4 years and retiring the… pic.twitter.com/imCo4YJwYC — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2024 × "Completely stopping the previous process of recruitment in the Army and conducting all the recruitments only through Agnipath, keeping only 25% of the total recruitments after 4 years and retiring the whole 75% is not at all a positive step for the Army," Pilot told ANI. (With inputs from agencies)

Youth cannot suffer: Congress chief writes to Indian president on 'Agnipath' scheme

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 8) while bidding farewell to members retiring from the Rajya Sabha, lauded his predecessor Manmohan Singh's "immense contribution" to the House.</p>

<p>"I wish to remember Dr Manmohan Singh today, his contribution in the House, with his invaluable thoughts, both as a leader and in the opposition has been immense. For such a long time, the way he has guided this House and country, Dr Manmohan Singh will always be remembered for it," PM Modi said during his speech in the upper house.</p>

<p>"It doesn't matter who he was supporting, I believe that he was supporting our democracy," he said.</p>

<p>He then recalled how Singh had arrived in a wheelchair to cast his vote on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.</p>

<p>"Dr Manmohan Singh ji came to the parliament in a wheelchair. How conscious he is of his responsibilities, not only this, I was watching, whenever committee elections were held, he came to vote, the question is not to whom he came to give strength, I believe, to give strength to democracy," the Indian prime minister said in his speech.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-releases-black-paper-against-modi-government-688128">India: Congress releases 'black paper' against Modi government</a></p>

<h2><strong>'Kaala teeka'</strong></h2>

<p>During his speech, PM Modi also took a sarcastic jibe at the Congress party over the release of the 'Black Paper' which the grand old party claimed would highlight the failures of the ruling BJP government.</p>

<p>Thanking the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for coming out with the paper, the Indian prime minister dubbed it as "kaala teeka" (to ward off the evil eye) amid the good work being done by his government.</p>

<p>"When a child gets ready for some good occasion by wearing some nice clothes, then a family member says to go after applying a Kaala Teeka, to ward off an evil eye. Today, as the country is touching new heights of prosperity over the last ten years, an attempt has been made today to put a Kaala Teeka, so that no one can cast an evil eye on it. I thank Kharge Ji a lot for (bringing a Black Paper)," PM Modi said.</p>

<p>Modi also referred to black robes worn by opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest and said, "We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The retiring members of the Rajya Sabha will attend an event at Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's residence in New Delhi on Thursday evening.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 8) while bidding farewell to members retiring from the Rajya Sabha, lauded his predecessor Manmohan Singh's "immense contribution" to the House.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 8) while bidding farewell to members retiring from the Rajya Sabha, lauded his predecessor Manmohan Singh's "immense contribution" to the House. "I wish to remember Dr Manmohan Singh today, his contribution in the House, with his invaluable thoughts, both as a leader and in the opposition has been immense. For such a long time, the way he has guided this House and country, Dr Manmohan Singh will always be remembered for it," PM Modi said during his speech in the upper house. "It doesn't matter who he was supporting, I believe that he was supporting our democracy," he said. He then recalled how Singh had arrived in a wheelchair to cast his vote on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. "Dr Manmohan Singh ji came to the parliament in a wheelchair. How conscious he is of his responsibilities, not only this, I was watching, whenever committee elections were held, he came to vote, the question is not to whom he came to give strength, I believe, to give strength to democracy," the Indian prime minister said in his speech. Also read: India: Congress releases 'black paper' against Modi government 'Kaala teeka' During his speech, PM Modi also took a sarcastic jibe at the Congress party over the release of the 'Black Paper' which the grand old party claimed would highlight the failures of the ruling BJP government. Thanking the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for coming out with the paper, the Indian prime minister dubbed it as "kaala teeka" (to ward off the evil eye) amid the good work being done by his government. "When a child gets ready for some good occasion by wearing some nice clothes, then a family member says to go after applying a Kaala Teeka, to ward off an evil eye. Today, as the country is touching new heights of prosperity over the last ten years, an attempt has been made today to put a Kaala Teeka, so that no one can cast an evil eye on it. I thank Kharge Ji a lot for (bringing a Black Paper)," PM Modi said. Modi also referred to black robes worn by opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest and said, "We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes." The retiring members of the Rajya Sabha will attend an event at Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's residence in New Delhi on Thursday evening. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian PM Modi lauds predecessor Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha during farewell of retiring members

<p>Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Feb 8) released a so-called 'Black Paper' highlighting the alleged 'failures' of the Narendra Modi government in India during its 10-year rule.</p>

<p>The move by the grand old party comes as the ruling BJP government is set to present a 'White Paper', which it says will showcase how the country plummeted into the "fragile five" economies of the world during the Congress-led UPA regime (2004-14).</p>

<p>While speaking a press conference about the release of the 'Black Paper', Kharge claimed that it comprised of the details of the failures of the BJP government, including unemployment which he said the ruling party always conceals.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge releases 'Black Paper' against the Modi government <a href="https://t.co/cxKvD9xyNO">pic.twitter.com/cxKvD9xyNO</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1755462061172166666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are releasing a Black Paper against the government because the government always glorifies itself in Parliament and hides its failures. And when we say something about their failure, we are not given a chance, so today we are bringing out the Black Paper here. It contains details about unemployment, which the BJP government never discusses," the Congress chief said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "We are raising the main issue of unemployment, which the BJP never talks about...There is discrimination being done with non-BJP states like Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana..." <a href="https://t.co/9kKT9qEvZ5">pic.twitter.com/9kKT9qEvZ5</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1755463571578798185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further reacted to PM Modi's 90-minute reply to the Motion of Thanks on President's Address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (Feb 7), stating that he did not mention the employment generated by the public sectors during former PM Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/assam-govt-to-merge-class-10-12-boards-into-one-new-body-688080">Assam govt to merge Class 10, 12 boards into one new body</a></p>

<p>"He (PM Modi) didn't mention the employment generated by the public sectors like HAL, BHEL which were established during Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure," the Congress chief added.</p>

<p>He then accused the BJP of discriminating against all the non-BJP-ruled states.</p>

<p>"There is a danger to democracy in the country...In the last 10 years, 411 MLAs were taken...by the BJP. They toppled so many Congress governments. They are finishing democracy," the Congress president said.</p>

<h2><strong>'Kaala teeka'</strong></h2>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 8) while bidding farewell to members retiring from the Rajya Sabha, reacted to Congress' release of the 'Black Paper'.</p>

<p>Taking a jibe at the grand old party, PM Modi thanked Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for coming out with the paper dubbing it as "kaala teeka" (to ward off the evil eye) amid the good work being done by his government.</p>

<p>"When a child gets ready for some good occasion by wearing some nice clothes, then a family member says to go after applying a Kaala Teeka, to ward off an evil eye. Today, as the country is touching new heights of prosperity over the last ten years, an attempt has been made today to put a Kaala Teeka, so that no one can cast an evil eye on it. I thank Kharge Ji a lot for (bringing a Black Paper)," PM Modi said.</p>

<p>Modi also referred to black robes worn by opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest and said, "We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Feb 8) released a so-called 'Black Paper' highlighting the alleged 'failures' of the Narendra Modi government in India during its 10-year rule.

Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (Feb 8) released a so-called 'Black Paper' highlighting the alleged 'failures' of the Narendra Modi government in India during its 10-year rule. The move by the grand old party comes as the ruling BJP government is set to present a 'White Paper', which it says will showcase how the country plummeted into the "fragile five" economies of the world during the Congress-led UPA regime (2004-14). While speaking a press conference about the release of the 'Black Paper', Kharge claimed that it comprised of the details of the failures of the BJP government, including unemployment which he said the ruling party always conceals. #WATCH | Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge releases 'Black Paper' against the Modi government pic.twitter.com/cxKvD9xyNO — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2024 × "We are releasing a Black Paper against the government because the government always glorifies itself in Parliament and hides its failures. And when we say something about their failure, we are not given a chance, so today we are bringing out the Black Paper here. It contains details about unemployment, which the BJP government never discusses," the Congress chief said. #WATCH | Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "We are raising the main issue of unemployment, which the BJP never talks about...There is discrimination being done with non-BJP states like Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana..." pic.twitter.com/9kKT9qEvZ5 — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2024 × He further reacted to PM Modi's 90-minute reply to the Motion of Thanks on President's Address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (Feb 7), stating that he did not mention the employment generated by the public sectors during former PM Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure. Also read: Assam govt to merge Class 10, 12 boards into one new body "He (PM Modi) didn't mention the employment generated by the public sectors like HAL, BHEL which were established during Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure," the Congress chief added. He then accused the BJP of discriminating against all the non-BJP-ruled states. "There is a danger to democracy in the country...In the last 10 years, 411 MLAs were taken...by the BJP. They toppled so many Congress governments. They are finishing democracy," the Congress president said. 'Kaala teeka' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 8) while bidding farewell to members retiring from the Rajya Sabha, reacted to Congress' release of the 'Black Paper'. Taking a jibe at the grand old party, PM Modi thanked Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for coming out with the paper dubbing it as "kaala teeka" (to ward off the evil eye) amid the good work being done by his government. "When a child gets ready for some good occasion by wearing some nice clothes, then a family member says to go after applying a Kaala Teeka, to ward off an evil eye. Today, as the country is touching new heights of prosperity over the last ten years, an attempt has been made today to put a Kaala Teeka, so that no one can cast an evil eye on it. I thank Kharge Ji a lot for (bringing a Black Paper)," PM Modi said. Modi also referred to black robes worn by opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest and said, "We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes." (With inputs from agencies)

Congress releases 'Black Paper' highlighting 'failures' of BJP govt, PM Modi responds

