Congress Party has made a come-back. This time the credit for this victory goes to none other than Rahul Gandhi who took over as Congress President a year back.

After a series of defeats and upsets, Rahul Gandhi has earned the victory for himself. Such was the image problem that the&nbsp;win in Punjab was not attributed to the planning he did, instead, the credit went to Captain Amarinder Singh.&nbsp;

This time around it was his campaign style and selection of issues which worked for the party. There was also no Sonia Gandhi around with whom the credit could be shared with.

The results themselves are an eye-opener. It breaks the myth of BJP of turning around lost elections. It also breaks the myth of Congress as a failed party which cannot fight elections against the Modi-Shah regime. The result also breaks the myth of impregnable strength of RSS which had been projected as an organisation that had mastered the dark art of winning elections in India.

This election also saw senior and junior leadership of the Congress fighting elections. But the best surprise came from Chhattisgarh where Congress leadership was non-existent. The Congress sweep in Chhattisgarh shows that electoral turn around can also take place in absence of state leadership if the messaging on key issues remain clear and strong.

Though it does not mean that Congress on its own is set to sweep elections in 2019. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after sweeping the three north Indian states in 2003 went on to lose the national elections in 2004.

It is a lesson to BJP that not all elections can be polarised on emotive issues. It is a reminder to them that rural distress and anti-farmer messaging by Congress against BJP can have disastrous results and cannot be ignored.

But Congress should also ponder over two issues. It has not been able to recover ground in Telangana. The arithmetic did not create the right chemistry which could attract the voters. In fact, it shows that the opportunistic alliance does not work at local level and Telangana repeated Uttar Pradesh where SP-Congress alliance failed to counter BJP which it swept handsomely. More so, Congress has been wiped out of Northeast. Probably it is first time after 1952 that Northeast does not a single state under its belt. Northeast has truly become 'Congress Mukt'.&nbsp;

Congress should also learn a lesson from Amit Shah's campaign style which resurrected his party in Rajasthan where political pundits gave clean sweep to the Congress Party. Congress will form the government in the state but it will not be called a sweep.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The victory will allow Rahul Gandhi to assert himself far more powerfully with regional parties to negotiate alliances which would be state specific. The victory also thwarts the idea of 'Grand Alliance' in which Congress would have been the side player.&nbsp;

The victory has given Rahul Gandhi a window right before the Lok Sabha elections to position himself to negotiate a better bargain for the Congress. This time he will be taken more seriously.

BJP, on the other hand, will have to rethink whether they would fight the election on governance issue or an emotive issue like Ayodhya. The clock ticks for both Congress and BJP but as of now, Congress has survived the bout to stay in the ring as a credible challenger for 2019 elections which a year back was being thought a cakewalk for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Congress Party has made a come-back. This time the credit for this victory goes to none other than Rahul Gandhi who took over as Congress President a year back. After a series of defeats and upsets, Rahul Gandhi has earned the victory for himself.

Congress Party has made a come-back. This time the credit for this victory goes to none other than Rahul Gandhi who took over as Congress President a year back. After a series of defeats and upsets, Rahul Gandhi has earned the victory for himself. Such was the image problem that the win in Punjab was not attributed to the planning he did, instead, the credit went to Captain Amarinder Singh. This time around it was his campaign style and selection of issues which worked for the party. There was also no Sonia Gandhi around with whom the credit could be shared with. The results themselves are an eye-opener. It breaks the myth of BJP of turning around lost elections. It also breaks the myth of Congress as a failed party which cannot fight elections against the Modi-Shah regime. The result also breaks the myth of impregnable strength of RSS which had been projected as an organisation that had mastered the dark art of winning elections in India. This election also saw senior and junior leadership of the Congress fighting elections. But the best surprise came from Chhattisgarh where Congress leadership was non-existent. The Congress sweep in Chhattisgarh shows that electoral turn around can also take place in absence of state leadership if the messaging on key issues remain clear and strong. Though it does not mean that Congress on its own is set to sweep elections in 2019. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after sweeping the three north Indian states in 2003 went on to lose the national elections in 2004. It is a lesson to BJP that not all elections can be polarised on emotive issues. It is a reminder to them that rural distress and anti-farmer messaging by Congress against BJP can have disastrous results and cannot be ignored. But Congress should also ponder over two issues. It has not been able to recover ground in Telangana. The arithmetic did not create the right chemistry which could attract the voters. In fact, it shows that the opportunistic alliance does not work at local level and Telangana repeated Uttar Pradesh where SP-Congress alliance failed to counter BJP which it swept handsomely. More so, Congress has been wiped out of Northeast. Probably it is first time after 1952 that Northeast does not a single state under its belt. Northeast has truly become 'Congress Mukt'. Congress should also learn a lesson from Amit Shah's campaign style which resurrected his party in Rajasthan where political pundits gave clean sweep to the Congress Party. Congress will form the government in the state but it will not be called a sweep. The victory will allow Rahul Gandhi to assert himself far more powerfully with regional parties to negotiate alliances which would be state specific. The victory also thwarts the idea of 'Grand Alliance' in which Congress would have been the side player. The victory has given Rahul Gandhi a window right before the Lok Sabha elections to position himself to negotiate a better bargain for the Congress. This time he will be taken more seriously. BJP, on the other hand, will have to rethink whether they would fight the election on governance issue or an emotive issue like Ayodhya. The clock ticks for both Congress and BJP but as of now, Congress has survived the bout to stay in the ring as a credible challenger for 2019 elections which a year back was being thought a cakewalk for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Rahul Gandhi 2.0: Hand also rises

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-uphold-autonomy-of-rbi-new-governor-shaktikanta-das-183476">Will protect RBI's autonomy: New Governor Shaktikanta Das</a>

New RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said Wednesday that he would protect the autonomy of the country's central bank. Das was appointed RBI governor on Tuesday after former governor Urjit Patel's sudden resignation on Monday. Patel and the government had been tussling for months over the issue of the bank's independence.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-eyes-now-on-whom-rahul-gandhi-will-choose-as-his-chief-ministers-183485">All eyes now on whom Rahul Gandhi will choose as his chief ministers​​​​​​​</a>

The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year.&nbsp;​​​​​​​

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-eyes-now-on-whom-rahul-gandhi-will-choose-as-his-chief-ministers-183485">UK PM May says will fight no-confidence motion, her ouster will delay Brexit</a>

The British prime minister said on Wednesday that she would fight a motion of no confidence lodged by a right-wing faction of her own Conservative Party and warned that a change in leadership now would only serve to delay the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.​​​​​​​

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sundar-pichai-explains-why-google-results-for-idiot-shows-trump-183473">Google 'idiot' and image of Trump shows up. Sundar Pichai explains why​​​​​​​</a>

In a public address to a group of mostly tech novices, Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday explained the company's algorithm that works behind curating data for its search results.​​​​​​​

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sundar-pichai-explains-why-google-results-for-idiot-shows-trump-183473">NRC coordinator tells SC semi-literate people cannot fill out objection forms</a>

Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the deadline for filing claims and objections on the inclusion of names in the draft National Register of Citizen (NRC) from December 15 to December 31, 2018.​​​​​​​ 
&nbsp;

Will protect RBI's autonomy: New Governor Shaktikanta Das New RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said Wednesday that he would protect the autonomy of the country's central bank.

Will protect RBI's autonomy: New Governor Shaktikanta Das New RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said Wednesday that he would protect the autonomy of the country's central bank. Das was appointed RBI governor on Tuesday after former governor Urjit Patel's sudden resignation on Monday. Patel and the government had been tussling for months over the issue of the bank's independence. All eyes now on whom Rahul Gandhi will choose as his chief ministers The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. UK PM May says will fight no-confidence motion, her ouster will delay Brexit The British prime minister said on Wednesday that she would fight a motion of no confidence lodged by a right-wing faction of her own Conservative Party and warned that a change in leadership now would only serve to delay the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. Google 'idiot' and image of Trump shows up. Sundar Pichai explains why In a public address to a group of mostly tech novices, Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday explained the company's algorithm that works behind curating data for its search results. NRC coordinator tells SC semi-literate people cannot fill out objection forms Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the deadline for filing claims and objections on the inclusion of names in the draft National Register of Citizen (NRC) from December 15 to December 31, 2018.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year.&nbsp;

Belying predictions of exit polls, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-is-time-for-change-rahul-gandhi-after-poll-results-183326">the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh</a>, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday.&nbsp;

All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states.&nbsp;

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A one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will take a decision on the Chief Minister face. <a href="https://t.co/Md3l3WMzz2">https://t.co/Md3l3WMzz2</a>
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Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics".

It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said.

In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies.&nbsp;

"We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh&nbsp;Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting.

Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer KC Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting.

The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government.

The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission.&nbsp;

In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singhdeo.

The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats.

A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state.

"The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun&nbsp; 
Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI.

The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting.

The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent.&nbsp;

After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats.

Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to Governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation here at noon after party leaders staked claim on the government.

Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP Assembly polls.

Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. 
After meeting the Governor, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan and flashed victory signs.&nbsp;

In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies.

Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress.

Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed".

"People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... The Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... People rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here.

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground".

In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party alleged that the country was being run according to the "whims" of four-five businessmen, and this was "breaking" important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India.

The BJP first "drove away" allies and later lost important states, it said, adding that elections cannot be won merely on the back of big talks.

"The results clearly show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah's dream of making the country Congress-mukt has gone to the dust in BJP's own regime. People of these states have indicated at a 'BJP-mukt' regime," the Marathi publication said.&nbsp;

The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year.

The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. A one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will take a decision on the Chief Minister face. https://t.co/Md3l3WMzz2 — ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 × Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said. In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer KC Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to Governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation here at noon after party leaders staked claim on the government. Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP Assembly polls. Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. After meeting the Governor, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan and flashed victory signs. In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed". "People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... The Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... People rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground". In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party alleged that the country was being run according to the "whims" of four-five businessmen, and this was "breaking" important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India. The BJP first "drove away" allies and later lost important states, it said, adding that elections cannot be won merely on the back of big talks. "The results clearly show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah's dream of making the country Congress-mukt has gone to the dust in BJP's own regime. People of these states have indicated at a 'BJP-mukt' regime," the Marathi publication said.

All eyes now on whom Rahul Gandhi will choose as his chief ministers

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the people and Congress workers — he called the latter babbar shers — after the Congress' poll wins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.&nbsp;

The battle in Madhya Pradesh continues with the BJP and Congress still neck and neck. Gandhi though said the Congress had won all three states.&nbsp;

"I thank people and Congress workers. The victory is of farmers and youths," Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"We have defeated BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he added.&nbsp;

Gandhi blamed the BJP's defeats squarely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

"There is a clear feeling in the country that PM Modi has failed to deliver what he had committed," Gandhi said. "Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to heartbeat of the country." &nbsp;

Gandhi said that "under BJP", there had been "big mismanagement of economy, unnecessary damage to sections of economy that were doing well".&nbsp;

He added that the "BJP has failed to provide a vision for the country going forward". &nbsp;

And just as Modi had promised parivartan (change) and vikas (development) before 2014, Rahul promised them now.&nbsp;

"It's now time for change. We are going to provide the three states with a vision for overall development," he said.&nbsp;

Gandhi added that the selection of chief ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh would be done smoothly.&nbsp;

"The process of loan waivers for farmers will start as soon as our governments are formed," Gandhi said.&nbsp;

He added though that "loan waiver is a measure, not a solution to farmers' distress".&nbsp;

Gandhi also promised a united fight in next year's general elections, saying the opposition "will fight together in 2019 polls".&nbsp;

He added that "we have defeated the BJP now and we will defeat it in 2019".&nbsp;

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi: BJP has an ideology, we'll fight against it &amp; defeat them. We have defeated them today &amp; we will do this again in 2019. But we don't want to erase anyone from the face of India. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyElectionResults2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssemblyElectionResults2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/YctpLFJ2Sj">pic.twitter.com/YctpLFJ2Sj</a>
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Rahul Gandhi, Congress President: When PM was elected to power, he was elected on three platforms—employment, corruption and farmers. It was in people's mind that PM will fight against corruption. Now people think that PM Modi himself is corrupt. <a href="https://t.co/5tZVDiaz2J">pic.twitter.com/5tZVDiaz2J</a>
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His parting shot was: "I have learnt about a lot of things since 2014; most important being humility".&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the people and Congress workers — he called the latter babbar shers — after the Congress' poll wins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the people and Congress workers — he called the latter babbar shers — after the Congress' poll wins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The battle in Madhya Pradesh continues with the BJP and Congress still neck and neck. Gandhi though said the Congress had won all three states. "I thank people and Congress workers. The victory is of farmers and youths," Gandhi said. "We have defeated BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he added. Gandhi blamed the BJP's defeats squarely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "There is a clear feeling in the country that PM Modi has failed to deliver what he had committed," Gandhi said. "Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to heartbeat of the country." Gandhi said that "under BJP", there had been "big mismanagement of economy, unnecessary damage to sections of economy that were doing well". He added that the "BJP has failed to provide a vision for the country going forward". And just as Modi had promised parivartan (change) and vikas (development) before 2014, Rahul promised them now. "It's now time for change. We are going to provide the three states with a vision for overall development," he said. Gandhi added that the selection of chief ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh would be done smoothly. "The process of loan waivers for farmers will start as soon as our governments are formed," Gandhi said. He added though that "loan waiver is a measure, not a solution to farmers' distress". Gandhi also promised a united fight in next year's general elections, saying the opposition "will fight together in 2019 polls". He added that "we have defeated the BJP now and we will defeat it in 2019". Congress President Rahul Gandhi: BJP has an ideology, we'll fight against it & defeat them. We have defeated them today & we will do this again in 2019. But we don't want to erase anyone from the face of India. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/YctpLFJ2Sj — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 × Rahul Gandhi, Congress President: When PM was elected to power, he was elected on three platforms—employment, corruption and farmers. It was in people's mind that PM will fight against corruption. Now people think that PM Modi himself is corrupt. pic.twitter.com/5tZVDiaz2J — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 × His parting shot was: "I have learnt about a lot of things since 2014; most important being humility".

After poll results, Rahul Gandhi promises 'change' and 'overall development'

Rajasthan witnessed over one per cent lower voter turnout in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/assembly-elections-polling-concludes-in-rajasthan-telangana-727-turnout-till-5pm-in-rajasthan-182256"> Friday's assembly poll </a>as compared to the previous assembly election despite marathon election rallies by star campaigners of both the BJP and the Congress.

As per the Chief Election Office, voter turnout in 2018 assembly election was recorded at 74.12 per cent compared to 75.23 per cent in 2013 despite its efforts to create awareness among voters through various means.&nbsp;

The department was expecting a surge in voter turnout this election considering a rise of 20 lakh new youth voters in state electoral rolls.&nbsp;

Rajasthan Chief Election Officer (CEO) had said he had expected a better poll percentage.&nbsp;

Top campaigners including Prime Minister Narendra and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had addressed 12 and 9 public meetings respectively in Rajasthan where assembly elections to 199 of the 200 seats were held on December 7.&nbsp;

Contrary to the sea of the crowd in the rallies, voting percentage in the respective areas were less.&nbsp;

After Prime Minister's rallies, the voting percentage increased only in Dausa (78.41 per cent in 2018 compared to 75.68 per cent in 2013) and Nagaur (73.53 per cent in 2018 compared to 72.03 per cent in 2013).