<p>Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday in a veiled attack on Bihar Chief Minister Kumar stated that the latter walked out of the INDIA bloc in the wake of the central probe agencies serving notice to opposition leaders. Continuing his attack, Kharge said, "If such cowardly people remain (in politics), how will the constitution and democracy survive?</p>

<p>Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said this while addressing the Workers' Convention in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.</p>

<p>"They are giving (ED) notice to each and everyone, to scare them, to threaten them; if they do not leave their friendship, then we will see, out of fear, that someone is leaving their friendship, someone is leaving their party, someone is leaving their alliance. If such cowardly people remain, then will this country survive, will this constitution survive, and will this democracy survive? That is why this is your last chance to give your vote; after this, there will be no voting," Kharge said.</p>

<p>Kharge went ahead to warn the people of the country that this year will be the last opportunity for them to save democracy.</p>

<p>The Congress chief claimed that PM Modi will declare a dictatorship after this year's general elections.</p>

<p>"If Modi comes to power after the Lok Sabha polls, there will be dictatorship, no democracy and no elections," he said.</p>

<p>He further asserted that the 2024 general elections will be the last chance for the people of the country to vote.</p>

<p>Earlier on Sunday, the Congress chief launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, asserting that the BJP made every effort to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam,&nbsp;adding that "we are not afraid of them".</p>

<p>Addressing the Workers Convention in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Kharge said that Rahul Gandhi had taken out 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, but such an incident did not happen anywhere, as has happened in BJP-ruled Assam.</p>

<p>"Ever since our 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' started, the BJP has made every effort to stop and scare it. 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' was stopped in Assam; stones were thrown at vehicles; and posters were torn. But we are not afraid," Kharge said, addressing the Workers Convention in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.</p>


Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday in a veiled attack on Bihar Chief Minister Kumar stated that the latter walked out of the INDIA bloc in the wake of the central probe agencies serving notice to opposition leaders.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday in a veiled attack on Bihar Chief Minister Kumar stated that the latter walked out of the INDIA bloc in the wake of the central probe agencies serving notice to opposition leaders. Continuing his attack, Kharge said, "If such cowardly people remain (in politics), how will the constitution and democracy survive? Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said this while addressing the Workers' Convention in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. "They are giving (ED) notice to each and everyone, to scare them, to threaten them; if they do not leave their friendship, then we will see, out of fear, that someone is leaving their friendship, someone is leaving their party, someone is leaving their alliance. If such cowardly people remain, then will this country survive, will this constitution survive, and will this democracy survive? That is why this is your last chance to give your vote; after this, there will be no voting," Kharge said. Kharge went ahead to warn the people of the country that this year will be the last opportunity for them to save democracy. The Congress chief claimed that PM Modi will declare a dictatorship after this year's general elections. "If Modi comes to power after the Lok Sabha polls, there will be dictatorship, no democracy and no elections," he said. He further asserted that the 2024 general elections will be the last chance for the people of the country to vote. Earlier on Sunday, the Congress chief launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, asserting that the BJP made every effort to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam, adding that "we are not afraid of them". Addressing the Workers Convention in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Kharge said that Rahul Gandhi had taken out 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, but such an incident did not happen anywhere, as has happened in BJP-ruled Assam. "Ever since our 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' started, the BJP has made every effort to stop and scare it. 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' was stopped in Assam; stones were thrown at vehicles; and posters were torn. But we are not afraid," Kharge said, addressing the Workers Convention in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

If Modi comes to power 'there will be dictatorship,' says Congress chief Kharge

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has been selected as the chairperson of the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A, according to sources. An official announcement is yet to be made by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

Congress President Kharge appointed chairperson of opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A: Sources

After intense deliberations, As per sources, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has been chosen for the chairperson of opposition bloc INDIA, sources said. INDIA bloc is yet to make an official announcement. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was another contender for the top post, but in today's meeting he said that someone from Congress should assume charge.

India: Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge to lead opposition bloc India

<p>As India gears up for its national elections scheduled between April and May 2024, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been designated as the chairperson of the Opposition's INDIA alliance. The appointment was finalised during a virtual summit attended by the leaders of 14 Opposition parties constituting the alliance. The primary agenda of the meeting revolved around discussions on seat allocation for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.</p>

<p>Notably, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was given the role of the convener but he refused it. He reportedly said that he would want someone from the Congress party to take up the convener's post. Also, Kumar was quoted as saying that he would only accept the role once all the parties were in consensus on the decision.</p>

<p>This comes as Janata Dal (United) had been exerting pressure within the coalition for Nitish Kumar's appointment as the convener. Interestingly, the TMC chief, Mamata Banerjee, opted to abstain from the meeting.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ram-temple-consecration-ceremony-is-momentous-occasion-top-mauritius-minister-tells-wion-679558">‘Ram temple consecration ceremony is momentous occasion,’ top Mauritius minister tells WION</a></p>

<p>INDIA, an acronym for 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,' comprises various opposition parties, with the Congress being a prominent member.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-guwahati-bound-indigo-flight-ends-up-in-dhaka-after-emergency-landing-heres-why-679545">India: Guwahati-bound Indigo flight ends up in Dhaka after emergency landing. Here's why</a></p>

<p>The coalition was formed by the opposition parties to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the helm at&nbsp;the centre. The INDIA alliance wants to thwart NDA's bid for a third consecutive term in the 2024 elections where in 543 members of the lower house of Parliament will be elected by the people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections this year, media reports citing sources have revealed that the INDIA bloc will not present a common manifesto and instead, each party within the alliance will articulate its own manifesto.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, the said sources also revealed that the bloc will collaborate on a shared agenda.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indian-tech-sector-outlook-for-2024-679567">Indian Tech sector outlook for 2024</a></strong></p>

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<p>Seat-sharing talks earlier saw a deadlock. TMC did not join the latest INDIA&nbsp;alliance meeting. A leader of the party previously stated that the reason for not indulging in seat-sharing is the "Congress' impractical demand for eight to 10 seats in West Bengal, considering that the vote share of the country's oldest national party had dwindled to just three per cent in the 2021 state Assembly polls."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


As India gears up for its national elections scheduled between April and May 2024, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been designated as the chairperson of the Opposition's INDIA alliance.

As India gears up for its national elections scheduled between April and May 2024, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been designated as the chairperson of the Opposition's INDIA alliance. The appointment was finalised during a virtual summit attended by the leaders of 14 Opposition parties constituting the alliance. The primary agenda of the meeting revolved around discussions on seat allocation for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Notably, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was given the role of the convener but he refused it. He reportedly said that he would want someone from the Congress party to take up the convener's post. Also, Kumar was quoted as saying that he would only accept the role once all the parties were in consensus on the decision. This comes as Janata Dal (United) had been exerting pressure within the coalition for Nitish Kumar's appointment as the convener. Interestingly, the TMC chief, Mamata Banerjee, opted to abstain from the meeting. Also Read | ‘Ram temple consecration ceremony is momentous occasion,’ top Mauritius minister tells WION INDIA, an acronym for 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,' comprises various opposition parties, with the Congress being a prominent member. Also Read | India: Guwahati-bound Indigo flight ends up in Dhaka after emergency landing. Here's why The coalition was formed by the opposition parties to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the helm at the centre. The INDIA alliance wants to thwart NDA's bid for a third consecutive term in the 2024 elections where in 543 members of the lower house of Parliament will be elected by the people. In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections this year, media reports citing sources have revealed that the INDIA bloc will not present a common manifesto and instead, each party within the alliance will articulate its own manifesto. Nevertheless, the said sources also revealed that the bloc will collaborate on a shared agenda. Watch | Indian Tech sector outlook for 2024 × Seat-sharing talks earlier saw a deadlock. TMC did not join the latest INDIA alliance meeting. A leader of the party previously stated that the reason for not indulging in seat-sharing is the "Congress' impractical demand for eight to 10 seats in West Bengal, considering that the vote share of the country's oldest national party had dwindled to just three per cent in the 2021 state Assembly polls." (With inputs from agencies)

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge appointed INDIA bloc chairperson, Nitish rejects convener’s post

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidciAk8saI9lAz" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Amid speculations that former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as well as Mallikarjun Kharge would attend the highly-anticipated consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in the north Indian city of Ayodhya next month, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh has provided an update.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ramesh said both Kharge and Gandhi had received an invite but "a decision will be taken and communicated at the appropriate time".&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Chairman Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have been invited to the inauguration of the Ram Temple. A decision will be taken at an appropriate time, and communicated at an appropriate time," he said.</p>

<p>Apart from the two heavyweight leaders, an invite has also been extended to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust delegation, led by Nripendra Misra and other prominent figures had extended the invitation to the senior Congress leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ayodhyas-ram-mandir-temple-set-to-open-for-public-from-january-2024-652711"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Ayodhya's Ram Mandir (Temple) set to open for public from January 2024</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Ram temple consecration ceremony</strong></h2>

<p>After years of court cases and several controversies, the Indian Supreme Court in 2019&nbsp;granted the land to the Hindu side to build the temple. PM Modi laid the foundation stone (Bhumi puja) in August 2020 and after three years, he will be there to attend the consecration ceremony on January 22.</p>

<p>The consecration ceremony is set to precede extensive rituals, including bathing the deity in the Sarayu River and a procession to major temples in Ayodhya.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ayodhyas-new-airport-to-be-named-maharishi-valmiki-international-airport-ayodhya-dham-report-674456"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Ayodhya's new airport to be named 'Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham': Report</strong></a></p>

<p>The ceremony, expected to draw roughly 8,000 attendees, will feature PM Narendra Modi, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as speakers. The guest list underscores a diverse representation, celebrating the cultural and national significance of the historic event.</p>

<p>The temple is central to the beliefs of Hindus and the entire complex has been built in the traditional Nagara style. Upon completion, the temple will be 380 feet long (east-west direction), 250 feet wide and 161 feet high. Each floor of the temple will be 20 ft high and have a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Amid speculations that former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as well as Mallikarjun Kharge would attend the highly-anticipated consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in the north Indian city of Ayodhya next month, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh has provided an update.

Amid speculations that former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as well as Mallikarjun Kharge would attend the highly-anticipated consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in the north Indian city of Ayodhya next month, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh has provided an update. Ramesh said both Kharge and Gandhi had received an invite but "a decision will be taken and communicated at the appropriate time". "Chairman Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have been invited to the inauguration of the Ram Temple. A decision will be taken at an appropriate time, and communicated at an appropriate time," he said. Apart from the two heavyweight leaders, an invite has also been extended to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust delegation, led by Nripendra Misra and other prominent figures had extended the invitation to the senior Congress leaders. Watch | Ayodhya's Ram Mandir (Temple) set to open for public from January 2024 Ram temple consecration ceremony After years of court cases and several controversies, the Indian Supreme Court in 2019 granted the land to the Hindu side to build the temple. PM Modi laid the foundation stone (Bhumi puja) in August 2020 and after three years, he will be there to attend the consecration ceremony on January 22. The consecration ceremony is set to precede extensive rituals, including bathing the deity in the Sarayu River and a procession to major temples in Ayodhya. Also read | Ayodhya's new airport to be named 'Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham': Report The ceremony, expected to draw roughly 8,000 attendees, will feature PM Narendra Modi, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as speakers. The guest list underscores a diverse representation, celebrating the cultural and national significance of the historic event. The temple is central to the beliefs of Hindus and the entire complex has been built in the traditional Nagara style. Upon completion, the temple will be 380 feet long (east-west direction), 250 feet wide and 161 feet high. Each floor of the temple will be 20 ft high and have a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates. (With inputs from agencies)

Congress provides update on Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge attending Ram Temple consecration ceremony

<p>In a major reshuffle ahead of the 2024 general elections in India, the Congress party appointed Sachin Pilot as the general secretary in charge of Chhattisgarh, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was removed as the&nbsp;party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>Priyanka has been replaced by Avinash Pande&nbsp;as the general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>The Congress released a statement on the significant development saying that Vadra will now be a general secretary "without any assigned portfolio".</p>

<p>The move comes two days after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party's highest decision-making body, was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indias-jaishankar-rakes-up-extremism-after-hate-crime-at-hindu-temple-in-us-672834">‘Extremists should not be given space’: India’s Jaishankar reacts to vandalism at Hindu temple in US</a></p>

<h2><strong>Other developments</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, Ramesh Chennithala was appointed as AICC in-charge of Maharashtra.</p>

<p>Deepa Dasmunshi was appointed as the General Secretary of the Kerala, Lakshadweep and additional charge of Telangana Congress units.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress leader GA Mir is the general secretary in charge of Jharkhand with the additional charge of West Bengal, the party said in a statement.</p>

<p>On the other hand, senior leaders Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Singh Surjewala will continue as general secretaries&nbsp;of communication,&nbsp; organisation,&nbsp;Gujarat and Karnataka, respectively.</p>

<p>Bhawar Jitendra Singh was given an additional charge of Madhya Pradesh. Milind Deora and Vijay Inder Singla were appointed as joint treasurers of the party, while Deepak Babaria holds the charge of Delhi and the additional charge of Haryana.</p>

<p>The statement further said that the appointments were made with immediate effect.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a major reshuffle ahead of the 2024 general elections in India, the Congress party appointed Sachin Pilot as the general secretary in charge of Chhattisgarh, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was removed as the party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh.

In a major reshuffle ahead of the 2024 general elections in India, the Congress party appointed Sachin Pilot as the general secretary in charge of Chhattisgarh, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was removed as the party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka has been replaced by Avinash Pande as the general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh. The Congress released a statement on the significant development saying that Vadra will now be a general secretary "without any assigned portfolio". The move comes two days after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party's highest decision-making body, was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Also read: ‘Extremists should not be given space’: India’s Jaishankar reacts to vandalism at Hindu temple in US Other developments Meanwhile, Ramesh Chennithala was appointed as AICC in-charge of Maharashtra. Deepa Dasmunshi was appointed as the General Secretary of the Kerala, Lakshadweep and additional charge of Telangana Congress units. Congress leader GA Mir is the general secretary in charge of Jharkhand with the additional charge of West Bengal, the party said in a statement. On the other hand, senior leaders Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Singh Surjewala will continue as general secretaries of communication, organisation, Gujarat and Karnataka, respectively. Bhawar Jitendra Singh was given an additional charge of Madhya Pradesh. Milind Deora and Vijay Inder Singla were appointed as joint treasurers of the party, while Deepak Babaria holds the charge of Delhi and the additional charge of Haryana. The statement further said that the appointments were made with immediate effect. (With inputs from agencies)

India: Congress relieves Priyanka Gandhi as UP in-charge, Sachin Pilot gets key role ahead of polls

<p>Multiple media reports have said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge should be projected as prime ministerial candidate from the INDIA alliance for Lok Sabha elections next year. Kharge turned down the suggestion saying the first priority should be working together for winning majority in the elections.</p>

<p>News agency ANI quoted VCM parliamentarian Thol. Thirumavalavan who said that Banerjee, along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made the proposal favouring Kharge to be the PM face and co-ordinator of the INDIA bloc. Thirumavalan said that Kharge rejected the proposal.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Record number of Opposition MPs suspended from Indian Parliament</strong></p>

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<p>Kharge clarified his stance on this in media interaction after the meeting.</p>

<p>"First, all of us have to win, we should think about what needs to be done for victory. Who will be PM, this will be decided later. If there are less MPs, what is the point of talking about PM. First, to increase our numbers, (by) coming together, we will try to bring majority. First we will try to win," he said as quoted by ANI.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mumbai-resident-ordered-food-worth-over-50000-on-food-aggregator-app-670033">Mumbai resident ordered food worth over $50,000 on food aggregator app</a></strong></p>

<p>Kerala Congress leader PJ Joseph however has said that Banerjee Didi not take any names and pressed for a 'Dalit PM'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"She did not suggest so. While she spoke, Mamata Banerjee said that it would be good if we could project a Dalit PM. She did not say the name of any person. The matter was not discussed much because she spoke last," Joseph told ANI.</p>

<p>Kharge, who is former Union minister, is from the Dalit community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Leaders from 28 parties attended the fourth meeting of the 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance' (INDIA) bloc in New Delhi.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-maharashtra-greenlights-new-city-called-third-mumbai-671386">Maharashtra greenlights new city called 'Third Mumbai': Report</a></strong></p>

<p>The bloc is attempting to cobble together a united front of opposition parties to topple BJP in upcoming general elections. Dislodging PM Narendra Modi-led BJP and its allies from central government is still being considered to be a tough task.</p>

<p>The BJP is currently riding high on good performance in recently concluded elections in several Indian states.</p>

<p>The latest meeting of the INDIA bloc was held as the political temperature is on the rise due suspension of 141 MPs from the Indian Parliament. The unprecedented development has taken place just as parliament is holding the winter session.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Multiple media reports have said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge should be projected as prime ministerial candidate from the INDIA alliance for Lok Sabha elections next year.

Multiple media reports have said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge should be projected as prime ministerial candidate from the INDIA alliance for Lok Sabha elections next year. Kharge turned down the suggestion saying the first priority should be working together for winning majority in the elections. News agency ANI quoted VCM parliamentarian Thol. Thirumavalavan who said that Banerjee, along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made the proposal favouring Kharge to be the PM face and co-ordinator of the INDIA bloc. Thirumavalan said that Kharge rejected the proposal. Watch | Record number of Opposition MPs suspended from Indian Parliament × Kharge clarified his stance on this in media interaction after the meeting. "First, all of us have to win, we should think about what needs to be done for victory. Who will be PM, this will be decided later. If there are less MPs, what is the point of talking about PM. First, to increase our numbers, (by) coming together, we will try to bring majority. First we will try to win," he said as quoted by ANI. Also Read | Mumbai resident ordered food worth over $50,000 on food aggregator app Kerala Congress leader PJ Joseph however has said that Banerjee Didi not take any names and pressed for a 'Dalit PM'. "She did not suggest so. While she spoke, Mamata Banerjee said that it would be good if we could project a Dalit PM. She did not say the name of any person. The matter was not discussed much because she spoke last," Joseph told ANI. Kharge, who is former Union minister, is from the Dalit community. Leaders from 28 parties attended the fourth meeting of the 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance' (INDIA) bloc in New Delhi. Also Read | Maharashtra greenlights new city called 'Third Mumbai': Report The bloc is attempting to cobble together a united front of opposition parties to topple BJP in upcoming general elections. Dislodging PM Narendra Modi-led BJP and its allies from central government is still being considered to be a tough task. The BJP is currently riding high on good performance in recently concluded elections in several Indian states. The latest meeting of the INDIA bloc was held as the political temperature is on the rise due suspension of 141 MPs from the Indian Parliament. The unprecedented development has taken place just as parliament is holding the winter session. (With inputs from agencies)

INDIA alliance meet: Mamata Banerjee proposes Cong president Kharge’s name for PM, he refuses

<p>Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge skipped the Independence Day celebration event at the Red Fort from where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country for consecutively the 10th time in a row on Tuesday (Aug 15)</p>

<p>A chair that was reserved for Kharge was seen empty during the function.</p>

<p>However, the Congress president hoisted the national flag at Congress headquarters where Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders also attended the Independence Day celebrations.</p>

<p>Later, on being questioned by the press, Kharge cited "eye-related problems" as the reason for not attending the function further adding that he couldn't have made it at the AICC headquarters celebrations on time considering the tight security arrangements in and around Red Fort.</p>