Voting percentage in other areas, including Bhilwara, Bharatpur, Sikar or Hanumangarh where the prime minister held rallies remained less than the previous assembly election.&nbsp;

Election rallies of Congress Rahul Gandhi too could not create a big impact among the people of the state. Voting percentage was recorded 1 to 2 per cent less than the previous assembly election where his public meetings were held.&nbsp;

BJP dissident and crowd puller Hanuman Beniwal who fought the election from Khinvsar assembly seats in 2013 and 2018 election could not woo the voters in his favour.

The voting percentage which was 77.10 per cent in 2013 was recorded at 75.26 per cent in the 2018 elections.&nbsp;

Congress general secretary Sushil Sharma attributes lesser voting percentage to circumstances in both the elections.&nbsp;

He said that 'Modi wave' had influenced the voters in the state in 2013, which was not seen in 2018 elections. In such circumstances, Congress will get the benefit in these polls, he claimed.

Senior BJP leader Onkar Singh Lakhawat said that over 74 per cent voter turnout figure cannot be termed poor.&nbsp;

He said it would be unfair to blame star campaigners for less voting percentage compared to last elections as image, caste equation of candidate and other factors also affect the voting process.&nbsp;

Counting will be undertaken on December 11.

Rajasthan witnessed over one per cent lower voter turnout in Friday's assembly poll as compared to the previous assembly election despite marathon election rallies by star campaigners of both the BJP and the Congress.

Rajasthan witnessed over one per cent lower voter turnout in Friday's assembly poll as compared to the previous assembly election despite marathon election rallies by star campaigners of both the BJP and the Congress. As per the Chief Election Office, voter turnout in 2018 assembly election was recorded at 74.12 per cent compared to 75.23 per cent in 2013 despite its efforts to create awareness among voters through various means. The department was expecting a surge in voter turnout this election considering a rise of 20 lakh new youth voters in state electoral rolls. Rajasthan Chief Election Officer (CEO) had said he had expected a better poll percentage. Top campaigners including Prime Minister Narendra and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had addressed 12 and 9 public meetings respectively in Rajasthan where assembly elections to 199 of the 200 seats were held on December 7. Contrary to the sea of the crowd in the rallies, voting percentage in the respective areas were less. After Prime Minister's rallies, the voting percentage increased only in Dausa (78.41 per cent in 2018 compared to 75.68 per cent in 2013) and Nagaur (73.53 per cent in 2018 compared to 72.03 per cent in 2013). Voting percentage in other areas, including Bhilwara, Bharatpur, Sikar or Hanumangarh where the prime minister held rallies remained less than the previous assembly election. Election rallies of Congress Rahul Gandhi too could not create a big impact among the people of the state. Voting percentage was recorded 1 to 2 per cent less than the previous assembly election where his public meetings were held. BJP dissident and crowd puller Hanuman Beniwal who fought the election from Khinvsar assembly seats in 2013 and 2018 election could not woo the voters in his favour. The voting percentage which was 77.10 per cent in 2013 was recorded at 75.26 per cent in the 2018 elections. Congress general secretary Sushil Sharma attributes lesser voting percentage to circumstances in both the elections. He said that 'Modi wave' had influenced the voters in the state in 2013, which was not seen in 2018 elections. In such circumstances, Congress will get the benefit in these polls, he claimed. Senior BJP leader Onkar Singh Lakhawat said that over 74 per cent voter turnout figure cannot be termed poor. He said it would be unfair to blame star campaigners for less voting percentage compared to last elections as image, caste equation of candidate and other factors also affect the voting process. Counting will be undertaken on December 11.

Rajasthan Assembly polls: Less voting percentage despite star campaigners

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged party workers in Rajasthan and Telangana to put all their efforts at their respective polling booths to ensure the party's win in both the states.

In his audio message to the workers of Rajasthan, Gandhi told them that they have to defeat the BJP by taking people to the polling booths and make the Congress win.

"Put all your effort into your booths to defeat the BJP. The people are standing with you...The government that will be formed will be of poor people and of the weaker sections. It will be a government of farmers, small traders, Dalits, adivasis, backwards, and also your government," he said in the message posted on the Congress' official Twitter handle.

In his audio message to the party workers in Telangana, Gandhi said the Congress party realised the "dream of Telangana" for the state's people.

"That dream of Telangana has been betrayed for the last five years. KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) ji did not do what he had to. Now your time is coming. Stand at the polling booth and put all your effort to make the Congress win," he said.&nbsp;

Voting for the assembly polls in Rajasthan and Telangana will take place on Friday. The results will be declared on December 11.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged party workers in Rajasthan and Telangana to put all their efforts at their respective polling booths to ensure the party's win in both the states.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged party workers in Rajasthan and Telangana to put all their efforts at their respective polling booths to ensure the party's win in both the states. In his audio message to the workers of Rajasthan, Gandhi told them that they have to defeat the BJP by taking people to the polling booths and make the Congress win. "Put all your effort into your booths to defeat the BJP. The people are standing with you...The government that will be formed will be of poor people and of the weaker sections. It will be a government of farmers, small traders, Dalits, adivasis, backwards, and also your government," he said in the message posted on the Congress' official Twitter handle. In his audio message to the party workers in Telangana, Gandhi said the Congress party realised the "dream of Telangana" for the state's people. "That dream of Telangana has been betrayed for the last five years. KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) ji did not do what he had to. Now your time is coming. Stand at the polling booth and put all your effort to make the Congress win," he said. Voting for the assembly polls in Rajasthan and Telangana will take place on Friday. The results will be declared on December 11.

Rahul asks party workers to ensure win in Rajasthan, Telangana

The election season is reaching its climax. Today, the power corridors and media fraternity are busy discussing the fortunes of BJP and Congress in the assembly elections ahead of the results.

The common theme interwoven in almost every discussion is whether the BJP will lose, will be 'taught' a lesson and so on and so forth. The BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being judged for every decision the government has taken in states ruled by it.

These discussions evoke a lot of interest among people because it entails the fall of a leader.

Everyone who has read comics, seen superhero movies and watched a system at its pinnacle, loves the fall of the leader. It's an emotion which generates a lot of interest among the section of people who follow politics and is astonishing for others to see someone they look up to, fall.

Leaders often take a decision or a series of decisions which lead to a downward spiral and cause reverse momentum. This is not a piece where I will be dissecting the good and bad of Narendra Modi government. This is about leadership.

Watching a big leader fall also gives a&nbsp;certain kind of pleasure to people who for decades have been suppressed. Social evils exist in every society - India is no different - and certain practices (I will call them mistakes) followed by socially elevated sections of society create and propagate these feelings.

Among the various reasons given for the failure of a leader is not giving himself/herself enough time to process things which leads to a lack of discernment and sometimes disastrous decisions. Other reasons can include immaturity, lack of knowledge, less awareness etc.

There is a streak in people who rejoice when Humpty Dumpty has a great fall, but insist that rise and fall are the part and parcel of leadership. In the end, it's history that judges better because it sees things with deeper perspective and greater hindsight. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The election season is reaching its climax. Today, the power corridors and media fraternity are busy discussing the fortunes of BJP and Congress in the assembly elections ahead of the results.

The election season is reaching its climax. Today, the power corridors and media fraternity are busy discussing the fortunes of BJP and Congress in the assembly elections ahead of the results. The common theme interwoven in almost every discussion is whether the BJP will lose, will be 'taught' a lesson and so on and so forth. The BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being judged for every decision the government has taken in states ruled by it. These discussions evoke a lot of interest among people because it entails the fall of a leader. Everyone who has read comics, seen superhero movies and watched a system at its pinnacle, loves the fall of the leader. It's an emotion which generates a lot of interest among the section of people who follow politics and is astonishing for others to see someone they look up to, fall. Leaders often take a decision or a series of decisions which lead to a downward spiral and cause reverse momentum. This is not a piece where I will be dissecting the good and bad of Narendra Modi government. This is about leadership. Watching a big leader fall also gives a certain kind of pleasure to people who for decades have been suppressed. Social evils exist in every society - India is no different - and certain practices (I will call them mistakes) followed by socially elevated sections of society create and propagate these feelings. Among the various reasons given for the failure of a leader is not giving himself/herself enough time to process things which leads to a lack of discernment and sometimes disastrous decisions. Other reasons can include immaturity, lack of knowledge, less awareness etc. There is a streak in people who rejoice when Humpty Dumpty has a great fall, but insist that rise and fall are the part and parcel of leadership. In the end, it's history that judges better because it sees things with deeper perspective and greater hindsight. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Assembly elections 2018: Ah! To comment on fluctuating fortunes

Hitting out at Prime Minister Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked him to spare some time for his "part-time job as PM".

Referring to his campaigning for ongoing assembly elections in five states, he tweeted, "Dear Mr Modi,&nbsp;Now that campaigning is over, hope you can spare some time for your part-time job as PM.&nbsp;Btw its been 1,654 days since u became PM. Still no press conference? Some pics from our Hyderabad PC today. Try one someday, it’s fun having questions thrown at you!"

Rahul shared some pictures of the press conference he held in Hyderabad along with the tweet.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Dear Mr Modi, 
 
Now that campaigning is over, hope you can spare some time for your part-time job as PM. 
 
Btw its been 1,654 days since u became PM. Still no press conference? 
 
Some pics from our Hyderabad PC today. Try one someday, it’s fun having questions thrown at you! <a href="https://t.co/Tc3I1kLGBI">pic.twitter.com/Tc3I1kLGBI</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1070359087798460416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Prime Minister Modi has not held a press conference since he assumed office as Prime Minister of India in May, 2014.&nbsp;

Hitting out at Prime Minister Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked him to spare some time for his "part-time job as PM". Referring to his campaigning for ongoing assembly elections in five states, he tweeted, "Dear Mr Modi, Now that campaigning is over, hope you can spare some time for your part-time job as PM.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked him to spare some time for his "part-time job as PM". Referring to his campaigning for ongoing assembly elections in five states, he tweeted, "Dear Mr Modi, Now that campaigning is over, hope you can spare some time for your part-time job as PM. Btw its been 1,654 days since u became PM. Still no press conference? Some pics from our Hyderabad PC today. Try one someday, it’s fun having questions thrown at you!" Rahul shared some pictures of the press conference he held in Hyderabad along with the tweet. Dear Mr Modi, Now that campaigning is over, hope you can spare some time for your part-time job as PM. Btw its been 1,654 days since u became PM. Still no press conference? Some pics from our Hyderabad PC today. Try one someday, it’s fun having questions thrown at you! pic.twitter.com/Tc3I1kLGBI — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 5, 2018 × Prime Minister Modi has not held a press conference since he assumed office as Prime Minister of India in May, 2014.

Rahul to Modi: Try holding a press conference, it’s fun having questions thrown at you

Mounting a blistering attack on Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the prime minister and the BJP of posing a threat to the country, claiming that they "spread hatred and anger".

Reacting to Gandhi's remark, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao said, "It is the Congress that has resorted to caste and communal politics. The BJP has spoken on issues of development and people's welfare. The Congress, in its desperation to come back to the electoral race, has been appealing to caste and communal considerations."

Addressing rallies in poll-bound Telangana, Gandhi also lambasted caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, calling him "Khao Commission Rao" for alleged corruption and accusing his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) of being the "B team" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Wherever I go, I speak against Narendra Modi, because I know there is a threat to the country from Modi and the BJP. They spread hatred and anger," he said at a rally in Tandur.

The Congress, he asserted, would stand up to it, continue to fight against it and never compromise.

"...In 2019 (Lok Sabha polls), we will see to it that the BJP is defeated and Modi is removed," Gandhi said.

Hitting out at Rao, who is popularly called KCR, he asked the TRS chief why he supported the BJP and wanted to become the "B team" of the saffron party.

"You (KCR) have done so much of corruption that your name is changed. Today, your name KCR stands for 'Khao Commission Rao'.

"Because of this, Modi ran Telangana through a remote control. The fact is that due to your (KCR) corruption, you are not able to stand up to Modi," Gandhi alleged. 
Rao feared Modi as he indulged in corruption, Gandhi claimed, speaking at a rally in Hyderabad in the evening.

"I will tell you the reason. You listen to the speeches of KCRji. In the last five years, (he) did not hurt Narendra Modi, supported him in the Lok Sabha...KCR has indulged in corruption. Modiji has the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate. Because of corruption, KCRji fears Modi," he said.

Telangana's "remote control" was in the hands of Modi, he added.

The Congress chief said in every speech, the prime minister attacked him, made fun of him, talked about his family, but never criticised KCR, adding that the real name of KCR's party (TRS) was "T-RSS".

The TRS and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were actually the "B" and "C" teams of the BJP, he alleged.

Modi and the TRS had struck a "partnership" to ensure the continuation of the BJP and TRS rule at the Centre and in the state respectively, Gandhi said.

"In this election, we will break this partnership. We will defeat the TRS and the AIMIM...We will ensure the defeat of the TRS in Telangana and Modi's BJP in Delhi (in the 2019 Lok Sabha election)," he said at his first rally of the day in Gadwal.

Gandhi also accused KCR of redesigning the Rs 10,000-crore Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme into a Rs 60,000-crore project to benefit his friends and family, adding that the people of the state did not get water.

"Thousands of crores of rupees went to his contractor friends and his family," he alleged.

"KCR has been redesigning one project after another in the last five years and the people have given him a new name...Every child knows his new name. It is Khao Commission Rao," the Congress chief said.

When the state was formed five years ago, people had a dream of a new Telangana and a brighter future - of "neelu" (water), "nidhulu" (funds) and "niyamakalu" (appointments) and of a "Bangaru Telangana" (Golden Telangana) - he said.

"KCR became the chief minister and only one family ruled the state...Your dreams were shattered. KCR betrayed you on (the promise of) water," he said, adding that under the TRS rule, the dream of a "Golden Telangana" had led to a "golden kutumbam" (golden family).

The Congress is contesting the Telangana Assembly polls, leading a four-party People's Front, while the TRS and the BJP are going it alone.

The 119-member Telangana Assembly will go to polls on December 7 and the results will be announced on December 11.

Mounting a blistering attack on Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the prime minister and the BJP of posing a threat to the country, claiming that they "spread hatred and anger".

Mounting a blistering attack on Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the prime minister and the BJP of posing a threat to the country, claiming that they "spread hatred and anger". Reacting to Gandhi's remark, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao said, "It is the Congress that has resorted to caste and communal politics. The BJP has spoken on issues of development and people's welfare. The Congress, in its desperation to come back to the electoral race, has been appealing to caste and communal considerations." Addressing rallies in poll-bound Telangana, Gandhi also lambasted caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, calling him "Khao Commission Rao" for alleged corruption and accusing his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) of being the "B team" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Wherever I go, I speak against Narendra Modi, because I know there is a threat to the country from Modi and the BJP. They spread hatred and anger," he said at a rally in Tandur. The Congress, he asserted, would stand up to it, continue to fight against it and never compromise. "...In 2019 (Lok Sabha polls), we will see to it that the BJP is defeated and Modi is removed," Gandhi said. Hitting out at Rao, who is popularly called KCR, he asked the TRS chief why he supported the BJP and wanted to become the "B team" of the saffron party. "You (KCR) have done so much of corruption that your name is changed. Today, your name KCR stands for 'Khao Commission Rao'. "Because of this, Modi ran Telangana through a remote control. The fact is that due to your (KCR) corruption, you are not able to stand up to Modi," Gandhi alleged. Rao feared Modi as he indulged in corruption, Gandhi claimed, speaking at a rally in Hyderabad in the evening. "I will tell you the reason. You listen to the speeches of KCRji. In the last five years, (he) did not hurt Narendra Modi, supported him in the Lok Sabha...KCR has indulged in corruption. Modiji has the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate. Because of corruption, KCRji fears Modi," he said. Telangana's "remote control" was in the hands of Modi, he added. The Congress chief said in every speech, the prime minister attacked him, made fun of him, talked about his family, but never criticised KCR, adding that the real name of KCR's party (TRS) was "T-RSS". The TRS and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were actually the "B" and "C" teams of the BJP, he alleged. Modi and the TRS had struck a "partnership" to ensure the continuation of the BJP and TRS rule at the Centre and in the state respectively, Gandhi said. "In this election, we will break this partnership. We will defeat the TRS and the AIMIM...We will ensure the defeat of the TRS in Telangana and Modi's BJP in Delhi (in the 2019 Lok Sabha election)," he said at his first rally of the day in Gadwal. Gandhi also accused KCR of redesigning the Rs 10,000-crore Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme into a Rs 60,000-crore project to benefit his friends and family, adding that the people of the state did not get water. "Thousands of crores of rupees went to his contractor friends and his family," he alleged. "KCR has been redesigning one project after another in the last five years and the people have given him a new name...Every child knows his new name. It is Khao Commission Rao," the Congress chief said. When the state was formed five years ago, people had a dream of a new Telangana and a brighter future - of "neelu" (water), "nidhulu" (funds) and "niyamakalu" (appointments) and of a "Bangaru Telangana" (Golden Telangana) - he said. "KCR became the chief minister and only one family ruled the state...Your dreams were shattered. KCR betrayed you on (the promise of) water," he said, adding that under the TRS rule, the dream of a "Golden Telangana" had led to a "golden kutumbam" (golden family). The Congress is contesting the Telangana Assembly polls, leading a four-party People's Front, while the TRS and the BJP are going it alone. The 119-member Telangana Assembly will go to polls on December 7 and the results will be announced on December 11.

Modi, BJP posing threat to country, Rahul alleges in poll-bound Telangana

Congress chief<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-kcr-diluted-tribal-rights-law-rahul-gandhi-180255"> Rahul Gandhi</a> Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over employment opportunities, farm loan waiver, Rafale deal and demonetisation.&nbsp;

He hit out at Modi over his promise of providing employment to 2 crore youths during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

"Narendra Modi in his election speeches in 2014 had said he would give jobs to 2 crore youths. If you gave employment, why did four youths commit suicide in Alwar?" Gandhi said at a rally in Alwar district's Malakhera town.&nbsp;

Three friends died and another was injured after they allegedly jumped before a moving train in a suspected suicide pact in Alwar district last month. A primary probe revealed that they were depressed due to unemployment, police said.&nbsp;

The Congress leader said the prime minister says the slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in all his addresses but works for industrialist Anil Ambani.

"In every address, he (PM) says Bharat Mata Ki Jai and works for Anil Ambani. He should begin his address by saying 'Anil Ambani ki Jai', 'Mehul Choksi ki Jai', 'Nirav Modi ki Jai',?Lalit Modi ki Jai'," he said in poll-bound Rajasthan.&nbsp;

Referring to the term 'Bharat Mata', Gandhi said Bharat Mata was the "entire country, farmers, sentiments of crores of youths, women and labourers".

"If you talk about Bharat Mata, how can you forget about farmers?" he said, adding bad debt worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore was written off, but not a single rupee of farmers was waived off by the Modi government.

Exuding confidence of winning the upcoming state Assembly polls, the Gandhi scion said Congress will form the government and waive off farmers loan in ten days, and the chief minister will give 18 hours a day for providing employment to the youths.

Talking about Rafale deal, he said the prime minister would not speak about the matter because if he spoke, "someone from the public would say 'Chowkidar chor hai'".

Gandhi alleged the Modi government worked for top 15 industrialists of the country.&nbsp; 
The BJP has denied all these allegations.&nbsp;

Rajasthan Congress state unit president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-not-doing-issue-based-politics-gehlot-180949"> Ashok Gehlot </a>and party candidates from all assembly constituencies of Alwar and other leaders were present in the meeting.

The state will go to polls on December 7.&nbsp;

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over employment opportunities, farm loan waiver, Rafale deal and demonetisation. He hit out at Modi over his promise of providing employment to 2 crore youths during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over employment opportunities, farm loan waiver, Rafale deal and demonetisation. He hit out at Modi over his promise of providing employment to 2 crore youths during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "Narendra Modi in his election speeches in 2014 had said he would give jobs to 2 crore youths. If you gave employment, why did four youths commit suicide in Alwar?" Gandhi said at a rally in Alwar district's Malakhera town. Three friends died and another was injured after they allegedly jumped before a moving train in a suspected suicide pact in Alwar district last month. A primary probe revealed that they were depressed due to unemployment, police said. The Congress leader said the prime minister says the slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in all his addresses but works for industrialist Anil Ambani. "In every address, he (PM) says Bharat Mata Ki Jai and works for Anil Ambani. He should begin his address by saying 'Anil Ambani ki Jai', 'Mehul Choksi ki Jai', 'Nirav Modi ki Jai',?Lalit Modi ki Jai'," he said in poll-bound Rajasthan. Referring to the term 'Bharat Mata', Gandhi said Bharat Mata was the "entire country, farmers, sentiments of crores of youths, women and labourers". "If you talk about Bharat Mata, how can you forget about farmers?" he said, adding bad debt worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore was written off, but not a single rupee of farmers was waived off by the Modi government. Exuding confidence of winning the upcoming state Assembly polls, the Gandhi scion said Congress will form the government and waive off farmers loan in ten days, and the chief minister will give 18 hours a day for providing employment to the youths. Talking about Rafale deal, he said the prime minister would not speak about the matter because if he spoke, "someone from the public would say 'Chowkidar chor hai'". Gandhi alleged the Modi government worked for top 15 industrialists of the country. The BJP has denied all these allegations. Rajasthan Congress state unit president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and party candidates from all assembly constituencies of Alwar and other leaders were present in the meeting. The state will go to polls on December 7.

If Modi gave jobs, why four youths committed suicide in Alwar: Rahul Gandhi in Rajasthan

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/national-herald-case-maintain-status-quo-till-the-next-hearing-high-court-to-centre-177497">Supreme Court </a>on Tuesday allowed the Income Tax Department to reopen tax assessment of top Congress leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi for 2011-12 in connection with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/industry/swamy-trying-to-influence-national-herald-case-proceedings-by-tweeting-vora-tells-court-169851">National Herald case</a>.

The apex court, however, restrained the department from implementing its order in the proceedings against Rahul, who is the Congress president, and his mother Sonia till the pendency of the matter before the court.

The court also said that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the pleas filed by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the case.

The tax matter is related to the National Herald case in which the Congress leaders are also facing criminal proceedings.

A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri posted the matter for further hearing on January 8.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the I-T department, said the court should not restrain it from implementing the assessment orders against the Gandhis and others.

He said the court should hear the matter and pass appropriate orders.

However, the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said that due to the paucity of time, the matter cannot be heard on Tuesday and it is just an interim order which should be equitable to both the parties.

It made it clear that it is not going into the merits of the case for which it requires a detailed hearing.

The Gandhis and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes have challenged the Delhi High Court's September 10 verdict that dismissed their plea against the re-opening of their tax assessments for 2011-12.

The apex court on November 13 had said it would hear final arguments on December 4 on the matter which required "consideration".

It had not issued formal notice on the petitions filed by Rahul, Sonia and Fernandes as the I-T Department was represented by its counsel.

They have challenged the judgement of the high court which had given the opportunity to the department to scrutinise their records.

In the last hearing, their lawyers had said the question was whether the reasons given in the notice by the department were right or not.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Arvind Datar have been appearing for the Congress leaders.

The income tax probe against the Congress leaders has arisen from the probe into a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy before a trial court here in connection with the National Herald case, in which the trio is out on bail.

Sonia and Rahul were granted bail in the case by the trial court on December 19, 2015.

A tax evasion petition (TEP) was also addressed to the finance minister by Swamy.

In the complaint before the trial court, Sonia, Rahul and others have been accused of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian (YI) had obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) owed to the Congress party.

It was alleged that YI, which was incorporated in November 2010 with a capital of Rs 50 lakh, had acquired almost all the shareholding of AJL, which was running the National Herald newspaper.

The I-T department had said the shares Rahul has in YI would lead him to have an income of Rs 154 crore and not about Rs 68 lakh, as was assessed earlier.

It has already issued a demand notice for Rs 249.15 crore to YI for the assessment year 2011-12.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Income Tax Department to reopen tax assessment of top Congress leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi for 2011-12 in connection with the National Herald case.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Income Tax Department to reopen tax assessment of top Congress leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi for 2011-12 in connection with the National Herald case. The apex court, however, restrained the department from implementing its order in the proceedings against Rahul, who is the Congress president, and his mother Sonia till the pendency of the matter before the court. The court also said that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the pleas filed by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the case. The tax matter is related to the National Herald case in which the Congress leaders are also facing criminal proceedings. A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri posted the matter for further hearing on January 8. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the I-T department, said the court should not restrain it from implementing the assessment orders against the Gandhis and others. He said the court should hear the matter and pass appropriate orders. However, the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said that due to the paucity of time, the matter cannot be heard on Tuesday and it is just an interim order which should be equitable to both the parties. It made it clear that it is not going into the merits of the case for which it requires a detailed hearing. The Gandhis and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes have challenged the Delhi High Court's September 10 verdict that dismissed their plea against the re-opening of their tax assessments for 2011-12. The apex court on November 13 had said it would hear final arguments on December 4 on the matter which required "consideration". It had not issued formal notice on the petitions filed by Rahul, Sonia and Fernandes as the I-T Department was represented by its counsel. They have challenged the judgement of the high court which had given the opportunity to the department to scrutinise their records. In the last hearing, their lawyers had said the question was whether the reasons given in the notice by the department were right or not. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Arvind Datar have been appearing for the Congress leaders. The income tax probe against the Congress leaders has arisen from the probe into a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy before a trial court here in connection with the National Herald case, in which the trio is out on bail. Sonia and Rahul were granted bail in the case by the trial court on December 19, 2015. A tax evasion petition (TEP) was also addressed to the finance minister by Swamy. In the complaint before the trial court, Sonia, Rahul and others have been accused of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian (YI) had obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) owed to the Congress party. It was alleged that YI, which was incorporated in November 2010 with a capital of Rs 50 lakh, had acquired almost all the shareholding of AJL, which was running the National Herald newspaper. The I-T department had said the shares Rahul has in YI would lead him to have an income of Rs 154 crore and not about Rs 68 lakh, as was assessed earlier. It has already issued a demand notice for Rs 249.15 crore to YI for the assessment year 2011-12.

National Herald case: SC allows I-T department to reopen tax case against Rahul, Sonia Gandhi

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to face the heat during the state Cabinet meeting today. Many leaders, opposition and party members alike, are upset over Sidhu's comment wherein he called Congress chief Rahul Gandhi his captain, adding that "he is the captain of the captain."

"Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said last week.

Sidhu's remark has irked many political leaders. According to reports, Punjab ministers have also been pressing for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sidhu-faces-flak-over-jibe-at-punjab-cm-ministers-call-for-his-resignation-180815">Sidhu's resignation</a> from the state cabinet.

While it is not clear if the cricketer-turned-politician will be present during today's state Cabinet meeting, a decision on him by the Cabinet is likely to be expected.&nbsp;

Sidhu has been in the spotlight for his controversial remarks.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Sidhu's Kartarpur visit to Pakistan had riled Amarinder Singh, who said he tried to dissuade Sidhu, following a grenade attack in Amritsar that left three people dead.&nbsp;

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh refrained from attending the Pak ceremony <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/citing-terror-attacks-in-state-punjab-cm-declines-invitation-to-kartarpur-corridor-ceremony-179299">citing terror attacks in the state</a>.&nbsp;

Since his return from Kartarpur, Sidhu has been criticised for lavishing praise on Imran Khan, who too showered special attention on him.&nbsp;

Sidhu holds the local bodies and tourism portfolios in Punjab.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to face the heat during the state Cabinet meeting today. Many leaders, opposition and party members alike, are upset over Sidhu's comment wherein he called Congress chief Rahul Gandhi his captain, adding that "he is the captain of the captain.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to face the heat during the state Cabinet meeting today. Many leaders, opposition and party members alike, are upset over Sidhu's comment wherein he called Congress chief Rahul Gandhi his captain, adding that "he is the captain of the captain." "Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said last week. Sidhu's remark has irked many political leaders. According to reports, Punjab ministers have also been pressing for Sidhu's resignation from the state cabinet. While it is not clear if the cricketer-turned-politician will be present during today's state Cabinet meeting, a decision on him by the Cabinet is likely to be expected. Sidhu has been in the spotlight for his controversial remarks. Sidhu's Kartarpur visit to Pakistan had riled Amarinder Singh, who said he tried to dissuade Sidhu, following a grenade attack in Amritsar that left three people dead. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh refrained from attending the Pak ceremony citing terror attacks in the state. Since his return from Kartarpur, Sidhu has been criticised for lavishing praise on Imran Khan, who too showered special attention on him. Sidhu holds the local bodies and tourism portfolios in Punjab.

Punjab ministers likely to address Sidhu issue during Cabinet meeting today

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday called Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh a "fatherly figure", adding that he doesn't want "to wash dirty linen in public" and that he will sort the matter by himself.

"You don't want to wash dirty linen in public. He (Capt Amarinder Singh) is a fatherly figure, I love him, I respect him, I will sort it out myself," he told media.&nbsp;

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Navjot Singh Sidhu in Jhalawar, Rajasthan: You don't want wash dirty linen in public. He (Capt Amarinder Singh) is a fatherly figure, I love him, I respect him, I will sort it out myself. <a href="https://t.co/u5PNLs1E20">pic.twitter.com/u5PNLs1E20</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1069481309477720064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Punjab ministers Saturday called for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/punjab-ministers-likely-to-address-sidhu-issue-during-cabinet-meeting-today-181084">Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation</a> from the state cabinet over his jibe at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, a fallout of the controversial politician's recent trip to Kartarpur in Pakistan.

The row over the trip escalated in the state even as Sidhu backtracked on his claim that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was involved in his decision to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor.

"Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said last week.

Sidhu's remark has irked many political leaders. According to reports, Punjab ministers have also been pressing for Sidhu's resignation from the state cabinet.

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday called Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh a "fatherly figure", adding that he doesn't want "to wash dirty linen in public" and that he will sort the matter by himself.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday called Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh a "fatherly figure", adding that he doesn't want "to wash dirty linen in public" and that he will sort the matter by himself. "You don't want to wash dirty linen in public. He (Capt Amarinder Singh) is a fatherly figure, I love him, I respect him, I will sort it out myself," he told media. Navjot Singh Sidhu in Jhalawar, Rajasthan: You don't want wash dirty linen in public. He (Capt Amarinder Singh) is a fatherly figure, I love him, I respect him, I will sort it out myself. pic.twitter.com/u5PNLs1E20 — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2018 × Punjab ministers Saturday called for Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation from the state cabinet over his jibe at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, a fallout of the controversial politician's recent trip to Kartarpur in Pakistan. The row over the trip escalated in the state even as Sidhu backtracked on his claim that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was involved in his decision to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor. "Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said last week. Sidhu's remark has irked many political leaders. According to reports, Punjab ministers have also been pressing for Sidhu's resignation from the state cabinet.