<p>Kharge said, "Firstly, I have some eye-related problems. Secondly, I had to hoist the tricolour at my residence at 9.20 am, as per protocols. Then I had to come to the Congress office and hoist the tricolour there as well. So, I could not have arrived here on time (if he had attended the main event). Such were the security arrangements around the Red Fort that I wouldn't have been able to leave the main even before PM Modi."</p>

<p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-asserts-he-will-return-to-power-in-2024-in-independence-day-speech-625684">Confident of returning to power, Modi aims for a developed India by 2047 in I-Day speech</a></p>

<p>"Worried that I might not be able to reach here on time, I thought it better not to go there (Red Fort) due to the security arrangements and lack of time," the Congress national president added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">राष्ट्रीय आंदोलन के दौरान, अनगिनत भारतीयों ने अपना बलिदान दिया था, उन सभी के क़ुर्बानियों को हम नमन करते हैं।<br />
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महात्मा गाँधी, पंडित जवाहरलाल नेहरु, सरदार वल्लभ भाई पटेल, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस, मौलाना आज़ाद, राजेंद्र प्रसाद, सरोजिनी नायडू व बाबासाहेब अंबेडकर जैसे हमारे महान… <a href="https://t.co/knL02Ajqw7">pic.twitter.com/knL02Ajqw7</a></p>
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1691322998538858496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Congress' national spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Apparently, the BJP is upset that Kharge ji was not present at the PM's Red Fort speech. Does the PM realise that his route arrangements would have made it impossible for Kharge Sahib to reach the Party HQ for the Flag hoisting function in time? Do we not have the independence of hoisting the Flag at our headquarters on Independence Day?"</p>

<p>In an address at the Congress party's flag-hoisting event at the AICC headquarters, Kharge said, "Countless Indians laid down their lives during the freedom struggle. We bow in tribute to them on this day. We bow to the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, and Sarojini Naidu, who played a vital role in the freedom struggle,"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">VIDEO | "When I stand up to speak in Parliament, my mic is shut off. On one hand, they claim to abide by democratic values, on the other hand our voices are being muzzled," says Congress president <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kharge</a> during Independence Day celebrations at AICC headquarters in Delhi.… <a href="https://t.co/7qNNrkS6K6">pic.twitter.com/7qNNrkS6K6</a></p>
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1691321947492171776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further, taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "These days, some people say the country made real progress only in the last few years. The British rulers left us in such a mess that the country didn't even have the wherewithal to make a needle. Nehru-ji gave us IITs and IIMs, as well as the Bhakra Nangal Dam. When there was a shortage of food grains in the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri-ji and Indira Gandhi-ji brought about the green revolution. It was during our rule that India helped Bangladesh achieve independence."</p>

<p>He then claimed that democracy and the constitution of India were under threat, stating, "Today, the country is facing a massive threat, especially with regard to this constitution and functional democracy. Whenever I get up to speak in Parliament, they shut off my microphone. And they talk about democracy! The government is trying to muzzle the voice of the Opposition."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge skipped the Independence Day celebration event at the Red Fort from where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country for consecutively the 10th time in a row on Tuesday (Aug 15) A chair that was reserved for Kharge was seen empty during the function.

Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge skipped the Independence Day celebration event at the Red Fort from where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country for consecutively the 10th time in a row on Tuesday (Aug 15) A chair that was reserved for Kharge was seen empty during the function. However, the Congress president hoisted the national flag at Congress headquarters where Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders also attended the Independence Day celebrations. Later, on being questioned by the press, Kharge cited "eye-related problems" as the reason for not attending the function further adding that he couldn't have made it at the AICC headquarters celebrations on time considering the tight security arrangements in and around Red Fort. Kharge said, "Firstly, I have some eye-related problems. Secondly, I had to hoist the tricolour at my residence at 9.20 am, as per protocols. Then I had to come to the Congress office and hoist the tricolour there as well. So, I could not have arrived here on time (if he had attended the main event). Such were the security arrangements around the Red Fort that I wouldn't have been able to leave the main even before PM Modi." Also read: Confident of returning to power, Modi aims for a developed India by 2047 in I-Day speech "Worried that I might not be able to reach here on time, I thought it better not to go there (Red Fort) due to the security arrangements and lack of time," the Congress national president added. राष्ट्रीय आंदोलन के दौरान, अनगिनत भारतीयों ने अपना बलिदान दिया था, उन सभी के क़ुर्बानियों को हम नमन करते हैं। महात्मा गाँधी, पंडित जवाहरलाल नेहरु, सरदार वल्लभ भाई पटेल, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस, मौलाना आज़ाद, राजेंद्र प्रसाद, सरोजिनी नायडू व बाबासाहेब अंबेडकर जैसे हमारे महान… pic.twitter.com/knL02Ajqw7 — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 15, 2023 × The Congress' national spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Apparently, the BJP is upset that Kharge ji was not present at the PM's Red Fort speech. Does the PM realise that his route arrangements would have made it impossible for Kharge Sahib to reach the Party HQ for the Flag hoisting function in time? Do we not have the independence of hoisting the Flag at our headquarters on Independence Day?" In an address at the Congress party's flag-hoisting event at the AICC headquarters, Kharge said, "Countless Indians laid down their lives during the freedom struggle. We bow in tribute to them on this day. We bow to the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, and Sarojini Naidu, who played a vital role in the freedom struggle," VIDEO | "When I stand up to speak in Parliament, my mic is shut off. On one hand, they claim to abide by democratic values, on the other hand our voices are being muzzled," says Congress president @kharge during Independence Day celebrations at AICC headquarters in Delhi.… pic.twitter.com/7qNNrkS6K6 — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 15, 2023 × Further, taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "These days, some people say the country made real progress only in the last few years. The British rulers left us in such a mess that the country didn't even have the wherewithal to make a needle. Nehru-ji gave us IITs and IIMs, as well as the Bhakra Nangal Dam. When there was a shortage of food grains in the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri-ji and Indira Gandhi-ji brought about the green revolution. It was during our rule that India helped Bangladesh achieve independence." He then claimed that democracy and the constitution of India were under threat, stating, "Today, the country is facing a massive threat, especially with regard to this constitution and functional democracy. Whenever I get up to speak in Parliament, they shut off my microphone. And they talk about democracy! The government is trying to muzzle the voice of the Opposition." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge skips Independence Day function, cites eye-related problems

<p>The campaign for the assembly polls in India’s southern Karnataka state has become increasingly contentious after the opposition Congress party accused a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of plotting to assassinate its president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his entire family.</p>

<p>The sensational charge was made by Congress member and party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala during a press conference on Saturday.</p>

<p>During the press briefing, he played an audio clip purportedly of Manikanta Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, where he can be heard saying in the Kannada language that he will "wipe out Kharge, his wife and children".</p>

<p>&nbsp;“I am going to play for you an audio recording of an assassination plot to wipe out none less than the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, and his entire family as being hatched by the BJP leaders. There can be nothing more serious than that.”</p>

<p>He added that "the assassination plots have entered the electoral discourse of Karnataka and this was the lowest political discourse anyone can stoop to.”</p>

<p>He claimed that BJP leaders are “intimidated by the all-round blessings of Kannadigas being showered on the Congress party”, and sensing “complete rout”, the BJP leaders a hatching a plot to eliminate Kharge and his family.</p>

<p>BJP candidate Rathod, on the other hand, refuted the assassination allegations saying, “It is all a lie. They are playing some fake audio. The Congress is levelling baseless allegations fearing defeat,” reports PTI news agency.</p>

<p>Reacting to the allegations, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said an investigation would be conducted to find out the authenticity of the recording.</p>

<p>“I do not know about the audio. That will be investigated. We will take it seriously and get it investigated."</p>

<p><strong>Karnataka polls to begin on May 10</strong></p>

<p>The state will go to polls on May 10. The election results will be declared on May 13. There are a total of 224 seats in Karnataka, the seventh-largest legislative assembly by strength. The majority mark is 112.</p>

<p>The incumbent BJP is facing a massive anti-incumbency wave due to massive corruption charges, and public distrust towards the functioning of the government.</p>

<p><strong>What happened in the last election?</strong></p>

<p>The 2018 Karnataka assembly polls gave a hung assembly with BJP emerging as the single largest party. The saffron party won 104 seats while the coalition of Congress and JD (S) won 87 and 30 seats respectively. BJP’s Yediyurappa was first to stake the claim to form the government, but he failed to prove the majority after a high-pitch legal battle and submitted his resignation just before the trust vote in May 2018 paving way for the Congress-JD(S) coalition to form the government under the leadership of JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.</p>

<p>But this government was also short-lived as it lasted for merely 14 months after several ruling party MLAs switched to BJP.</p>

<p>This paved the way for BJP, under ex-chief minister BS Yediyurappa to form the government. However, later he was forced to resign by the party, making way for the incumbent CM Bommai Basavaraj to take over the reins.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

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The campaign for the assembly polls in India’s southern Karnataka state has become increasingly contentious after the opposition Congress party accused a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of plotting to assassinate its president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his entire family.

The campaign for the assembly polls in India’s southern Karnataka state has become increasingly contentious after the opposition Congress party accused a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of plotting to assassinate its president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his entire family. The sensational charge was made by Congress member and party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala during a press conference on Saturday. During the press briefing, he played an audio clip purportedly of Manikanta Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, where he can be heard saying in the Kannada language that he will "wipe out Kharge, his wife and children". “I am going to play for you an audio recording of an assassination plot to wipe out none less than the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, and his entire family as being hatched by the BJP leaders. There can be nothing more serious than that.” He added that "the assassination plots have entered the electoral discourse of Karnataka and this was the lowest political discourse anyone can stoop to.” He claimed that BJP leaders are “intimidated by the all-round blessings of Kannadigas being showered on the Congress party”, and sensing “complete rout”, the BJP leaders a hatching a plot to eliminate Kharge and his family. BJP candidate Rathod, on the other hand, refuted the assassination allegations saying, “It is all a lie. They are playing some fake audio. The Congress is levelling baseless allegations fearing defeat,” reports PTI news agency. Reacting to the allegations, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said an investigation would be conducted to find out the authenticity of the recording. “I do not know about the audio. That will be investigated. We will take it seriously and get it investigated." Karnataka polls to begin on May 10 The state will go to polls on May 10. The election results will be declared on May 13. There are a total of 224 seats in Karnataka, the seventh-largest legislative assembly by strength. The majority mark is 112. The incumbent BJP is facing a massive anti-incumbency wave due to massive corruption charges, and public distrust towards the functioning of the government. What happened in the last election? The 2018 Karnataka assembly polls gave a hung assembly with BJP emerging as the single largest party. The saffron party won 104 seats while the coalition of Congress and JD (S) won 87 and 30 seats respectively. BJP’s Yediyurappa was first to stake the claim to form the government, but he failed to prove the majority after a high-pitch legal battle and submitted his resignation just before the trust vote in May 2018 paving way for the Congress-JD(S) coalition to form the government under the leadership of JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. But this government was also short-lived as it lasted for merely 14 months after several ruling party MLAs switched to BJP. This paved the way for BJP, under ex-chief minister BS Yediyurappa to form the government. However, later he was forced to resign by the party, making way for the incumbent CM Bommai Basavaraj to take over the reins. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Karnataka polls: Congress accuses BJP of plotting to kill Mallikarjun Kharge, saffron party denies charge

<p><meta charset="utf-8" />Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start&nbsp;his new position on 26 October.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the results of the vote counting, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/who-is-mallikarjun-kharge-the-new-non-gandhi-congress-chief-to-square-off-against-modis-bjp-526800">Kharge</a> was named the winner of the Congress president election. As per Madhusudan Mistry, chairman of the central election authority for the party, Kharge garnered 7,897 votes, while Tharoor received 1,072 votes, out of a total of 9,385 cast. The remaining 416 votes were deemed invalid.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Separately, Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, has been on his <em>'Bharat Jodo Yatra'</em> for almost a month now. The Congress party seeks to revive itself&nbsp;with the 3,570-km, 150-day-long foot march that has been hailed as its largest recent mass engagement programme.</p>

<p><strong>Downhill since 2014</strong></p>

<p>In terms of the seats won in the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has seen a significant dropoff since 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it gained 52 seats, a little rise over the 44 seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It just so happens that it no longer has a stronghold in several States where it once had one. Party members quitting the party have caused it to lose members, which has hurt its ranks. Along with the decline in vote share, its base of support has also shrunk.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-rupee-falls-to-record-low-against-us-dollar-inches-closer-to-83-mark-526779">Indian rupee falls to record low against United States dollar, crosses 83-mark</a></p>

<p>The visualisation below explains the vote share that the Indian National Congress received in the Lok Sabha elections from the 1951 first general elections after the nation gained its independence till 2019. The INC had a vote share greater than 30% from 1951 to 1984, with the exception of 1977. The party's performance as a national party has declined, as seen by the sharp reduction in seats gained in 2014 and 2019, when the vote share was less than 20%.</p>

<p><em><strong>Hover over the graph for data</strong></em></p>

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<p><strong>Data source: Election Commission of India</strong></p>

<p>The political landscape of India between the years of 2012 and 2022 is depicted on maps below. The INC was in power in 12 of India's 28 States in 2012, while the BJP had power in just five of those States. The Congress only held office in two States in 2022—Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh—while it was allied with the party in power in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Jharkhand. BJP, on the other hand, is in charge in 16 States. In the Northeast States in 2012, the Congress was in charge. But by 2022, the BJP had eliminated the influence of the Congress in the region.</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

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<p><strong>Data source: Election Commission of India</strong></p>

<p>While there are many variables contributing to the Congress party's downfall, their woes have been made worse by the party's adamant opposition to internal structural changes, the crisis in its leadership, and its failure to overthrow the current administration.</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>The Congress has hit its lowest point, and efforts to revive the party through presidential elections in addition to outreach initiatives like the Bharat Jodo Yatra appear to be the only ways to escape the quagmire. It will be interesting to see a non-Gandhi president be the face of the party.&nbsp;</p>

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Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start his new position on 26 October.

Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. According to party MP Randeep Surjewala, he would start his new position on 26 October. Following the results of the vote counting, Kharge was named the winner of the Congress president election. As per Madhusudan Mistry, chairman of the central election authority for the party, Kharge garnered 7,897 votes, while Tharoor received 1,072 votes, out of a total of 9,385 cast. The remaining 416 votes were deemed invalid. Separately, Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, has been on his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' for almost a month now. The Congress party seeks to revive itself with the 3,570-km, 150-day-long foot march that has been hailed as its largest recent mass engagement programme. Downhill since 2014 In terms of the seats won in the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has seen a significant dropoff since 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it gained 52 seats, a little rise over the 44 seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It just so happens that it no longer has a stronghold in several States where it once had one. Party members quitting the party have caused it to lose members, which has hurt its ranks. Along with the decline in vote share, its base of support has also shrunk. Also read | Indian rupee falls to record low against United States dollar, crosses 83-mark The visualisation below explains the vote share that the Indian National Congress received in the Lok Sabha elections from the 1951 first general elections after the nation gained its independence till 2019. The INC had a vote share greater than 30% from 1951 to 1984, with the exception of 1977. The party's performance as a national party has declined, as seen by the sharp reduction in seats gained in 2014 and 2019, when the vote share was less than 20%. Hover over the graph for data × Data source: Election Commission of India The political landscape of India between the years of 2012 and 2022 is depicted on maps below. The INC was in power in 12 of India's 28 States in 2012, while the BJP had power in just five of those States. The Congress only held office in two States in 2022—Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh—while it was allied with the party in power in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Jharkhand. BJP, on the other hand, is in charge in 16 States. In the Northeast States in 2012, the Congress was in charge. But by 2022, the BJP had eliminated the influence of the Congress in the region. × × Data source: Election Commission of India While there are many variables contributing to the Congress party's downfall, their woes have been made worse by the party's adamant opposition to internal structural changes, the crisis in its leadership, and its failure to overthrow the current administration. The Congress has hit its lowest point, and efforts to revive the party through presidential elections in addition to outreach initiatives like the Bharat Jodo Yatra appear to be the only ways to escape the quagmire. It will be interesting to see a non-Gandhi president be the face of the party. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data Lab | Congress's first non-Gandhi president in 24 years; mapping the downfall of the party since 2014

<p>Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted a congratulatory message to Kharge and thanked colleagues for their support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is a great honour &amp; a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia &amp; I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues, &amp; to carry the hopes &amp; aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India," tweeted Tharoor.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It is a great honour &amp; a huge responsibility to be President of <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCIndia</a> &amp;I wish <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kharge</a> ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues,&amp; to carry the hopes&amp; aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India. <a href="https://t.co/NistXfQGN1">pic.twitter.com/NistXfQGN1</a></p>
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1582644658361860096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>"On 17th October, in a true celebration of inner-party democracy, over 9500 delegates of the Indian National Congress cast their vote in the elections for the post of party president. Today, the final verdict has been in favour of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. I would like to convey my warm congratulations to him for his victory. The decision of the party delegates is final and I accept it humbly. It is a privilege to be a member of a party that allows its workers to choose their President," read the statement released by Tharoor.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Thiruvananthapuram MP also thanked the Gandhi family, especially former President Rahul Gandhi as well as her sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"My thanks also to former President Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for doing their own bit to support free and neutral elections. The Nehru-Gandhi family has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members - and with good reason too. It is my hope and belief that the family will remain the foundational pillar of the Congress, our moral conscience and ultimate guiding spirit."</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi, currently on his Bharat Jodo Yatra, in a statement said that he could not comment on the role of the newly elected president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I can't comment on Congress president's role, that's for Mr Kharge to comment on. The President will decide what my role is," said the former Congress president.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>| "I can't comment on Congress President's role, that's for Mr Kharge (party's Presidential candidate) to comment on. The President will decide what my role is...", says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in Andhra Pradesh<br />
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Counting of votes to decide the Congress President underway <a href="https://t.co/eRoRBY7QfX">pic.twitter.com/eRoRBY7QfX</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1582645458609938432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to reports, it was a landslide win for Kharge who received over 90 per cent of the votes cast. The senior Congress leader polled 7,897 votes while Tharoor trailed miles behind at 1,072.</p>

<p>This was the first Congress presidential election to be held in more than 20 years. Earlier, the chair rotated between the Gandhi family members with the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi occupying the position since 1998.</p>

<p>However, political experts are casting aspersions over the authenticity of the result as Kharge was projected as the 'Gandhi-approved' candidate and not many in the party dare go beyond the line issued by the top family.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result.