Don't want to wash dirty linen in public, will sort it out myself: Sidhu on row with 'Captain' Amarinder

Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Sunday spoke in defence of her husband and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, stating that Sidhu's statements should be "read as a whole and not in incomplete bits." Navjot Kaur referred to her husband's 'Captain' remark.

"Navjot ji has repeatedly said that Captain Sahab is like his father. We have always made it clear that Capt Sahab's respect and honour is above everything. Sidhu's statements should be read as a whole and not in incomplete bits," she said.

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Navjot Kaur Sidhu: Navjot ji has repeatedly said that Captain Sahab is like his father. We have always made it clear that Capt Sahab's respect and honour is above everything. Sidhu's statements should be read as a whole and not in incomplete bits. <a href="https://t.co/rVpCsOCQ0Z">pic.twitter.com/rVpCsOCQ0Z</a>
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Meanwhile, three Punjab ministers on Saturday called for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sidhu-faces-flak-over-jibe-at-punjab-cm-ministers-call-for-his-resignation-180815">Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation</a> from the state cabinet over his jibe at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, a fallout of the controversial politician's recent trip to Kartarpur in Pakistan, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

Sidhu had mocked Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh when reporters asked him about going to Pakistan despite his disapproval.

"Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Sunday spoke in defence of her husband and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, stating that Sidhu's statements should be "read as a whole and not in incomplete bits.

Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Sunday spoke in defence of her husband and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, stating that Sidhu's statements should be "read as a whole and not in incomplete bits." Navjot Kaur referred to her husband's 'Captain' remark. "Navjot ji has repeatedly said that Captain Sahab is like his father. We have always made it clear that Capt Sahab's respect and honour is above everything. Sidhu's statements should be read as a whole and not in incomplete bits," she said. Navjot Kaur Sidhu: Navjot ji has repeatedly said that Captain Sahab is like his father. We have always made it clear that Capt Sahab's respect and honour is above everything. Sidhu's statements should be read as a whole and not in incomplete bits. pic.twitter.com/rVpCsOCQ0Z — ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2018 × Meanwhile, three Punjab ministers on Saturday called for Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation from the state cabinet over his jibe at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, a fallout of the controversial politician's recent trip to Kartarpur in Pakistan, news agency PTI reported. Sidhu had mocked Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh when reporters asked him about going to Pakistan despite his disapproval. "Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also," Sidhu had said. (With inputs from agencies)

Sidhu's statements should be read as whole, not in incomplete bits: Navjot Kaur Sidhu

Alleging that the TRS government in Telangana has failed to fulfill its promises, Chhattishgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Saturday reminded TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao that elections cannot be won on false assurances.

Addressing an election rally in support of BJP's Khairatabad assembly constituency candidate Chintala Ramachandra Reddy here, he said he had interacted with people in some villages and towns and found they were not provided with two Bedroom Hall Kitchen houses as promised and there were no proper arrangements to purchase the crop of farmers.

"Over 4,500 farmers have committed suicide in the state and farmers are not getting Minimum Support Price for their crops. The poor haven't got two BHK houses and there is no development of the rural and urban areas," he alleged.

There was a need to undertake developmental works, Singh said.

"I can only say to Chief Minister (Rao), who just kept on making promises... Four years have passed since he made the promises and the state has been left backwards."

Singh said the election was an opportunity to 'teach a lesson to TRS' and take the message across to him that elections cannot be won on false promises, he said.

He appealed to the people to support BJP and elect the party in Telangana.

Raman Singh claimed that the BJP would again emerge victorious in Chhattisgarh for the fourth consecutive term, where Assembly elections were held recently.

He also attacked the Congress, saying that under the leadership of party chief Rahul Gandhi, the party has lost 18 of the 19 elections held in the country, "which was the result of his election campaigns."

Singh said he got an opportunity to take a backward state like Chhattisgarh on the developmental path and maintained that people who have seen the state in the last 15 years now say that it is now on par with developed states.

He said there is a need to defeat Congress and its allies in the coming elections and also the TRS, which has allied with 'communal forces'.

He urged people to elect Reddy with a double majority as against last time's vote margin, saying that he has been doing service-oriented works in the constituency.

Alleging that the TRS government in Telangana has failed to fulfill its promises, Chhattishgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Saturday reminded TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao that elections cannot be won on false assurances.

Alleging that the TRS government in Telangana has failed to fulfill its promises, Chhattishgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Saturday reminded TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao that elections cannot be won on false assurances. Addressing an election rally in support of BJP's Khairatabad assembly constituency candidate Chintala Ramachandra Reddy here, he said he had interacted with people in some villages and towns and found they were not provided with two Bedroom Hall Kitchen houses as promised and there were no proper arrangements to purchase the crop of farmers. "Over 4,500 farmers have committed suicide in the state and farmers are not getting Minimum Support Price for their crops. The poor haven't got two BHK houses and there is no development of the rural and urban areas," he alleged. There was a need to undertake developmental works, Singh said. "I can only say to Chief Minister (Rao), who just kept on making promises... Four years have passed since he made the promises and the state has been left backwards." Singh said the election was an opportunity to 'teach a lesson to TRS' and take the message across to him that elections cannot be won on false promises, he said. He appealed to the people to support BJP and elect the party in Telangana. Raman Singh claimed that the BJP would again emerge victorious in Chhattisgarh for the fourth consecutive term, where Assembly elections were held recently. He also attacked the Congress, saying that under the leadership of party chief Rahul Gandhi, the party has lost 18 of the 19 elections held in the country, "which was the result of his election campaigns." Singh said he got an opportunity to take a backward state like Chhattisgarh on the developmental path and maintained that people who have seen the state in the last 15 years now say that it is now on par with developed states. He said there is a need to defeat Congress and its allies in the coming elections and also the TRS, which has allied with 'communal forces'. He urged people to elect Reddy with a double majority as against last time's vote margin, saying that he has been doing service-oriented works in the constituency.

Telangana polls: Elections cannot be won on false promises; Raman Singh to Chandrasekhar Rao

Accusing the NDA government of harassing political rivals through agencies like the CBI and the Income Tax department, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said he joined hands with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to work in national interest.

Speaking during a roadshow in the city, Naidu criticised the NDA government for demonetisation, "faulty implementation" of GST and price rise and alleged that there was a feeling of insecurity.

"Today, the government led by Narendra Modiji in the country is indulging in attacking political rivals. They are harassing rivals as per will.

"If anyone questions, (they) send Enforcement Directorate, CBI, Income Tax. Attacks on media. Attacks on political leaders. By carrying out attacks on business organisations, creating fear, (they) wish to see that nobody speaks," the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said.

Therefore, he said, he spoke to all political parties in the country, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in spite of differences between the TDP and the Congress for over 30 years, to work together in national interest.

"The country should be protected. Democracy should be safeguarded. Then only we will have future. If you don't have the freedom to speak, I am asking, what is the value of democracy," he said.

Naidu, who was speaking in Rajendranagar assembly segment here as part of his roadshow in the city in support of TDP candidates, accused the NDA government at the Centre and the TRS government in Telangana of letting down people.

"One thing is common between big Modi and small Modi. That is magic trick with words. He (Modi) speaks well. Our KCR also speaks very well," he said.

Rao kept mum on NDA government over "attacks" on minorities, SCs and STs in the country, Naidu alleged.

He said that the international airport, Cyberabad (the IT hub in Hyderabad), Outer Ring Road, Krishna river water and other major development projects in Hyderabad became a reality at his initiative.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister claimed that the TRS government did not implement its election promises, including double bedroom houses for poor.

Naidu's Telugu Desam Party is part of the 'People's Front' also comprising Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS).

Asserting that a Congress nominee would be the chief minister if the Front wins the December seven elections, he said the TDP would fully cooperate in the endeavour.

Telangana Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on December 7 and the results would be declared on December 11.&nbsp;

Accusing the NDA government of harassing political rivals through agencies like the CBI and the Income Tax department, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said he joined hands with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to work in national interest.

Accusing the NDA government of harassing political rivals through agencies like the CBI and the Income Tax department, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said he joined hands with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to work in national interest. Speaking during a roadshow in the city, Naidu criticised the NDA government for demonetisation, "faulty implementation" of GST and price rise and alleged that there was a feeling of insecurity. "Today, the government led by Narendra Modiji in the country is indulging in attacking political rivals. They are harassing rivals as per will. "If anyone questions, (they) send Enforcement Directorate, CBI, Income Tax. Attacks on media. Attacks on political leaders. By carrying out attacks on business organisations, creating fear, (they) wish to see that nobody speaks," the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said. Therefore, he said, he spoke to all political parties in the country, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in spite of differences between the TDP and the Congress for over 30 years, to work together in national interest. "The country should be protected. Democracy should be safeguarded. Then only we will have future. If you don't have the freedom to speak, I am asking, what is the value of democracy," he said. Naidu, who was speaking in Rajendranagar assembly segment here as part of his roadshow in the city in support of TDP candidates, accused the NDA government at the Centre and the TRS government in Telangana of letting down people. "One thing is common between big Modi and small Modi. That is magic trick with words. He (Modi) speaks well. Our KCR also speaks very well," he said. Rao kept mum on NDA government over "attacks" on minorities, SCs and STs in the country, Naidu alleged. He said that the international airport, Cyberabad (the IT hub in Hyderabad), Outer Ring Road, Krishna river water and other major development projects in Hyderabad became a reality at his initiative. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister claimed that the TRS government did not implement its election promises, including double bedroom houses for poor. Naidu's Telugu Desam Party is part of the 'People's Front' also comprising Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). Asserting that a Congress nominee would be the chief minister if the Front wins the December seven elections, he said the TDP would fully cooperate in the endeavour. Telangana Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on December 7 and the results would be declared on December 11.

TDP chief accuses NDA government of using CBI, IT to harass rivals, create fear

Going beyond the slur used by Congress President Rahul Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu Saturday said even the ''watchman’s dog''&nbsp;was into stealing.

Addressing an election rally at Khairthal in Alwar district, Sidhu alleged corruption in the Modi government’s deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale military aircraft, a charge repeatedly denied by the Centre.

He claimed the plane worth Rs 500 crore was being bought for Rs 1,600 crore.

The crowd chanted, ''chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is a thief).''

The slogan was given by Gandhi who had earlier mocked Modi’s claim that he will act like ''watchman'' against graft in the country.

''Even the watchman’s dog is involved,'' Sidhu then said. He claimed the BJP government’s 'Make in India' slogan had not yielded results, saying the government had a deal on Rafale with France and on the bullet train with Japan.

He claimed the Sardar Patel statue recently installed in Gujarat was “bought from China”.

''Will the people of the country fry pakodas?'' he said. Sidhu said he will quit politics if his allegations are proved false.

''You have broken the back of farmers. You do not belong to the poor farmers but to Ambani and Adani. You have become puppet of the industrialists,'' Sidhu charged, targeting Modi.

He also lashed out at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. ''The maharani is sitting in the fort and ruling the state,'' he said.

He said women are not safe in the state which records a high number of rapes.

Assembly polls will be held in Rajasthan on December 7.

Going beyond the slur used by Congress President Rahul Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu Saturday said even the ''watchman’s dog'' was into stealing.

Going beyond the slur used by Congress President Rahul Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu Saturday said even the ''watchman’s dog'' was into stealing. Addressing an election rally at Khairthal in Alwar district, Sidhu alleged corruption in the Modi government’s deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale military aircraft, a charge repeatedly denied by the Centre. He claimed the plane worth Rs 500 crore was being bought for Rs 1,600 crore. The crowd chanted, ''chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is a thief).'' The slogan was given by Gandhi who had earlier mocked Modi’s claim that he will act like ''watchman'' against graft in the country. ''Even the watchman’s dog is involved,'' Sidhu then said. He claimed the BJP government’s 'Make in India' slogan had not yielded results, saying the government had a deal on Rafale with France and on the bullet train with Japan. He claimed the Sardar Patel statue recently installed in Gujarat was “bought from China”. ''Will the people of the country fry pakodas?'' he said. Sidhu said he will quit politics if his allegations are proved false. ''You have broken the back of farmers. You do not belong to the poor farmers but to Ambani and Adani. You have become puppet of the industrialists,'' Sidhu charged, targeting Modi. He also lashed out at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. ''The maharani is sitting in the fort and ruling the state,'' he said. He said women are not safe in the state which records a high number of rapes. Assembly polls will be held in Rajasthan on December 7.

Navjot Singh Sidhu repeats thief slur against PM Modi

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday reacted to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's remark wherein he accuses PM Modi having used surgical strikes as a "political asset."

Shah, during a rally in Rajasthan's Phalodi, slammed Gandhi stating that the Congress chief has insulted country's soldiers by his comments.&nbsp;

"Rahul Gandhi is insulting country's soldiers in the issue of surgical strikes," Shah stated.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched an attack on the Prime Minister during an event in Udaipur in Rajasthan, stating that PM Modi used surgical strikes as a "political asset."

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Rahul Gandhi in Udaipur, Rajasthan: What the Army would have liked was we'll do it, it's beneficial if nobody knows we did it. But Mr Modi didn't want that. He was fighting an election in UP &amp; he was losing it. So he did it to turn a military asset into a political asset.
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"Mr Narendra Modi actually reached into Army's domain and shaped their surgical strike, he turned their surgical strike into a political asset when it actually was a military decision," Gandhi stated.&nbsp;

"Do you know that like Mr Narendra Modi's surgical strike, Manmohan Singh ji did that 3 times? When Army came to Mr Manmohan Singh and said we need to retaliate against Pak for what they've done they also said we wanted to be secret, for our own purposes," Gandhi added.

Shah and Gandhi have been on a campaigning-spree in poll-bound Rajasthan. The BJP-ruled state is headed for assembly elections on December 7, votes will be counted on December 11.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday reacted to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's remark wherein he accuses PM Modi having used surgical strikes as a "political asset.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday reacted to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's remark wherein he accuses PM Modi having used surgical strikes as a "political asset." Shah, during a rally in Rajasthan's Phalodi, slammed Gandhi stating that the Congress chief has insulted country's soldiers by his comments. "Rahul Gandhi is insulting country's soldiers in the issue of surgical strikes," Shah stated. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched an attack on the Prime Minister during an event in Udaipur in Rajasthan, stating that PM Modi used surgical strikes as a "political asset." Rahul Gandhi in Udaipur, Rajasthan: What the Army would have liked was we'll do it, it's beneficial if nobody knows we did it. But Mr Modi didn't want that. He was fighting an election in UP & he was losing it. So he did it to turn a military asset into a political asset. — ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018 × "Mr Narendra Modi actually reached into Army's domain and shaped their surgical strike, he turned their surgical strike into a political asset when it actually was a military decision," Gandhi stated. "Do you know that like Mr Narendra Modi's surgical strike, Manmohan Singh ji did that 3 times? When Army came to Mr Manmohan Singh and said we need to retaliate against Pak for what they've done they also said we wanted to be secret, for our own purposes," Gandhi added. Shah and Gandhi have been on a campaigning-spree in poll-bound Rajasthan. The BJP-ruled state is headed for assembly elections on December 7, votes will be counted on December 11.

He is insulting country's soldiers: Amit Shah on Rahul Gandhi's 'surgical strikes' jibe on PM Modi

The BJP Friday alleged that Robert Vadra had put pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for revocation of an Income Tax department order penalising a company that gave a loan to another entity to buy his land in Rajasthan.

Dubbing Vadra a "tained son-in-law", BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that in 2010, Vadra's Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd had bought 70 hectares of land for nearly Rs 70 lakh and sold it to another entity, Allegeny Finlease Pvt Ltd, in 2012 for Rs 5.15 crore, "seven times the original cost".

Bhushan Power and Steel Limited (BSPL) gave an unsecured loan of Rs 5.64 crore to Allegeny Finlease for buying the same land, he claimed.

During the same time, BSPL had got a tax notice that cited anomalies in its returns from 2004-2005 to 2011-12, and was asked to pay Rs 500 crore for the difference, Patra claimed.

"BSPL wrote to the Settlement Commission of the IT (Income Tax) department appealing against the order, which said the company has to pay Rs 500 crore. The commission also granted no immunity to BSPL against prosecution and penalty," the BJP spokesperson told reporters here.

The Settlement Commission reconstituted a bench that rescinded the earlier order and had asked the company to pay Rs 500 crore, he claimed.&nbsp;

"As Bhushan Steel had given money for buying a plot of land from Robert Vadra, he put pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to ask the Income Tax department to waive the penalty and save BSPL from punishment. It is a clear case of corruption," Patra said.&nbsp;

"This is case of quid pro quo between Skylight Hospitality, Allegeny Finlease and Bhushan Steel," Patra said, alleging that unaccounted money has been by misusing the powers.&nbsp;

Patra also targeted former prime minister Manmohan Singh and dubbed him a "puppet PM" for overlooking the "corruption" during his time.

He also asked, "How much did the Gandhis benefit (from this deal)?"

Targeting Vadra, the BJP leader said his modus operandi is to buy land at a cheaper price, change the utility of the land and then sell it at a rate several times the original cost.

When asked what his party did as it was in power both in Rajasthan as well as the Centre, Patra said, the BJP governments investigated the case.&nbsp;

"We came to power in 2013-2014. We investigated it. The whole ball started moving since 2015. In early 2015, we had an FIR registered in Rajasthan against the Bikaner land allotment of Mr Robert Vadra.&nbsp;

"Thereafter, the whole thing is moving smoothly according to the law. The ED (Enforcement Directorate) had talked about the whole thing in 2016. In 2017, notices were issued and people were arrested in 2017. In 2018, the settlement commission issue had been taken up and yet again you see how the ED is moving ahead," Patra said.&nbsp;

The ED has summoned Vadra in connection with its money laundering probe in the land scam case in Rajasthan's Bikaner city, agency officials said Friday.&nbsp;

The BJP Friday alleged that Robert Vadra had put pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for revocation of an Income Tax department order penalising a company that gave a loan to another entity to buy his land in Rajasthan.

The BJP Friday alleged that Robert Vadra had put pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for revocation of an Income Tax department order penalising a company that gave a loan to another entity to buy his land in Rajasthan. Dubbing Vadra a "tained son-in-law", BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that in 2010, Vadra's Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd had bought 70 hectares of land for nearly Rs 70 lakh and sold it to another entity, Allegeny Finlease Pvt Ltd, in 2012 for Rs 5.15 crore, "seven times the original cost". Bhushan Power and Steel Limited (BSPL) gave an unsecured loan of Rs 5.64 crore to Allegeny Finlease for buying the same land, he claimed. During the same time, BSPL had got a tax notice that cited anomalies in its returns from 2004-2005 to 2011-12, and was asked to pay Rs 500 crore for the difference, Patra claimed. "BSPL wrote to the Settlement Commission of the IT (Income Tax) department appealing against the order, which said the company has to pay Rs 500 crore. The commission also granted no immunity to BSPL against prosecution and penalty," the BJP spokesperson told reporters here. The Settlement Commission reconstituted a bench that rescinded the earlier order and had asked the company to pay Rs 500 crore, he claimed. "As Bhushan Steel had given money for buying a plot of land from Robert Vadra, he put pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to ask the Income Tax department to waive the penalty and save BSPL from punishment. It is a clear case of corruption," Patra said. "This is case of quid pro quo between Skylight Hospitality, Allegeny Finlease and Bhushan Steel," Patra said, alleging that unaccounted money has been by misusing the powers. Patra also targeted former prime minister Manmohan Singh and dubbed him a "puppet PM" for overlooking the "corruption" during his time. He also asked, "How much did the Gandhis benefit (from this deal)?" Targeting Vadra, the BJP leader said his modus operandi is to buy land at a cheaper price, change the utility of the land and then sell it at a rate several times the original cost. When asked what his party did as it was in power both in Rajasthan as well as the Centre, Patra said, the BJP governments investigated the case. "We came to power in 2013-2014. We investigated it. The whole ball started moving since 2015. In early 2015, we had an FIR registered in Rajasthan against the Bikaner land allotment of Mr Robert Vadra. "Thereafter, the whole thing is moving smoothly according to the law. The ED (Enforcement Directorate) had talked about the whole thing in 2016. In 2017, notices were issued and people were arrested in 2017. In 2018, the settlement commission issue had been taken up and yet again you see how the ED is moving ahead," Patra said. The ED has summoned Vadra in connection with its money laundering probe in the land scam case in Rajasthan's Bikaner city, agency officials said Friday.

Vadra put pressure on Rahul, Sonia to revoke I-T order to benefit him: BJP

The BJP Friday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of misleading farmers on the issue of agrarian distress, asserting that people no longer support those who have had their "eyes shut for 70 years" on the problem and have now decided to side with Narendra Modi.

The BJP's reaction came after thousands of farmers, backed by Left parties and organisations, marched through the streets of Delhi for debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce.

<a href="Delhi: Rahul, Kejriwal join farmers' protest at Jantar Mantar">Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal</a>, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader S Sudhakar Reddy and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah were among the political leaders who joined the farmers at Jantar Mantar.

Hitting out at opposition parties, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked why their leaders did not take measures to reduce the problem of farmers in the past 70 years when they governed India.

On Kejriwal and Gandhi sharing a stage during the rally at Jantar Mantar, Patra said it was like "drama and confusion together on the dais".

"Remember, if drama and confusion are together, there is only destruction and devastation for democracy. The country rejects drama, corruption and confusion and has done so in 2014. Their coming together through photo-ops will not help, as the country has left their hands and has held the hands of Narendra Modi and BJP," he said.

He said the opposition parties have been exposed before the people for indulging in corruption and "politics of deception".

"They are today talking about farmers. They need to answer why the Congress was sitting with eyes shut for 70 years. Why the Congress did not worry about farmers all this time," he told reporters.

He said it was "unfortunate" that leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties were lowering the level of political discourse in the country. His comments came after following reports that CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury used inappropriate words to describe Prime Minister Modi.

"This shows the frustration of Congress and others. It shows their frustration," Patra said. 
Training his guns on Gandhi, Patra alleged that the Congress chief has one tape-recorder and only has one script. "He does not even prepare his speeches," Patra said.

"He does politics of falsehood and deception... All these parties were in power for so many years, but they did not implement the Swaminathan Committee report, because they were deep in corruption" he alleged.

The final volume of the Swaminathan Committee report on agrarian distress and recommendations was tabled in Parliament in 2016 and is yet to be discussed in the House.

Patra claimed farm loan has been waived twice so far in Rajasthan's history and on both occasions it has been done under BJP rule.

The Congress-ruled Rajasthan for nearly 50 years but did not waived farm loans and now they are doing politics here, Patra alleged.

"You have seen how Mr Rahul Gandhi have misled farmers and people of this country. You have seen how Mr Robert Vadra's (Gandhi's brother-in-law) company took loans which were unaccounted, not secured and not paid in the name of farmers and how they were misused for commercial purposes.

"You have seen how this was totally a commercial venture in the name of farming. This is Rahul Gandhi's way and Prime Minister Modi has rightly said that he does not know anything about farming," Patra alleged.

The BJP leader was referring to a newspaper report published Friday. The report said a firm got a big tax relief after it gave loan to a company that bought land owned by Skylight Hospitality, which is allegedly linked to Vadra.

"He (Gandhi) added to country's NPAs by giving loans through banks to such people, from whom they have benefitted themselves. Rahul Gandhi and Congress party indulged in commercial ventures and corruption ventures from which the country lost," he alleged.

The BJP Friday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of misleading farmers on the issue of agrarian distress, asserting that people no longer support those who have had their "eyes shut for 70 years" on the problem and have now decided to side with Narendra Modi.

The BJP Friday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of misleading farmers on the issue of agrarian distress, asserting that people no longer support those who have had their "eyes shut for 70 years" on the problem and have now decided to side with Narendra Modi. The BJP's reaction came after thousands of farmers, backed by Left parties and organisations, marched through the streets of Delhi for debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader S Sudhakar Reddy and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah were among the political leaders who joined the farmers at Jantar Mantar. Hitting out at opposition parties, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked why their leaders did not take measures to reduce the problem of farmers in the past 70 years when they governed India. On Kejriwal and Gandhi sharing a stage during the rally at Jantar Mantar, Patra said it was like "drama and confusion together on the dais". "Remember, if drama and confusion are together, there is only destruction and devastation for democracy. The country rejects drama, corruption and confusion and has done so in 2014. Their coming together through photo-ops will not help, as the country has left their hands and has held the hands of Narendra Modi and BJP," he said. He said the opposition parties have been exposed before the people for indulging in corruption and "politics of deception". "They are today talking about farmers. They need to answer why the Congress was sitting with eyes shut for 70 years. Why the Congress did not worry about farmers all this time," he told reporters. He said it was "unfortunate" that leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties were lowering the level of political discourse in the country. His comments came after following reports that CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury used inappropriate words to describe Prime Minister Modi. "This shows the frustration of Congress and others. It shows their frustration," Patra said. Training his guns on Gandhi, Patra alleged that the Congress chief has one tape-recorder and only has one script. "He does not even prepare his speeches," Patra said. "He does politics of falsehood and deception... All these parties were in power for so many years, but they did not implement the Swaminathan Committee report, because they were deep in corruption" he alleged. The final volume of the Swaminathan Committee report on agrarian distress and recommendations was tabled in Parliament in 2016 and is yet to be discussed in the House. Patra claimed farm loan has been waived twice so far in Rajasthan's history and on both occasions it has been done under BJP rule. The Congress-ruled Rajasthan for nearly 50 years but did not waived farm loans and now they are doing politics here, Patra alleged. "You have seen how Mr Rahul Gandhi have misled farmers and people of this country. You have seen how Mr Robert Vadra's (Gandhi's brother-in-law) company took loans which were unaccounted, not secured and not paid in the name of farmers and how they were misused for commercial purposes. "You have seen how this was totally a commercial venture in the name of farming. This is Rahul Gandhi's way and Prime Minister Modi has rightly said that he does not know anything about farming," Patra alleged. The BJP leader was referring to a newspaper report published Friday. The report said a firm got a big tax relief after it gave loan to a company that bought land owned by Skylight Hospitality, which is allegedly linked to Vadra. "He (Gandhi) added to country's NPAs by giving loans through banks to such people, from whom they have benefitted themselves. Rahul Gandhi and Congress party indulged in commercial ventures and corruption ventures from which the country lost," he alleged.

People don't trust Congress, other Opposition parties on agrarian distress issue: BJP

Opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and National Conference Chairman Farooq Abdullah participated in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/farmers-march-to-parliament-throws-traffic-in-tizzy-in-central-lutyens-delhi-180383">massive&nbsp;farmers protest</a> in Delhi on Friday.&nbsp;

Addressing the gathering of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/farmers-begin-march-towards-parliament-from-ramlila-maidan-3500-cops-deployed-180376">protesting farmers at Jantar Mantar</a>, Rahul Gandhi called for a farm loan waiver as he assured support of all opposition leaders.

Rahul Gandhi said that the farmers were not seeking a "free gift" from the government by asking for a farm loan waiver. They were only asking for what's due to them.

"If this government can waive Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of 15 big industrialists, why can't the loans of crores of farmers in the country be waived?" he asked.&nbsp;

He also said that no one will be able to silence the voice of farmers and youth.

"If the Indian government insults them, then they will ensure its removal, " Gandhi added.

Arvind Kejriwal, also participating in the protest, warned prime minister Narendra Modi saying, "Five months are left, I demand that the Central Government implement Swaminathan panel report soon, otherwise farmers will wreak havoc in 2019," news agency PTI reported.

Kejriwal further tageted Modi saying that prime minister has "stabbed" farmers in the back by not keeping promises made to them.

Around 35,000 farmers from across the country converged in the national capital Friday to press for their demands, including debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce.&nbsp;

Farmers have come to the capital from different parts of the country, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

The protest is called by&nbsp;&nbsp;All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, which claims to be an umbrella body of 207 organisations of farmers and agricultural workers, many farmers arrived in the city on trains, buses and other modes of transport.

Many political leaders, including Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav have extended their support to protesting farmers.

The Friday's rally is the fourth major farmers' rally being held by the AIKSCC.

The AIKSCC has claimed that the two-day rally will be one of the largest congregations of farmers in Delhi.

Opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and National Conference Chairman Farooq Abdullah participated in massive farmers protest in Delhi on Friday.

Opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and National Conference Chairman Farooq Abdullah participated in massive farmers protest in Delhi on Friday. Addressing the gathering of protesting farmers at Jantar Mantar, Rahul Gandhi called for a farm loan waiver as he assured support of all opposition leaders. Rahul Gandhi said that the farmers were not seeking a "free gift" from the government by asking for a farm loan waiver. They were only asking for what's due to them. "If this government can waive Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of 15 big industrialists, why can't the loans of crores of farmers in the country be waived?" he asked. He also said that no one will be able to silence the voice of farmers and youth. "If the Indian government insults them, then they will ensure its removal, " Gandhi added. Arvind Kejriwal, also participating in the protest, warned prime minister Narendra Modi saying, "Five months are left, I demand that the Central Government implement Swaminathan panel report soon, otherwise farmers will wreak havoc in 2019," news agency PTI reported. Kejriwal further tageted Modi saying that prime minister has "stabbed" farmers in the back by not keeping promises made to them. Around 35,000 farmers from across the country converged in the national capital Friday to press for their demands, including debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce. Farmers have come to the capital from different parts of the country, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The protest is called by All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, which claims to be an umbrella body of 207 organisations of farmers and agricultural workers, many farmers arrived in the city on trains, buses and other modes of transport. Many political leaders, including Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav have extended their support to protesting farmers. The Friday's rally is the fourth major farmers' rally being held by the AIKSCC. The AIKSCC has claimed that the two-day rally will be one of the largest congregations of farmers in Delhi.

Delhi: Rahul, Kejriwal join farmers' protest at Jantar Mantar

Former Congress MP Mohammed Azharuddin was on Friday appointed working president of the party in Telangana days ahead of assembly elections in the southern state.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also cleared some fresh appointments in the Telangana Pradesh Congress, approving the names of two vice presidents - B M Vinod Kumar and Jaffer Javed, eight new general secretaries and four secretaries in the state unit.

"Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the appointment of Mohammed Azharuddin, ex-MP, as working president of the Telanagana Pradesh Congress Committee," a statement from AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot said.

Azharuddin was a former captain of the Indian cricket team. His cricket career came to an abrupt end when he was implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal in 2000 and was banned by the BCCI for life. However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2012 declared the life ban on him as illegal.

Azharuddin was an MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh in 2009, after he joined the Congress in the same year. He again unsuccessfully contested the 2014 election from Rajasthan's Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency in 2014.

The former cricketer, who hails from Hyderabad, is seeking to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Secunderabad constituency in Telangana.

Telangana goes to polls on December 7 and the Congress has forged an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the state to oust the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Government of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).

The Congress chief also appointed former Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit as Secretary of AICC and attached him to the AICC Civic and Social Outreach Congress.