Senior Congress leader and a candidate for the party president post, Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded defeat to rival Mallikarjuan Kharge. Tharoor admitting defeat comes hours after his faction alleged that voting had been rigged in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and demanded the 'vote count' be removed from the final result. Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted a congratulatory message to Kharge and thanked colleagues for their support. "It is a great honour & a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia & I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues, & to carry the hopes & aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India," tweeted Tharoor. It is a great honour & a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia &I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues,& to carry the hopes& aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India. pic.twitter.com/NistXfQGN1 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 19, 2022 × "On 17th October, in a true celebration of inner-party democracy, over 9500 delegates of the Indian National Congress cast their vote in the elections for the post of party president. Today, the final verdict has been in favour of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. I would like to convey my warm congratulations to him for his victory. The decision of the party delegates is final and I accept it humbly. It is a privilege to be a member of a party that allows its workers to choose their President," read the statement released by Tharoor. The Thiruvananthapuram MP also thanked the Gandhi family, especially former President Rahul Gandhi as well as her sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their support. "My thanks also to former President Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for doing their own bit to support free and neutral elections. The Nehru-Gandhi family has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members - and with good reason too. It is my hope and belief that the family will remain the foundational pillar of the Congress, our moral conscience and ultimate guiding spirit." Rahul Gandhi, currently on his Bharat Jodo Yatra, in a statement said that he could not comment on the role of the newly elected president. "I can't comment on Congress president's role, that's for Mr Kharge to comment on. The President will decide what my role is," said the former Congress president. #WATCH| "I can't comment on Congress President's role, that's for Mr Kharge (party's Presidential candidate) to comment on. The President will decide what my role is...", says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in Andhra Pradesh Counting of votes to decide the Congress President underway pic.twitter.com/eRoRBY7QfX — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2022 × According to reports, it was a landslide win for Kharge who received over 90 per cent of the votes cast. The senior Congress leader polled 7,897 votes while Tharoor trailed miles behind at 1,072. This was the first Congress presidential election to be held in more than 20 years. Earlier, the chair rotated between the Gandhi family members with the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi occupying the position since 1998. However, political experts are casting aspersions over the authenticity of the result as Kharge was projected as the 'Gandhi-approved' candidate and not many in the party dare go beyond the line issued by the top family. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Tharoor concedes defeat, Kharge set to be Congress party president

India's oldest political party and one of the oldest in the world, the Indian National Congress declared the results of its Presidential elections. Former minister and party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge was declared the winner of the internal party polls held on October 17.

Mallikarjun Kharge set to head India's grand old party Congress

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<p>Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress on Wednesday (October 19) as he defeated Shashi Tharoor in the party election, only the sixth in its history of 137 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A new era has begun for the current opposition party in India as Kharge became its first non-Gandhi president in 24 years. He will succeed Sonia Gandhi, who held the fort in recent years during several ups and downs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sonia emerged as an anchor during crucial moments, especially when the party's stature was slightly overshadowed by the dominance of India's ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in&nbsp;successive elections, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mallikarjun Kharge received 7,897 votes, and his rival Shashi Tharoor managed to get only 1,072. This huge-victory margin clearly shows what the party members actually wanted as their new game plan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A total of 9,915 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates formed the electoral college to pick next party chief in a secret ballot. Over 9,500 cast their ballot at PCC offices and the AICC headquarters on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Who is Mallikarjun Kharge?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Kharge was born in Karnataka, a state in southwest India, on July 21 in 1942. After college, Kharge began his legal practice as a junior in Justice Shivaraj Patil's office.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Starting his political career as a student union leader in college, Kharge emerged as a stalwart in Indian politics. Throughout his career, he led many fights for the rights of labourers. He fought legal cases for labour unions early in his career, many of them pro bono.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He became the legal adviser to MSK Mills Employees' Union in 1969&nbsp;and was also an influential labour union leader of Samyukta Majdoor Sangh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge was the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly&nbsp;and was the president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in 2008.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 80-year-old was the leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha during 2014–2019&nbsp;and the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha from February 16, 2021, to October 01, 2022. He had previously served as the minister of railways and minister of labour and employment in the Union government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He won&nbsp;elections a record 10 consecutive times. He first contested the Karnataka State Assembly elections in 1972 and won from the Gurmitkal constituency an unprecedented nine consecutive times (1972, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009). &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>G-23 leaders of Congress</strong></p>

<p>The change is not sudden, senior leaders have been trying for it for quite some time. After facing a series of defeats in Lok Sabha and assembly elections of several states&nbsp;in the past few years, some veteran leaders of the party voiced concerns and highlighted several issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The G-23 leaders, as they came to be known, wrote a letter to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 and demanded active leadership and organisational rejig, which intensified with time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Congress party's new non-Gandhi card for a new game&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>After conceding the election, Tharoor said he believed "the revival of the party begins today". To some extent, it appears to be true as voices kept emerging to give leadership to someone, not from the Gandhi family, in an attempt to end dynasty politics.</p>

<p>In a letter, Tharoor wrote: "I have always expressed the view that these elections, irrespective of the outcome, must ultimately strengthen the party. It gives me immense personal satisfaction that this has clearly been the case."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Our democratic contest has galvanised vibrancy at all levels and has prompted a healthy and constructive discussion on change, which I believe will serve the party in good stead in the future," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But how exactly it will pan out, only time will tell. Especially, Kharge's plan to win elections, keeping an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha battle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge will have to accelerate planning as BJP has already moved ahead with aggressive preparations for the general elections and come up with a blueprint to analyse its position in 144 Lok Sabha constituencies where its performance was not up to the mark in the last general election.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress on Wednesday (October 19) as he defeated Shashi Tharoor in the party election, only the sixth in its history of 137 years.

Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress on Wednesday (October 19) as he defeated Shashi Tharoor in the party election, only the sixth in its history of 137 years. A new era has begun for the current opposition party in India as Kharge became its first non-Gandhi president in 24 years. He will succeed Sonia Gandhi, who held the fort in recent years during several ups and downs. Sonia emerged as an anchor during crucial moments, especially when the party's stature was slightly overshadowed by the dominance of India's ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in successive elections, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies. Mallikarjun Kharge received 7,897 votes, and his rival Shashi Tharoor managed to get only 1,072. This huge-victory margin clearly shows what the party members actually wanted as their new game plan. A total of 9,915 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates formed the electoral college to pick next party chief in a secret ballot. Over 9,500 cast their ballot at PCC offices and the AICC headquarters on Monday. Who is Mallikarjun Kharge? Kharge was born in Karnataka, a state in southwest India, on July 21 in 1942. After college, Kharge began his legal practice as a junior in Justice Shivaraj Patil's office. Starting his political career as a student union leader in college, Kharge emerged as a stalwart in Indian politics. Throughout his career, he led many fights for the rights of labourers. He fought legal cases for labour unions early in his career, many of them pro bono. He became the legal adviser to MSK Mills Employees' Union in 1969 and was also an influential labour union leader of Samyukta Majdoor Sangh. Kharge was the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and was the president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in 2008. The 80-year-old was the leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha during 2014–2019 and the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha from February 16, 2021, to October 01, 2022. He had previously served as the minister of railways and minister of labour and employment in the Union government. He won elections a record 10 consecutive times. He first contested the Karnataka State Assembly elections in 1972 and won from the Gurmitkal constituency an unprecedented nine consecutive times (1972, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009). G-23 leaders of Congress The change is not sudden, senior leaders have been trying for it for quite some time. After facing a series of defeats in Lok Sabha and assembly elections of several states in the past few years, some veteran leaders of the party voiced concerns and highlighted several issues. The G-23 leaders, as they came to be known, wrote a letter to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 and demanded active leadership and organisational rejig, which intensified with time. Congress party's new non-Gandhi card for a new game After conceding the election, Tharoor said he believed "the revival of the party begins today". To some extent, it appears to be true as voices kept emerging to give leadership to someone, not from the Gandhi family, in an attempt to end dynasty politics. In a letter, Tharoor wrote: "I have always expressed the view that these elections, irrespective of the outcome, must ultimately strengthen the party. It gives me immense personal satisfaction that this has clearly been the case." "Our democratic contest has galvanised vibrancy at all levels and has prompted a healthy and constructive discussion on change, which I believe will serve the party in good stead in the future," he added. But how exactly it will pan out, only time will tell. Especially, Kharge's plan to win elections, keeping an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha battle. Kharge will have to accelerate planning as BJP has already moved ahead with aggressive preparations for the general elections and come up with a blueprint to analyse its position in 144 Lok Sabha constituencies where its performance was not up to the mark in the last general election. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Who is Mallikarjun Kharge? The first non-Gandhi Congress chief in 24 years, pitted against BJP's might

<p>Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-confident-of-winning-all-15-seats-in-karnataka-bypolls-deputy-cm-ashwath-narayan-263908">Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) </a>is misusing the Constitution and they will be taught a lesson in the upcoming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-congress-declares-names-of-six-candidates-contesting-assembly-by-polls-262661">Karnataka bypolls</a>.</p>

<p>"BJP is misusing the Constitution. So let us see what happens next (about Congress alliance with JDS). People are watching everything how the power is being misused at the state and central levels," Kharge told reporters at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office here.</p>

<p>"It is important to teach BJP a lesson and we have to win all 15 seats. Indicating that the party was not averse to ally with JD(S), he said, "There are sources saying that JDS and Congress will come together to form the government after the bypoll results."</p>

<p>Kharge further said that all <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sc-upholds-disqualification-of-rebel-mlas-permits-them-to-contest-bypolls-261738">disqualified MLAs </a>will lose in Karnataka as they cheated the ideology and party and people are really angry on them. He also accused the BJP of using nefarious means to win the elections.</p>

<p>"BJP is distributing money to the voters which is dangerous to democracy. At present, BJP is putting pressure even on voters. If they don't succeed through these means then they raise religious things to fight elections," he said.</p>

<p>Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of neglecting Karnataka and of being impervious to the state's concerns.</p>

<p>"The local leadership of BJP promised of bringing funds from the Centre if their government came to power in Karnataka but they brought nothing even after such a huge flood. Modi neither spoke about Karnataka nor did he visit the state," he said.</p>

<p>"In my opinion Modi hates Karnataka, I don`t know what is the reason. Does he hate Karnataka because he hates Yediyurappa? He never helps Karnataka due to reasons unknown to us," he added.</p>

<p>Speaking on Maharashtra politics, Kharge said: "We formed the government with Shiv Sena even when our President was not in favour of it. But suggestions by MLAs, other parties and leftist parties suggested us to keep BJP away from the power which is why we formed the government with NCP and Shiv Sena. We just wanted to keep the fascist party away."</p>

<p>The by-elections for 15 out of 17 seats in Karnataka are slated to be held on December 5. The results will be declared on December 9.&nbsp;</p>


Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is misusing the Constitution and they will be taught a lesson in the upcoming Karnataka bypolls.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is misusing the Constitution and they will be taught a lesson in the upcoming Karnataka bypolls. "BJP is misusing the Constitution. So let us see what happens next (about Congress alliance with JDS). People are watching everything how the power is being misused at the state and central levels," Kharge told reporters at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office here. "It is important to teach BJP a lesson and we have to win all 15 seats. Indicating that the party was not averse to ally with JD(S), he said, "There are sources saying that JDS and Congress will come together to form the government after the bypoll results." Kharge further said that all disqualified MLAs will lose in Karnataka as they cheated the ideology and party and people are really angry on them. He also accused the BJP of using nefarious means to win the elections. "BJP is distributing money to the voters which is dangerous to democracy. At present, BJP is putting pressure even on voters. If they don't succeed through these means then they raise religious things to fight elections," he said. Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of neglecting Karnataka and of being impervious to the state's concerns. "The local leadership of BJP promised of bringing funds from the Centre if their government came to power in Karnataka but they brought nothing even after such a huge flood. Modi neither spoke about Karnataka nor did he visit the state," he said. "In my opinion Modi hates Karnataka, I don`t know what is the reason. Does he hate Karnataka because he hates Yediyurappa? He never helps Karnataka due to reasons unknown to us," he added. Speaking on Maharashtra politics, Kharge said: "We formed the government with Shiv Sena even when our President was not in favour of it. But suggestions by MLAs, other parties and leftist parties suggested us to keep BJP away from the power which is why we formed the government with NCP and Shiv Sena. We just wanted to keep the fascist party away." The by-elections for 15 out of 17 seats in Karnataka are slated to be held on December 5. The results will be declared on December 9.

BJP misusing Constitution, will be taught lesson in Karnataka bypolls: Mallikarjun Kharge

<p>Former prime minister and veteran Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Saturday paid rich tribute to former Delhi chief minister and Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit and said ''country has lost a great administrator and an outstanding leader who contributed enormously to the all-round development of Delhi''.</p>

<p>In a letter written to Dikshit`s son and Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, Singh said, "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad and shocking news of the untimely demise of our beloved Sheila Dikshit ji. The people of Delhi had a deep affection of Sheila ji and that is why she holds the distinction of being the only woman Chief Minister in India who has led her Party to three consecutive victories in Assembly Elections. In her death, our country has lost a great administrator and an outstanding leader who contributed enormously to the all-round development of Delhi."</p>

<p>He continued, "I take this opportunity to convey to you and other members of your family my heartfelt condolences on this bereavement. We pray to the Almighty to give all of you the strength to bear this great loss with courage and fortitude."</p>

<p>Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that the people of Delhi will always remember her as a distinguished Chief Minister who led them for 15 years and transformed the national capital into a world-class capital city.</p>

<p>"The people of Delhi will always remember her as a popular leader and distinguished Chief Minister who led them for 15 years and transformed New Delhi into a world-class capital city. She will always be remembered for her contributions towards the development and growth of New Delhi. Everyone who knew her across party lines will always remember her grace, generosity and warmth," he said.</p>

<p>Echoing similar sentiments, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal described Dikshit as a "noble-minded politician".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Under her 15 year-long administration, she undertook exceptional steps to develop the socio-economic infrastructure of the national capital, and that was the golden days of development in Delhi. She was a noble-minded politician and she upheld this quality throughout her life," Venugopal said in a condolence message written to Sandeep Dikshit.</p>

<p>Dikshit`s mortal remains are kept at the AICC headquarters on Sunday morning. The last rites will be held at 2:30 pm today.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from ANI)</em></p>


Former prime minister and veteran Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Saturday paid rich tribute to former Delhi chief minister and Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit and said ''country has lost a great administrator and an outstanding leader who contributed enormously to the all-round development of Delhi''.

Former prime minister and veteran Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Saturday paid rich tribute to former Delhi chief minister and Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit and said ''country has lost a great administrator and an outstanding leader who contributed enormously to the all-round development of Delhi''. In a letter written to Dikshit`s son and Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, Singh said, "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad and shocking news of the untimely demise of our beloved Sheila Dikshit ji. The people of Delhi had a deep affection of Sheila ji and that is why she holds the distinction of being the only woman Chief Minister in India who has led her Party to three consecutive victories in Assembly Elections. In her death, our country has lost a great administrator and an outstanding leader who contributed enormously to the all-round development of Delhi." He continued, "I take this opportunity to convey to you and other members of your family my heartfelt condolences on this bereavement. We pray to the Almighty to give all of you the strength to bear this great loss with courage and fortitude." Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that the people of Delhi will always remember her as a distinguished Chief Minister who led them for 15 years and transformed the national capital into a world-class capital city. "The people of Delhi will always remember her as a popular leader and distinguished Chief Minister who led them for 15 years and transformed New Delhi into a world-class capital city. She will always be remembered for her contributions towards the development and growth of New Delhi. Everyone who knew her across party lines will always remember her grace, generosity and warmth," he said. Echoing similar sentiments, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal described Dikshit as a "noble-minded politician". "Under her 15 year-long administration, she undertook exceptional steps to develop the socio-economic infrastructure of the national capital, and that was the golden days of development in Delhi. She was a noble-minded politician and she upheld this quality throughout her life," Venugopal said in a condolence message written to Sandeep Dikshit. Dikshit`s mortal remains are kept at the AICC headquarters on Sunday morning. The last rites will be held at 2:30 pm today. (With inputs from ANI)

Country lost great administrator and outstanding leader: Manmohan Singh remembers Sheila Dikshit

<p>Congress leader and former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday announced to resign from the post of party general secretary.</p>

<p>"Accepting the people's verdict and taking accountability, I had submitted my resignation as General Secretary of AICC to Shri @RahulGandhi. I thank him for entrusting me with this responsibility and for giving me the opportunity to serve our party," Scindia tweeted from his official Twitter account.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Accepting the people’s verdict and taking accountability, I had submitted my resignation as General Secretary of AICC to Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a>.<br />
<br />
I thank him for entrusting me with this responsibility and for giving me the opportunity to serve our party.</p>
— Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) <a href="https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia/status/1147821537128407040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Scindia had been appointed Congress' general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh along Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who had been appointed a general secretary for East UP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p>Scindia's resignation comes at a time when the party leaders from several states are offering their resignation or have resigned as an expression of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, who recently quit as the party president.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, former Member of Parliament (MP) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-congress-president-milind-deora-resigns-says-looking-forward-to-play-national-role-to-help-stabilise-party-233767">Milind Deora also announced to step down</a> from the post of Mumbai unit Congress president.</p>

<p>Deora has also proposed a three-member panel to lead the local unit of the party in view of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections to be held later this year.</p>

<p>It is being said that the Congress leader may move to Delhi for a national role in the party.</p>

<p>"The same has been conveyed to Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal, General Secretaries, All India Congress Committee," a statement from Deora's office said.</p>

<p>Deora had a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on June 26.</p>

<p>His resignation comes at a time when the party leaders from several states are offering their resignation as an expression of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, who recently quit as the party president.</p>

<p>Deora had been appointed the president of Congress' Mumbai unit on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p>Deora unsuccessfully ran for the Lok Sabha polls from South Mumbai constituency.</p>


Congress leader and former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday announced to resign from the post of party general secretary. "Accepting the people's verdict and taking accountability, I had submitted my resignation as General Secretary of AICC to Shri @RahulGandhi.

Congress leader and former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday announced to resign from the post of party general secretary. "Accepting the people's verdict and taking accountability, I had submitted my resignation as General Secretary of AICC to Shri @RahulGandhi. I thank him for entrusting me with this responsibility and for giving me the opportunity to serve our party," Scindia tweeted from his official Twitter account. Accepting the people’s verdict and taking accountability, I had submitted my resignation as General Secretary of AICC to Shri @RahulGandhi. I thank him for entrusting me with this responsibility and for giving me the opportunity to serve our party. — Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 7, 2019 × Scindia had been appointed Congress' general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh along Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who had been appointed a general secretary for East UP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Scindia's resignation comes at a time when the party leaders from several states are offering their resignation or have resigned as an expression of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, who recently quit as the party president. Earlier in the day, former Member of Parliament (MP) Milind Deora also announced to step down from the post of Mumbai unit Congress president. Deora has also proposed a three-member panel to lead the local unit of the party in view of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections to be held later this year. It is being said that the Congress leader may move to Delhi for a national role in the party. "The same has been conveyed to Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal, General Secretaries, All India Congress Committee," a statement from Deora's office said. Deora had a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on June 26. His resignation comes at a time when the party leaders from several states are offering their resignation as an expression of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, who recently quit as the party president. Deora had been appointed the president of Congress' Mumbai unit on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. Deora unsuccessfully ran for the Lok Sabha polls from South Mumbai constituency.