Dikshit is the son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and has been an MP from the Delhi East constituency earlier.

The party chief also appointed Lingaraju as president of Karnataka Pradesh Fishermen Congress.

Among those appointed new general secretaries of Telanagana Pradesh Congress are Jagadeeshwara Rao, Nagesh Mudiraj, T Narsa Reddy, Manavatha Roy, Faheem, Kailash, Laxma Reddy and Krishank.

The new secretaries of TPCC are Durgam Bhaskar, Daruvu Ellanna, Vijay Kumar and Bala Laxmi.

Former Congress MP Mohammed Azharuddin was on Friday appointed working president of the party in Telangana days ahead of assembly elections in the southern state.

Former Congress MP Mohammed Azharuddin was on Friday appointed working president of the party in Telangana days ahead of assembly elections in the southern state. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also cleared some fresh appointments in the Telangana Pradesh Congress, approving the names of two vice presidents - B M Vinod Kumar and Jaffer Javed, eight new general secretaries and four secretaries in the state unit. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the appointment of Mohammed Azharuddin, ex-MP, as working president of the Telanagana Pradesh Congress Committee," a statement from AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot said. Azharuddin was a former captain of the Indian cricket team. His cricket career came to an abrupt end when he was implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal in 2000 and was banned by the BCCI for life. However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2012 declared the life ban on him as illegal. Azharuddin was an MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh in 2009, after he joined the Congress in the same year. He again unsuccessfully contested the 2014 election from Rajasthan's Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency in 2014. The former cricketer, who hails from Hyderabad, is seeking to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Secunderabad constituency in Telangana. Telangana goes to polls on December 7 and the Congress has forged an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the state to oust the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Government of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). The Congress chief also appointed former Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit as Secretary of AICC and attached him to the AICC Civic and Social Outreach Congress. Dikshit is the son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and has been an MP from the Delhi East constituency earlier. The party chief also appointed Lingaraju as president of Karnataka Pradesh Fishermen Congress. Among those appointed new general secretaries of Telanagana Pradesh Congress are Jagadeeshwara Rao, Nagesh Mudiraj, T Narsa Reddy, Manavatha Roy, Faheem, Kailash, Laxma Reddy and Krishank. The new secretaries of TPCC are Durgam Bhaskar, Daruvu Ellanna, Vijay Kumar and Bala Laxmi.

Azharuddin named Telangana Congress working president days before Assembly polls

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of "diluting the Tribal Rights Act to the detriment of forest dwellers.

Addressing an election meeting at Bhoopalpally in the tribal belt of Telangana, he promised reservations in government jobs and admissions to state-run educational institutions for Scheduled Tribe candidates proportionate to their population in the state.

"Prime Minister Modi weakened Adivasi Bill (Tribal Bill) at the centre and KCR diluted it at the state. As soon as we form our government in Telangana we will ensure that you (tribals) get back your land. We have mentioned this in our manifesto also.

"We will give reservations too that will be proportionate to your population," Gandhi told the rally.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was passed in 2006 when the UPA was in power. It is variously referred to as Forest Rights Act, Tribal Rights Act, Tribal Bill, and Tribal Land Act. The law concerns the rights of forest-dwelling communities.

The opposition has been alleging that the Modi dispensation diluted various provisions of the law including the condition of "free informed consent" from gram sabhas for any government plans to remove tribals from forests and for resettlement or rehabilitation packages. It is alleged that the law was diluted to favour mining companies and industrialists.

Gandhi said the previous UPA government brought the law which gave immense benefits to tribals.

The Telangana government has been accused of diluting the Act by outlawing traditional methods of forest land cultivation.

The Congress president said tribals could not reap full benefit of the law in Telangana because of dilution of its provisions.

Gandhi assured that contract workers of Singareni Collieries would be regularised if the Congress-led alliance came to power in Telangana and the cases of employees who lost their jobs for various reasons would be sympathetically examined.

He also slammed the prime minister for his "habit" of privatising public sector undertakings.

Punning on chief minister KCR's initials, Gandhi called him "Khao Commission Rao" who promised that he would "redesign" the state but instead redesigned irrigation projects, which resulted in cost escalation and burdened the people, only to benefit members of his family and contractors.

Taking a jibe at the TRS chief's comment that he will go home and take rest if he loses the polls, Gandhi said, "KCR will definitely take rest in a Rs 300 crore palatial bungalow after the elections. You take rest and the Congress party will fulfil the aspirations and dreams of Telangana with the help of its people."

Addressing another rally at Armoor, he said, if the Congress came to power at the Centre, it would simplify the GST and sympathetically examine taxes on the beedi industry.

He also promised that a corpus fund of Rs 500 crore would be raised to help migrant workers in the Persian Gulf.

Targeting the prime minister over his signature mass outreach programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on All India Radio, Gandhi said, "Modi ji tells you his 'Mann ki Baat' (speaks his mind) every month. But we will listen to your (people's) Mann Ki Baat and run Telangana according to your wishes."

The Congress president said while Modi and KCR always kept the doors of banks open for the rich, the Congress-led government in Telangana will waive agricultural loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh and raise the Minimum Support Price for as many as 17 varieties of farm produce.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of "diluting the Tribal Rights Act to the detriment of forest dwellers.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of "diluting the Tribal Rights Act to the detriment of forest dwellers. Addressing an election meeting at Bhoopalpally in the tribal belt of Telangana, he promised reservations in government jobs and admissions to state-run educational institutions for Scheduled Tribe candidates proportionate to their population in the state. "Prime Minister Modi weakened Adivasi Bill (Tribal Bill) at the centre and KCR diluted it at the state. As soon as we form our government in Telangana we will ensure that you (tribals) get back your land. We have mentioned this in our manifesto also. "We will give reservations too that will be proportionate to your population," Gandhi told the rally. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was passed in 2006 when the UPA was in power. It is variously referred to as Forest Rights Act, Tribal Rights Act, Tribal Bill, and Tribal Land Act. The law concerns the rights of forest-dwelling communities. The opposition has been alleging that the Modi dispensation diluted various provisions of the law including the condition of "free informed consent" from gram sabhas for any government plans to remove tribals from forests and for resettlement or rehabilitation packages. It is alleged that the law was diluted to favour mining companies and industrialists. Gandhi said the previous UPA government brought the law which gave immense benefits to tribals. The Telangana government has been accused of diluting the Act by outlawing traditional methods of forest land cultivation. The Congress president said tribals could not reap full benefit of the law in Telangana because of dilution of its provisions. Gandhi assured that contract workers of Singareni Collieries would be regularised if the Congress-led alliance came to power in Telangana and the cases of employees who lost their jobs for various reasons would be sympathetically examined. He also slammed the prime minister for his "habit" of privatising public sector undertakings. Punning on chief minister KCR's initials, Gandhi called him "Khao Commission Rao" who promised that he would "redesign" the state but instead redesigned irrigation projects, which resulted in cost escalation and burdened the people, only to benefit members of his family and contractors. Taking a jibe at the TRS chief's comment that he will go home and take rest if he loses the polls, Gandhi said, "KCR will definitely take rest in a Rs 300 crore palatial bungalow after the elections. You take rest and the Congress party will fulfil the aspirations and dreams of Telangana with the help of its people." Addressing another rally at Armoor, he said, if the Congress came to power at the Centre, it would simplify the GST and sympathetically examine taxes on the beedi industry. He also promised that a corpus fund of Rs 500 crore would be raised to help migrant workers in the Persian Gulf. Targeting the prime minister over his signature mass outreach programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on All India Radio, Gandhi said, "Modi ji tells you his 'Mann ki Baat' (speaks his mind) every month. But we will listen to your (people's) Mann Ki Baat and run Telangana according to your wishes." The Congress president said while Modi and KCR always kept the doors of banks open for the rich, the Congress-led government in Telangana will waive agricultural loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh and raise the Minimum Support Price for as many as 17 varieties of farm produce.

Modi, KCR diluted tribal rights law: Rahul Gandhi

This election campaign has set a new low for political discourse, and it was evident from the following statements for the Prime Minister of the country. Congress MP Raj Babbar had mocked PM’s mother and said that the value of the Rupee has reached her age. Another Congress leader Vilasrao Muttemwar had said: “Nobody knows the name of Modi’s father.”

Earlier, barbs like ‘Maut ka Saudagar’, ‘50 crore ki Girlfriend’, ‘Chor Chowkidar’, ‘Clown Prince’ were among the many vitriolic attacks that had done the rounds from all sides of the political spectrum. In a mature and a progressive democracy, such statements are uncalled for and senior leaders should avoid the temptation to make such derogatory statements. Both sides will enter the assemblies or Parliament and will have to work together. Then why create such bitterness during elections?

From a voter standpoint, we don’t feel it is right and neither do we approve of such statements. As a voter, it is easy for us to judge the events and decide why one is making such a statement. Either, the person making a statement does not have worthy things to talk about or/and have a poor track record of delivery, or the oratory is weak enough to get covered in the media or heard by the voter. Or he lacks the vision for his electorate. 
 
Whatever the reason may be, the statement brings down the decorum of the position one is holding or fighting for and also makes it appear cheap before the listeners. Media headlines will last for a day or a few days, but the wrong impression and a bad precedent created will last for a lifetime. Who has forgotten Mani Shankar Iyer’s “Neech Aadmi” statement or Sonia Gandhi’s “Maut ka Saudagar” jibe. Still the public voted Narendra Modi to power with a massive majority. Why waste time and opportunity to bring down someone with such cheap tactics? Rather, get down to real issues, list your achievements and leave your voters spellbound with your articulation of the vision for their prosperity.

Here is the transcript of what transpired between Senator John McCain and a voter during the US Presidential Campaign

Voter: “I gonna ask you a question. I don’t know, and I can’t even trust Obama. I have read about him… he is… he is not … he is an Arab..

Senator McCain: “No, no, Ma’am. He is a decent, family man, a citizen, that I happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, that what this campaign is all about. He is not &nbsp;(meaning, he is not an Arab)! &nbsp;Thank you!&nbsp;

And the public responded with a loud applause.

Senator McCain could have used the opportunity to side with the lady for the sake of creating a doubt in the minds of the people about his opponent, more so, when it was an opportunity served on the platter. But he chose not to stoop so low, &nbsp;and this speaks of his ideas and his firmness to not compromise with his conscience. Elections will be won or lost but conscience should never be compromised.

Senator John McCain is no more but he will remain a role model for politicians. Politics is a platform to serve the society, and people who make derogatory statements and vilify with raucous public statements certainly are not there to serve the public but perhaps serve themselves or pump up their ego. Such people should have no place in public life.

Elections must be fought on issues of public interest, on the achievements of the candidate, on his vision for his/her electorate and not deriding or chiding the competitor. People should be able to choose who has the best track record or a great vision for his electorate. Perhaps the lack of which forces the candidates to fall low and make personal attacks.

This reminds me of a quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.&nbsp;

We are looking for great minds in politics!

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-political-discourse-desperately-needs-a-course-correction-2689959">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

This election campaign has set a new low for political discourse, and it was evident from the following statements for the Prime Minister of the country. Congress MP Raj Babbar had mocked PM’s mother and said that the value of the Rupee has reached her age.

This election campaign has set a new low for political discourse, and it was evident from the following statements for the Prime Minister of the country. Congress MP Raj Babbar had mocked PM’s mother and said that the value of the Rupee has reached her age. Another Congress leader Vilasrao Muttemwar had said: “Nobody knows the name of Modi’s father.” Earlier, barbs like ‘Maut ka Saudagar’, ‘50 crore ki Girlfriend’, ‘Chor Chowkidar’, ‘Clown Prince’ were among the many vitriolic attacks that had done the rounds from all sides of the political spectrum. In a mature and a progressive democracy, such statements are uncalled for and senior leaders should avoid the temptation to make such derogatory statements. Both sides will enter the assemblies or Parliament and will have to work together. Then why create such bitterness during elections? From a voter standpoint, we don’t feel it is right and neither do we approve of such statements. As a voter, it is easy for us to judge the events and decide why one is making such a statement. Either, the person making a statement does not have worthy things to talk about or/and have a poor track record of delivery, or the oratory is weak enough to get covered in the media or heard by the voter. Or he lacks the vision for his electorate. Whatever the reason may be, the statement brings down the decorum of the position one is holding or fighting for and also makes it appear cheap before the listeners. Media headlines will last for a day or a few days, but the wrong impression and a bad precedent created will last for a lifetime. Who has forgotten Mani Shankar Iyer’s “Neech Aadmi” statement or Sonia Gandhi’s “Maut ka Saudagar” jibe. Still the public voted Narendra Modi to power with a massive majority. Why waste time and opportunity to bring down someone with such cheap tactics? Rather, get down to real issues, list your achievements and leave your voters spellbound with your articulation of the vision for their prosperity. Here is the transcript of what transpired between Senator John McCain and a voter during the US Presidential Campaign Voter: “I gonna ask you a question. I don’t know, and I can’t even trust Obama. I have read about him… he is… he is not … he is an Arab.. Senator McCain: “No, no, Ma’am. He is a decent, family man, a citizen, that I happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, that what this campaign is all about. He is not (meaning, he is not an Arab)! Thank you! And the public responded with a loud applause. Senator McCain could have used the opportunity to side with the lady for the sake of creating a doubt in the minds of the people about his opponent, more so, when it was an opportunity served on the platter. But he chose not to stoop so low, and this speaks of his ideas and his firmness to not compromise with his conscience. Elections will be won or lost but conscience should never be compromised. Senator John McCain is no more but he will remain a role model for politicians. Politics is a platform to serve the society, and people who make derogatory statements and vilify with raucous public statements certainly are not there to serve the public but perhaps serve themselves or pump up their ego. Such people should have no place in public life. Elections must be fought on issues of public interest, on the achievements of the candidate, on his vision for his/her electorate and not deriding or chiding the competitor. People should be able to choose who has the best track record or a great vision for his electorate. Perhaps the lack of which forces the candidates to fall low and make personal attacks. This reminds me of a quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people. We are looking for great minds in politics! (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Assembly elections 2018: Political discourse desperately needs a course correction

O, what a fall, my countrymen! That Shakespearean expression comes to mind this week as Indians go to vote in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan amid falling standards in national politics that ironically contrasts the new heights to which ordinary citizens are taking India with their extraordinary feats. Yatha raja, thatha praja (as is the king, so are the subjects), goes the old saying. If the opposite, yatha praja, thatha raja (as are the citizens, so is the king) is to be a true saying in a modern democracy, we seem to be in a schizophrenic phase in India's public life, where the sayings of the leaders do not tally with the actions of its exemplary citizens.

Mary Kom has just done India proud again by winning her sixth gold in world boxing. India's women cricketers are showing that both as a winnable game and a commercially viable one, the sport has broken the gender barrier in the country. We have sent a rocket to Mars and are planning to send one to the moon. Satellite launches have become mainstream. World class universities and international schools are mushrooming. Billion-dollar 'unicorns' are commonspeak among India's 20-something technology entrepreneurs.&nbsp;

Now, look at the low-level name-calling by political leaders on the election trail, and contrast this with the plight of farmers in key areas, and we know something is rotten, in the state of Denmark,...er, India. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deserves some brownie points for reminding his successor Narendra Modi that his language to boost the BJP does not fit well with the dignity of the prime minister's chair. Dr Singh even admits that he should not have used a word like "disaster" while talking of what Modi's rule ahead of the 2014 election. But his own party colleagues are not exactly excellent in their name-calling pursuits in a supposed attempt to revive the fortunes of the Indian National Congress.

While Modi invokes the name of 'naamdar' to hit at the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, he forgets that the family's leaders have won repeated endorsements from Indian voters, set up IITs and IIMs, won wars and brought in the green and white revolutions to boost grain and milk production in the country. Above all, one from the family went to jail for India's independence and two were killed in political assassinations.&nbsp;

However, Congress leader CP Joshi, instead of underlining such positive factors, says Modi as a low-caste person has no right to talk about Hinduism because he is not a Brahmin. That goes against the Congress party's claims to create an egalitarian social order. Party colleague Raj Babbar compares the falling value of the rupee against the US dollar to the age of Modi's mother, taking his own value lower than that of the currency he is speaking of!&nbsp;

Vilasrao Muttemwar says "nobody knows the name of Modi's father," forgetting that this is a civilisation that venerates Satyakama Jabala from the Chandogya Upanishad, who is considered of high moral character because he was honest enough to admit he did not know who his father was!

Modi has been called 'chaiwala' in a derogatory tone by Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar, while pro-Congress columnists in defence eagerly point out to references by BJP's Subramanian Swamy and Paresh Rawal describing Sonia Gandhi as a barmaid. About Modi being called Feku and Rahul Gandhi being called Pappu on social media, the less said the better.&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu has had its history of saree-pulling and name-calling to prove that down south, the politics of language may be different from that of the north, but the language of politics is not!

Those jibe-filled moments would have been better spent discussing procurement prices or credit for farmers, jobs for youths and why Kashmir continues to burn despite efforts by all parties.&nbsp;

Low-level speeches insult the intelligence of the average Indian citizens, belittle the pride that achievers like scientists, artists, engineers and sportspeople bring to the nation and most important of all, shift the political discourse away from the legitimate differences on ideology and issues to one where the visibly crass lead the assumedly dumb into a democratic dystopia.&nbsp;

Perhaps more significant, abusive language that points towards lineage and personal beliefs goes against the vision of building a meritocratic, egalitarian India where issues and principles are discussed more than cheap references to biological origins of leaders. We are doing badly enough in having to commemorate 26 November as a day of terrorist attacks in Mumbai than the one on which we gave to ourselves our democratic constitution. But that can be blamed on circumstances. Crass political speeches are self-inflicted wounds on the republic that promises freedom, justice and other such noble virtues of public order.

Some commentators say personal jibes end up making heroes of the targets, and Rahul Gandhi may gain votes from BJP's barbs just like Modi gained from Congress insults. In a world of what I call consumer goods politics that thrive on building brands by hook or by crook, one might well agree with that, but I do believe there is a moral case to raise the standard of politics. More important, burning issues such as jobs, health, poverty and education may be more effective in connecting voters with real issues than jibes on lineage. That would bring ideology and policies above name-calling and cheap shots.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/blogs/personal-attacks-by-politicians-are-an-insult-to-indian-voters-2159031.html">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

O, what a fall, my countrymen! That Shakespearean expression comes to mind this week as Indians go to vote in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan amid falling standards in national politics that ironically contrasts the new heights to which ordinary citizens are taking India with their extraordinary feats.

O, what a fall, my countrymen! That Shakespearean expression comes to mind this week as Indians go to vote in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan amid falling standards in national politics that ironically contrasts the new heights to which ordinary citizens are taking India with their extraordinary feats. Yatha raja, thatha praja (as is the king, so are the subjects), goes the old saying. If the opposite, yatha praja, thatha raja (as are the citizens, so is the king) is to be a true saying in a modern democracy, we seem to be in a schizophrenic phase in India's public life, where the sayings of the leaders do not tally with the actions of its exemplary citizens. Mary Kom has just done India proud again by winning her sixth gold in world boxing. India's women cricketers are showing that both as a winnable game and a commercially viable one, the sport has broken the gender barrier in the country. We have sent a rocket to Mars and are planning to send one to the moon. Satellite launches have become mainstream. World class universities and international schools are mushrooming. Billion-dollar 'unicorns' are commonspeak among India's 20-something technology entrepreneurs. Now, look at the low-level name-calling by political leaders on the election trail, and contrast this with the plight of farmers in key areas, and we know something is rotten, in the state of Denmark,...er, India. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deserves some brownie points for reminding his successor Narendra Modi that his language to boost the BJP does not fit well with the dignity of the prime minister's chair. Dr Singh even admits that he should not have used a word like "disaster" while talking of what Modi's rule ahead of the 2014 election. But his own party colleagues are not exactly excellent in their name-calling pursuits in a supposed attempt to revive the fortunes of the Indian National Congress. While Modi invokes the name of 'naamdar' to hit at the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, he forgets that the family's leaders have won repeated endorsements from Indian voters, set up IITs and IIMs, won wars and brought in the green and white revolutions to boost grain and milk production in the country. Above all, one from the family went to jail for India's independence and two were killed in political assassinations. However, Congress leader CP Joshi, instead of underlining such positive factors, says Modi as a low-caste person has no right to talk about Hinduism because he is not a Brahmin. That goes against the Congress party's claims to create an egalitarian social order. Party colleague Raj Babbar compares the falling value of the rupee against the US dollar to the age of Modi's mother, taking his own value lower than that of the currency he is speaking of! Vilasrao Muttemwar says "nobody knows the name of Modi's father," forgetting that this is a civilisation that venerates Satyakama Jabala from the Chandogya Upanishad, who is considered of high moral character because he was honest enough to admit he did not know who his father was! Modi has been called 'chaiwala' in a derogatory tone by Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar, while pro-Congress columnists in defence eagerly point out to references by BJP's Subramanian Swamy and Paresh Rawal describing Sonia Gandhi as a barmaid. About Modi being called Feku and Rahul Gandhi being called Pappu on social media, the less said the better. Tamil Nadu has had its history of saree-pulling and name-calling to prove that down south, the politics of language may be different from that of the north, but the language of politics is not! Those jibe-filled moments would have been better spent discussing procurement prices or credit for farmers, jobs for youths and why Kashmir continues to burn despite efforts by all parties. Low-level speeches insult the intelligence of the average Indian citizens, belittle the pride that achievers like scientists, artists, engineers and sportspeople bring to the nation and most important of all, shift the political discourse away from the legitimate differences on ideology and issues to one where the visibly crass lead the assumedly dumb into a democratic dystopia. Perhaps more significant, abusive language that points towards lineage and personal beliefs goes against the vision of building a meritocratic, egalitarian India where issues and principles are discussed more than cheap references to biological origins of leaders. We are doing badly enough in having to commemorate 26 November as a day of terrorist attacks in Mumbai than the one on which we gave to ourselves our democratic constitution. But that can be blamed on circumstances. Crass political speeches are self-inflicted wounds on the republic that promises freedom, justice and other such noble virtues of public order. Some commentators say personal jibes end up making heroes of the targets, and Rahul Gandhi may gain votes from BJP's barbs just like Modi gained from Congress insults. In a world of what I call consumer goods politics that thrive on building brands by hook or by crook, one might well agree with that, but I do believe there is a moral case to raise the standard of politics. More important, burning issues such as jobs, health, poverty and education may be more effective in connecting voters with real issues than jibes on lineage. That would bring ideology and policies above name-calling and cheap shots. (This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Personal attacks by politicians are an insult to Indian voters

Realising that middle class opinion matters most in the age of social media, Congress has formed Political Action Group (PAG) in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.&nbsp;

The PAG is a body which works under the parental body, the Professional Congress headed Dr Shashi Tharoor. The idea is to organise contacts across the country in middle and upper middle class who are pre-disposed towards Congress. The membership can be taken online and chapters automatically close once membership touches 100.

Every chapter of Professional Congress has a president and a vice-president and they are allowed to take up issues of their choice. They are also allowed to pick and organize there out-reach programme.&nbsp;

The PAG also remains in touch with the overseas Congress and lastly, it wants these cells to be the networking platforms across the country.&nbsp;

The idea is to curate debates and narratives which are close to Congress or independent and popular with the middle class. Congress feels that professionals can also be an independent feedback system to the party on the work which the ruling government is doing.

It is also expected to work as a platform for knowledge sharing whereby the expertise of the professionals can be shared, the party, in turn, can provide insight into the political process and functioning to the professionals.

WION spoke with Amita Singh who is part of the Political Action Group, she said that Professional Congress will be a platform for the middle class.&nbsp;

“Educated professionals should start feeling that they can also contribute to the idea of India and that their opinion matters,” said Amita Singh. The AIPC will also curate discussions both nationally and regionally and one such discussion is being organized in Delhi on November 30th which is being moderated by Shashi Tharoor. The topic is, “Is India being redefined.”

Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram will be part of the discussion.

BJP shot to power in 2014 on the shoulder of an anti-corruption campaign headed by independent actors throughout the country. With social media, middle class opinion has become loud and influential. After the economic reforms, the Indian middle class has become larger and metamorphosed into a strong political constituency.&nbsp;

Congress has a lot of catching up to do but feels that if it can organize the middle class to its advantage then it will have a fighting chance in urban areas during Lok Sabha elections. 
&nbsp;

Realising that middle class opinion matters most in the age of social media, Congress has formed Political Action Group (PAG) in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Realising that middle class opinion matters most in the age of social media, Congress has formed Political Action Group (PAG) in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The PAG is a body which works under the parental body, the Professional Congress headed Dr Shashi Tharoor. The idea is to organise contacts across the country in middle and upper middle class who are pre-disposed towards Congress. The membership can be taken online and chapters automatically close once membership touches 100. Every chapter of Professional Congress has a president and a vice-president and they are allowed to take up issues of their choice. They are also allowed to pick and organize there out-reach programme. The PAG also remains in touch with the overseas Congress and lastly, it wants these cells to be the networking platforms across the country. The idea is to curate debates and narratives which are close to Congress or independent and popular with the middle class. Congress feels that professionals can also be an independent feedback system to the party on the work which the ruling government is doing. It is also expected to work as a platform for knowledge sharing whereby the expertise of the professionals can be shared, the party, in turn, can provide insight into the political process and functioning to the professionals. WION spoke with Amita Singh who is part of the Political Action Group, she said that Professional Congress will be a platform for the middle class. “Educated professionals should start feeling that they can also contribute to the idea of India and that their opinion matters,” said Amita Singh. The AIPC will also curate discussions both nationally and regionally and one such discussion is being organized in Delhi on November 30th which is being moderated by Shashi Tharoor. The topic is, “Is India being redefined.” Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram will be part of the discussion. BJP shot to power in 2014 on the shoulder of an anti-corruption campaign headed by independent actors throughout the country. With social media, middle class opinion has become loud and influential. After the economic reforms, the Indian middle class has become larger and metamorphosed into a strong political constituency. Congress has a lot of catching up to do but feels that if it can organize the middle class to its advantage then it will have a fighting chance in urban areas during Lok Sabha elections.

Congress targets middle class for 2019 elections

Going all out to woo farmers and the youth in poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday promised to waive farm loans within 10 days if his party was voted to power in the state and said the Congress chief minister would work 18 hours a day to help youngsters get jobs.

Speaking at election rallies in different parts of the state, he also described the Congress workers as "sher" (tiger) and "babbar sher" (lion) and said they had to fight at the polling booth, but gently, unlike the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Gandhi, who began his day by visiting the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple, said the two leaders had become arrogant after winning elections, did not hear the voice of the people, made false promises and broke people's trust, adding that now they were left with nothing and therefore, spreading hatred and anger.

"You (people) are going to make the Congress party's government in the state. Within 10 days of government formation, the Congress will waive farm loans in the state. You can call and ask any farmer in Punjab and Karnataka, where I made the same promise and our governments fulfilled that," he said, addressing the first rally in Jaisalmer's Pokhran area.

Gandhi asserted that he and other Congress leaders like Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot will speak the truth and make promises only if they could fulfil those.

"The bond between you and me should be that of transparency. Many things can be done by being truthful," he said.

"The chief minister of the Congress will work for 18 hours a day and will be engaged in getting the youth jobs. We will put public money in improving the facilities in government hospitals, schools and setting up universities. The vacant posts will be filled and the youth will be given loans to start their own business, factories," he said, while alleging that the Modi government only worked for the top 15 industrialists in the country.

Gandhi said the free medicines scheme introduced by the previous Congress government in the state will be restarted after his party formed the government.

He also attacked the prime minister over the Rafale deal, demonetisation, GST and other issues.

Gandhi said when demonetisation destroyed the informal sector, those who had to stand in queues in front of banks were farmers, labourers, small-scale businessmen etc., but those who had black money got it changed to white in the air-conditioned chambers of the banks with the help of Modi.

He said Modi was left with nothing to speak and thus, he was lying, but the people had understood him well.

Gandhi also accused the prime minister of insulting the youth, farmers, labourers of the country as well as their parents and grandparents with his statement from the Red Fort that the "elephant was sleeping".

"He meant that the country was sleeping before he became the prime minister. This is an insult to your parents and grandparents, who put their efforts and labour and contributed in taking the country to the present stage," he said in Jodhpur.

Targeting Raje, Gandhi said in an advertisement, she had talked about a school in Bharatpur and said it had fans, furniture, drinking water, playground etc., but when journalists went there, they found that the school had nothing -- no fan, no drinking water.

The Congress chief told the party workers not to speak ill about the prime minister or the chief minister.

"You are the soldiers of the Congress and not RSS or BJP workers. Fight with manners. Do not use any bad word for anyone, be it the PM or the CM. It is their work to abuse, not ours. We will speak good of them," he said.

"You hear their speeches and compare with ours. Listen to the way Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are addressing them. They are addressing them as Modiji, Vasundharaji with manners. On the other hand, they are spreading hatred and anger," Gandhi said.

In Jalore, the Congress chief said the December 7 Assembly election was a fight for the future of the people of Rajasthan.

"This is the fight for your future. You will not get false promises from this stage," he said.

"They (BJP) took people's money and gave it to the top 15 industrialists, which should have gone to hospitals, schools, for employment etc. Tell me one thing, why all these names are Modi -- Neerav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi -- all are one. Wherever you see, they are the same names. Someone took Rs 10,000 crore, someone Rs 35,000 crore and one gave Rs 30,000 crore to his friend," Gandhi alleged. He also raised questions on the bullet train project.

Gandhi also accused the BJP of practising divisive politics by alleging that Modi had created two India -- one for the rich and the other for the poor -- and added that the Congress wanted one India.

Gandhi began his election meetings after offering prayers at the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple.

He presented a "chadar", along with state Congress chief Pilot and former chief minister Gehlot, at the dargah, where the traditional "khadim" of his family made him perform the "ziyarat".

Gandhi was honoured by the president of the Anjuman committee, Moin Chisty. The Nazim of the Dargah committee, Shakil Ahmed, also honoured the Congress chief.

Gandhi then visited the Pushkar sarovar and the Brahma temple and offered prayers there.

Going all out to woo farmers and the youth in poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday promised to waive farm loans within 10 days if his party was voted to power in the state and said the Congress chief minister would work 18 hours a day to help youngsters get jobs.