Jyotiraditya Scindia resigns as Congress general secretary

<p>Apart from the drama of absurd which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cms-of-congress-ruled-states-to-meet-rahul-gandhi-today-to-urge-against-the-resignation-decision-231881">Congress party may witness</a> on Tuesday, Congress Working Committee (CWC) is all set to meet either on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the future of the party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite young office holders planning to go in an indefinite strike in AICC to persuade Rahul Gandhi to remain as Congress president, two names have emerged as front runners for the position of the party president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two names are - former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and former leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Though Shinde lost the elections and also came under political storm because of the saffron terror controversy, he remains a Gandhi loyalist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shinde has also served in various positions in his forty-year career which includes the position of a governor and union minister. Mallikarjun Kharge's too is a very senior leader who started his career in 1972 but his stint at the Centre started in 2014 when he was appointed as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a last-ditch move, Congress chief ministers are meeting Rahul Gandhi to impress upon him that he should continue as the president of the party.</p>

<p>Sources also say that Rahul Gandhi remains firm on his decision and may join his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with his mother Sonia Gandhi by end of the week in the United States where Robert Vadra is undergoing surgery.</p>

<p>It is a matter of debate as to what will happen inside the Congress Working Committee, but senior leaders have confirmed that the only way to end the crisis in the party is to convene the CWC. Only the CWC can pass a resolution for a particular person, as the name can only be ratified by the AICC. As per the rule, senior most general secretary of AICC can convene a CWC in the absence of a president.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, in a related development, an open rift has opened between junior and senior leaders. A source in the Congress confirmed that leaders going on protest have been told that they must not name senior leaders from the podium to resign. A point to be noted is that as of now no senior leader, CWC member or chief minister has offered to resign.</p>


Apart from the drama of absurd which Congress party may witness on Tuesday, Congress Working Committee (CWC) is all set to meet either on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the future of the party.

Apart from the drama of absurd which Congress party may witness on Tuesday, Congress Working Committee (CWC) is all set to meet either on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the future of the party. Despite young office holders planning to go in an indefinite strike in AICC to persuade Rahul Gandhi to remain as Congress president, two names have emerged as front runners for the position of the party president. Two names are - former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and former leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Though Shinde lost the elections and also came under political storm because of the saffron terror controversy, he remains a Gandhi loyalist. Shinde has also served in various positions in his forty-year career which includes the position of a governor and union minister. Mallikarjun Kharge's too is a very senior leader who started his career in 1972 but his stint at the Centre started in 2014 when he was appointed as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha. As a last-ditch move, Congress chief ministers are meeting Rahul Gandhi to impress upon him that he should continue as the president of the party. Sources also say that Rahul Gandhi remains firm on his decision and may join his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with his mother Sonia Gandhi by end of the week in the United States where Robert Vadra is undergoing surgery. It is a matter of debate as to what will happen inside the Congress Working Committee, but senior leaders have confirmed that the only way to end the crisis in the party is to convene the CWC. Only the CWC can pass a resolution for a particular person, as the name can only be ratified by the AICC. As per the rule, senior most general secretary of AICC can convene a CWC in the absence of a president. Meanwhile, in a related development, an open rift has opened between junior and senior leaders. A source in the Congress confirmed that leaders going on protest have been told that they must not name senior leaders from the podium to resign. A point to be noted is that as of now no senior leader, CWC member or chief minister has offered to resign.

Sushil Kumar Shinde emerges frontrunner as CWC set to meet this week

<p>The Congress on Friday released a list of legislators in Maharashtra for certain positions in the state Assembly. The interesting part in this list is that it has been approved by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) instead of party president Rahul Gandhi.</p>

<p>Gandhi has been in London since Tuesday and unavailable to the Congress leadership for any decisions.</p>

<p>The list approved the name of Balasaheb Thorat as the leader of the legislative party in Maharashtra who will replace Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who quit the party earlier this month. Also included in the list is the name of Sharad Ranpise, who has been appointed leader of the Upper House. Generally, appointments for Congress party positions are announced on behalf of the party president.</p>

<p><img alt="AICC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b7d601ec-f9c9-4779-9c9d-3aaa063d06ff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/AICC.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>(The list approved by the AICC)</em></p>

<p>The names were proposed by the state in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge which was approved by the Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation, KC Venugopal.</p>

<p>Before the elections, Rahul Gandhi was taking most of the decisions. He even approved the appointment of Gurdaspur district president in January, 2019. But this time, Gandhi's absence in the party's official release took many by surprise.</p>

<p><img alt="Congress list" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="364a9c2b-6313-41cb-b1e5-21254fb80d5a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMG-20190614-WA0039.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>(The list approved by Rahul Gandhi in January)</em></p>

<p>As of now, there is no clarity on the decision-making process at the top in the Congress party. However, the party's media cell in-charge Randeep Surjewala has been insisting that Rahul Gandhi continues as president and would remain so in the position.</p>

<p>The Congress will also need to appoint leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha. This authority is vested in Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) president Sonia Gandhi, she can directly appoint any MP as the leader of the party in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) of Parliament.</p>

<p>Senior Congress leaders and few chief ministers are expected to meet today (June 14) for dinner hosted by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Sources said the official reason is to make a common strategy for the meeting which they will attend on Saturday at Niti Aayog. Sources also said that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrindar Singh may skip the dinner today, but the top menu of the dinner will remain the future of the Congress party as Rahul Gandhi continues to stick to his decision of not being the party president.</p>


The Congress on Friday released a list of legislators in Maharashtra for certain positions in the state Assembly. The interesting part in this list is that it has been approved by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) instead of party president Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress on Friday released a list of legislators in Maharashtra for certain positions in the state Assembly. The interesting part in this list is that it has been approved by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) instead of party president Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi has been in London since Tuesday and unavailable to the Congress leadership for any decisions. The list approved the name of Balasaheb Thorat as the leader of the legislative party in Maharashtra who will replace Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who quit the party earlier this month. Also included in the list is the name of Sharad Ranpise, who has been appointed leader of the Upper House. Generally, appointments for Congress party positions are announced on behalf of the party president. (The list approved by the AICC) The names were proposed by the state in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge which was approved by the Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation, KC Venugopal. Before the elections, Rahul Gandhi was taking most of the decisions. He even approved the appointment of Gurdaspur district president in January, 2019. But this time, Gandhi's absence in the party's official release took many by surprise. (The list approved by Rahul Gandhi in January) As of now, there is no clarity on the decision-making process at the top in the Congress party. However, the party's media cell in-charge Randeep Surjewala has been insisting that Rahul Gandhi continues as president and would remain so in the position. The Congress will also need to appoint leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha. This authority is vested in Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) president Sonia Gandhi, she can directly appoint any MP as the leader of the party in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) of Parliament. Senior Congress leaders and few chief ministers are expected to meet today (June 14) for dinner hosted by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Sources said the official reason is to make a common strategy for the meeting which they will attend on Saturday at Niti Aayog. Sources also said that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrindar Singh may skip the dinner today, but the top menu of the dinner will remain the future of the Congress party as Rahul Gandhi continues to stick to his decision of not being the party president.

Congress gets down to business without its president Rahul Gandhi

PM Modi takes dig at Mallikarjun Kharge during Lok Sabha speech

<p>Mallikarjung Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, has sent a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rishi-kumar-shukla-appointed-new-cbi-chief-officials-194608">the appointment of former Madhya Pradesh police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla as the new CBI chief</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his dissent note, Kharge said the Supreme Court has said the selection committee should choose a CBI director on the basis of seniority, integrity, and experience in the field of anti-corruption.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act also says the committee shall recommend a panel of officers for appointment as director on the basis of seniority, integrity and experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge then said in his dissent note that the criteria were however diluted in the selection committee meetings — and that it took into account only the candidates' investigation experience, and not their anti-corruption experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his dissent note, Kharge says Shukla has 117 months of investigation experience but no (see below) anti-corruption experience.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The dissent note of Mallikarjun Kharge on CBI says it all <a href="https://t.co/WKiZXOCR1k">pic.twitter.com/WKiZXOCR1k</a></p>
— Kartikeya Sharma (@kartikeya_1975) <a href="https://twitter.com/kartikeya_1975/status/1091703632901390336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The CBI chief is chosen by a committee comprising the prime minister, the leader of the opposition or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha (in this case Kharge himself) and the Chief Justice of India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge added in his dissent note that seniority cannot be the only criterion while making an appointment to such a crucial post and that experience in investigating anti-corruption cases should have been very seriously considered.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"One cannot stand by and accept the dilution of norms when appointment to such a critical post is being made," Kharge said in his note. "I record my dissent for aforementioned reasons," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shukla is at the moment chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation. He was before that director general of the MP Police.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Mallikarjung Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, has sent a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the appointment of former Madhya Pradesh police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla as the new CBI chief.

Mallikarjung Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, has sent a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the appointment of former Madhya Pradesh police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla as the new CBI chief. In his dissent note, Kharge said the Supreme Court has said the selection committee should choose a CBI director on the basis of seniority, integrity, and experience in the field of anti-corruption. He added that the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act also says the committee shall recommend a panel of officers for appointment as director on the basis of seniority, integrity and experience. Kharge then said in his dissent note that the criteria were however diluted in the selection committee meetings — and that it took into account only the candidates' investigation experience, and not their anti-corruption experience. In his dissent note, Kharge says Shukla has 117 months of investigation experience but no (see below) anti-corruption experience. The dissent note of Mallikarjun Kharge on CBI says it all pic.twitter.com/WKiZXOCR1k — Kartikeya Sharma (@kartikeya_1975) February 2, 2019 × The CBI chief is chosen by a committee comprising the prime minister, the leader of the opposition or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha (in this case Kharge himself) and the Chief Justice of India. Kharge added in his dissent note that seniority cannot be the only criterion while making an appointment to such a crucial post and that experience in investigating anti-corruption cases should have been very seriously considered. "One cannot stand by and accept the dilution of norms when appointment to such a critical post is being made," Kharge said in his note. "I record my dissent for aforementioned reasons," he added. Shukla is at the moment chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation. He was before that director general of the MP Police.

New CBI chief: Selection criteria were diluted, says Mallikarjun Kharge in dissent note to PM

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