Going all out to woo farmers and the youth in poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday promised to waive farm loans within 10 days if his party was voted to power in the state and said the Congress chief minister would work 18 hours a day to help youngsters get jobs. Speaking at election rallies in different parts of the state, he also described the Congress workers as "sher" (tiger) and "babbar sher" (lion) and said they had to fight at the polling booth, but gently, unlike the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Gandhi, who began his day by visiting the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple, said the two leaders had become arrogant after winning elections, did not hear the voice of the people, made false promises and broke people's trust, adding that now they were left with nothing and therefore, spreading hatred and anger. "You (people) are going to make the Congress party's government in the state. Within 10 days of government formation, the Congress will waive farm loans in the state. You can call and ask any farmer in Punjab and Karnataka, where I made the same promise and our governments fulfilled that," he said, addressing the first rally in Jaisalmer's Pokhran area. Gandhi asserted that he and other Congress leaders like Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot will speak the truth and make promises only if they could fulfil those. "The bond between you and me should be that of transparency. Many things can be done by being truthful," he said. "The chief minister of the Congress will work for 18 hours a day and will be engaged in getting the youth jobs. We will put public money in improving the facilities in government hospitals, schools and setting up universities. The vacant posts will be filled and the youth will be given loans to start their own business, factories," he said, while alleging that the Modi government only worked for the top 15 industrialists in the country. Gandhi said the free medicines scheme introduced by the previous Congress government in the state will be restarted after his party formed the government. He also attacked the prime minister over the Rafale deal, demonetisation, GST and other issues. Gandhi said when demonetisation destroyed the informal sector, those who had to stand in queues in front of banks were farmers, labourers, small-scale businessmen etc., but those who had black money got it changed to white in the air-conditioned chambers of the banks with the help of Modi. He said Modi was left with nothing to speak and thus, he was lying, but the people had understood him well. Gandhi also accused the prime minister of insulting the youth, farmers, labourers of the country as well as their parents and grandparents with his statement from the Red Fort that the "elephant was sleeping". "He meant that the country was sleeping before he became the prime minister. This is an insult to your parents and grandparents, who put their efforts and labour and contributed in taking the country to the present stage," he said in Jodhpur. Targeting Raje, Gandhi said in an advertisement, she had talked about a school in Bharatpur and said it had fans, furniture, drinking water, playground etc., but when journalists went there, they found that the school had nothing -- no fan, no drinking water. The Congress chief told the party workers not to speak ill about the prime minister or the chief minister. "You are the soldiers of the Congress and not RSS or BJP workers. Fight with manners. Do not use any bad word for anyone, be it the PM or the CM. It is their work to abuse, not ours. We will speak good of them," he said. "You hear their speeches and compare with ours. Listen to the way Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are addressing them. They are addressing them as Modiji, Vasundharaji with manners. On the other hand, they are spreading hatred and anger," Gandhi said. In Jalore, the Congress chief said the December 7 Assembly election was a fight for the future of the people of Rajasthan. "This is the fight for your future. You will not get false promises from this stage," he said. "They (BJP) took people's money and gave it to the top 15 industrialists, which should have gone to hospitals, schools, for employment etc. Tell me one thing, why all these names are Modi -- Neerav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi -- all are one. Wherever you see, they are the same names. Someone took Rs 10,000 crore, someone Rs 35,000 crore and one gave Rs 30,000 crore to his friend," Gandhi alleged. He also raised questions on the bullet train project. Gandhi also accused the BJP of practising divisive politics by alleging that Modi had created two India -- one for the rich and the other for the poor -- and added that the Congress wanted one India. Gandhi began his election meetings after offering prayers at the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple. He presented a "chadar", along with state Congress chief Pilot and former chief minister Gehlot, at the dargah, where the traditional "khadim" of his family made him perform the "ziyarat". Gandhi was honoured by the president of the Anjuman committee, Moin Chisty. The Nazim of the Dargah committee, Shakil Ahmed, also honoured the Congress chief. Gandhi then visited the Pushkar sarovar and the Brahma temple and offered prayers there.

Rahul promises farm loan waiver, jobs to youth in Rajasthan

Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited the famous Ajmer dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti on Monday.&nbsp;

Gandhi was accompanied by Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot and former state chief minister Ashok Gehlot.&nbsp;

The Gandhi family's traditional khadim (cleric) made him perform 'ziyarat' at the dargah.&nbsp;

Gandhi is in Rajasthan to campaign for the upcoming state elections.&nbsp;

Gandhi had gone on a temple-hopping spree during the Gujarat and Karnataka state elections, prompting the BJP to accuse him of doing so to try and win votes.&nbsp;

On Monday, Gandhi later visited the next-door Pushkar.&nbsp;

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Rajasthan: Congress President Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Brahma Temple and on the banks of Brahma Sarovar in Pushkar. <a href="https://t.co/M8xUlRfDhg">pic.twitter.com/M8xUlRfDhg</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1066926521565220864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He offered prayers there at the famous Brahma temple (it is the only one in the country) and on the banks of the Pushkar lake.&nbsp;Pushkar is thought of as holy by the Hindus and is a pilgrimage site.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited the famous Ajmer dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti on Monday. Gandhi was accompanied by Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot and former state chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited the famous Ajmer dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti on Monday. Gandhi was accompanied by Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot and former state chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The Gandhi family's traditional khadim (cleric) made him perform 'ziyarat' at the dargah. Gandhi is in Rajasthan to campaign for the upcoming state elections. Gandhi had gone on a temple-hopping spree during the Gujarat and Karnataka state elections, prompting the BJP to accuse him of doing so to try and win votes. On Monday, Gandhi later visited the next-door Pushkar. Rajasthan: Congress President Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Brahma Temple and on the banks of Brahma Sarovar in Pushkar. pic.twitter.com/M8xUlRfDhg — ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2018 × He offered prayers there at the famous Brahma temple (it is the only one in the country) and on the banks of the Pushkar lake. Pushkar is thought of as holy by the Hindus and is a pilgrimage site. (With inputs from PTI)

After many temple visits, Rahul Gandhi visits Ajmer dargah

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-replied-to-terrorists-naxals-in-their-own-language-pm-modi-at-rajasthan-poll-rally-179564">Congress calls Naxals revolutionaries, issues them certificates: PM Modi at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-replied-to-terrorists-naxals-in-their-own-language-pm-modi-at-rajasthan-poll-rally-179564">poll</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-replied-to-terrorists-naxals-in-their-own-language-pm-modi-at-rajasthan-poll-rally-179564"> rally in Rajasthan</a>

The Congress was in power when the Mumbai attacks took place but questioned the BJP government’s surgical strikes in Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Monday, hitting out at the opposition party on the issues of terrorism and Naxalism.

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A week after American national John Allen Chau, 26, was reportedly killed by an arrow by north Sentinelese tribesmen in Andaman islands, police officials are working with anthropologists and psychologists to retrieve his body.

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Japanese car firm Mitsubishi Motors today sacked Carlos Ghosn, 64, as chairman over alleged financial misconduct at the Japanese-based car company.

"During today's board meeting, it was decided that he is dismissed as chairman," the company said in a statement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-university-to-investigate-after-academic-claims-to-have-edited-twins-genes-179563">Chinese university to investigate after academic claims to have edited twins’ genes</a>

A Chinese university said on Monday it will immediately launch an investigation after an associate professor released videos on YouTube claiming to have edited the genes of twins born earlier this month and defending the ethics of his work.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-15-dead-10-wounded-after-shabaab-militants-attacked-a-sufi-religious-centre-in-somali-179523">Video: At least 15 dead, 10 wounded after Shabaab militants attacked Sufi religious centre in Somalia</a>

At least 15 people were killed and ten others wounded in the central Somalia town of Galkayo on Monday when Shabaab militants attacked a Sufi religious centre, officials said.

Congress calls Naxals revolutionaries, issues them certificates: PM Modi at poll rally in Rajasthan The Congress was in power when the Mumbai attacks took place but questioned the BJP government’s surgical strikes in Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Monday, hitting out at the opposition party on the issues of terrorism and Naxalism.

Congress calls Naxals revolutionaries, issues them certificates: PM Modi at poll rally in Rajasthan The Congress was in power when the Mumbai attacks took place but questioned the BJP government’s surgical strikes in Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Monday, hitting out at the opposition party on the issues of terrorism and Naxalism. In touch with anthropologists, psychologists to contract Sentinelese tribesman to retrieve American nationals body, says police A week after American national John Allen Chau, 26, was reportedly killed by an arrow by north Sentinelese tribesmen in Andaman islands, police officials are working with anthropologists and psychologists to retrieve his body. Mitsubishi sacks Carlos Ghosn over alleged financial misconduct Japanese car firm Mitsubishi Motors today sacked Carlos Ghosn, 64, as chairman over alleged financial misconduct at the Japanese-based car company. "During today's board meeting, it was decided that he is dismissed as chairman," the company said in a statement. Chinese university to investigate after academic claims to have edited twins’ genes A Chinese university said on Monday it will immediately launch an investigation after an associate professor released videos on YouTube claiming to have edited the genes of twins born earlier this month and defending the ethics of his work. Video: At least 15 dead, 10 wounded after Shabaab militants attacked Sufi religious centre in Somalia At least 15 people were killed and ten others wounded in the central Somalia town of Galkayo on Monday when Shabaab militants attacked a Sufi religious centre, officials said.

Former railway minister and senior Congress leader CK Jaffer Sharief died Sunday at a hospital in Karnataka's Bengaluru.&nbsp;

He was 85 years old.&nbsp;

Sharif had been in ICU after collapsing while getting into his car for Friday namaaz.&nbsp;

Sharief's death is the second blow for the Congress in less than 24 hours for it came only hourse after the death of Kannada actor-turned-politician and former union minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-union-minister-ambareesh-passes-away-in-bengaluru-179297">Ambareesh</a>. Three days of mourning had already been declared in Karnataka after Ambareesh's death.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
It is a day of tragedy for the Congress party, with another senior, loved &amp; respected member of our family in Karnataka, Shri Jaffer Sharief Ji, passing away today. My condolences to his family, friends &amp; supporters in their time of grief. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JafferSharief?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JafferSharief</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1066600116071686144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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We condole the passing of former union minister CK Jaffer Sharief. We hope his family finds strength to deal with their loss.
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1066602836971085824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted that "it is a day of tragedy" after the deaths.&nbsp;

Former railway minister and senior Congress leader CK Jaffer Sharief died Sunday at a hospital in Karnataka's Bengaluru. He was 85 years old. Sharif had been in ICU after collapsing while getting into his car for Friday namaaz.

Former railway minister and senior Congress leader CK Jaffer Sharief died Sunday at a hospital in Karnataka's Bengaluru. He was 85 years old. Sharif had been in ICU after collapsing while getting into his car for Friday namaaz. Sharief's death is the second blow for the Congress in less than 24 hours for it came only hourse after the death of Kannada actor-turned-politician and former union minister Ambareesh. Three days of mourning had already been declared in Karnataka after Ambareesh's death. It is a day of tragedy for the Congress party, with another senior, loved & respected member of our family in Karnataka, Shri Jaffer Sharief Ji, passing away today. My condolences to his family, friends & supporters in their time of grief. #JafferSharief — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 25, 2018 × We condole the passing of former union minister CK Jaffer Sharief. We hope his family finds strength to deal with their loss. — Congress (@INCIndia) November 25, 2018 × Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted that "it is a day of tragedy" after the deaths.

Former railway minister CK Jaffer Sharief dead at 85

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the issue of national security Saturday, and hinting at the Congress chief's comments on the Rafale deal, said it was hard to guess whether he was speaking in India or Pakistan.

Speaking at a rally in Indore's Rau area, Adityanath also attacked Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over a video that has gone viral and made a veiled reference to the origins of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with an "Italy" jibe.

"The country is setting new records on the security front and has developed its hitting capabilities, due to which we can enter the territories of enemies like China and Pakistan. This is upsetting the Congress," he told the gathering.

Attacking the Congress chief, Adityanath said, "You will be surprised at the fake outlook of the Congress. Do you know what Rahul speaks? Sometimes, we cannot guess from his body language whether he is speaking in India or Pakistan."

Gandhi has been attacking the Centre on the Rafale fighter jets deal and has claimed that the aircraft were being bought for prices much higher than what the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had agreed to.

The Centre, however, has maintained that the Rafale deal was carried out after following proper norms.

Speaking about the video in which Nath is purportedly seen talking about the votes of the Muslim community, Adityanath said, "You can remain happy with Ali, we have Bajrangbali."

In the video, Nath is purportedly heard saying, "If the Muslim community does not record a 90-per cent voting, we will suffer a heavy blow."

The Congress has, however, dubbed the video as a conspiracy of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide voters on communal lines.

"We (BJP) do not discriminate on the basis of the beneficiaries' caste and religion in government schemes. This is Ram Rajya, in which there should be no discrimination against any person on any basis," Adityanath said.

He alleged that the Congress had turned Hindi-speaking states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand into "Bimaru" ones.

"Bimaru" is an acronym for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and has regularly been used by economists and political pundits to signify the "bimar" (Hindi for ailing) socio-economic parameters of these states.

"During the Congress rule, there was terrorism in some of these states and Naxalism in some others. Besides, different types of mafia were also active," Adityanath alleged.

In an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi's origins, The Uttar Pradesh chief minister, without naming anybody, said, "Some mafias were brought here from Italy by the Congress as dowry."

He also questioned the Congress's pre-poll promise of farm loan waiver, something that has been mentioned by Rahul Gandhi in his election rallies in Madhya Pradesh as well as in other poll-bound states.

"First, the Congress should waive the debts of all farmers in Punjab," Adityanath said.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the issue of national security Saturday, and hinting at the Congress chief's comments on the Rafale deal, said it was hard to guess whether he was speaking in India or Pakistan.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the issue of national security Saturday, and hinting at the Congress chief's comments on the Rafale deal, said it was hard to guess whether he was speaking in India or Pakistan. Speaking at a rally in Indore's Rau area, Adityanath also attacked Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over a video that has gone viral and made a veiled reference to the origins of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with an "Italy" jibe. "The country is setting new records on the security front and has developed its hitting capabilities, due to which we can enter the territories of enemies like China and Pakistan. This is upsetting the Congress," he told the gathering. Attacking the Congress chief, Adityanath said, "You will be surprised at the fake outlook of the Congress. Do you know what Rahul speaks? Sometimes, we cannot guess from his body language whether he is speaking in India or Pakistan." Gandhi has been attacking the Centre on the Rafale fighter jets deal and has claimed that the aircraft were being bought for prices much higher than what the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had agreed to. The Centre, however, has maintained that the Rafale deal was carried out after following proper norms. Speaking about the video in which Nath is purportedly seen talking about the votes of the Muslim community, Adityanath said, "You can remain happy with Ali, we have Bajrangbali." In the video, Nath is purportedly heard saying, "If the Muslim community does not record a 90-per cent voting, we will suffer a heavy blow." The Congress has, however, dubbed the video as a conspiracy of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide voters on communal lines. "We (BJP) do not discriminate on the basis of the beneficiaries' caste and religion in government schemes. This is Ram Rajya, in which there should be no discrimination against any person on any basis," Adityanath said. He alleged that the Congress had turned Hindi-speaking states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand into "Bimaru" ones. "Bimaru" is an acronym for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and has regularly been used by economists and political pundits to signify the "bimar" (Hindi for ailing) socio-economic parameters of these states. "During the Congress rule, there was terrorism in some of these states and Naxalism in some others. Besides, different types of mafia were also active," Adityanath alleged. In an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi's origins, The Uttar Pradesh chief minister, without naming anybody, said, "Some mafias were brought here from Italy by the Congress as dowry." He also questioned the Congress's pre-poll promise of farm loan waiver, something that has been mentioned by Rahul Gandhi in his election rallies in Madhya Pradesh as well as in other poll-bound states. "First, the Congress should waive the debts of all farmers in Punjab," Adityanath said. The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.

Cannot guess if Rahul is speaking in India or Pakistan: Adityanath in Madhya Pradesh

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