In a first, the Congress party has decided that it will not&nbsp;push for a Congress candidate for the presidential elections.&nbsp;

The name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, who has served as the governor of West Bengal in the past, is doing the rounds as a consensus candidate for the opposition.

Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, is pushing for opposition unity and it is for this reason that she is amenable to the idea of Gopalkrishna Gandhi being put up as the presidential candidate of a united opposition.

Even some of the non-Congress opposition parties are sceptical to back a Congress candidate for the presidential election.

Sources in the Congress confirmed that the reason why Sonia Gandhi is open to a non-Congress candidate is because she doesn&rsquo;t want to give a walkover to BJP which has the numbers this time around for the President&rsquo;s election. &nbsp;

Though Meira Kumar&rsquo;s name also came up for discussion but there weren&rsquo;t many takers for the name. Many in the opposition are of the view that since BJP is going to propose an insider&rsquo;s name for the President, Mahatma&rsquo;s grandson may work as a glue for the entire opposition.&nbsp;

Sources also said that even Mamata Banerjee is amenable to the idea of having Gopalkrishna Gandhi as the presidential candidate of a united opposition. Though a formal meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi is scheduled for the third week of May, Sonia Gandhi has already met Omar Abdullah, Sitaram Yechury and Bihar&rsquo;s chief minister Nitish Kumar in this regard.

The idea is that unity during presidential polls should be a precursor for a grand alliance against BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Congress is hopeful that many regional satraps who feel threatened by BJP&rsquo;s aggressive expansion may come around for a common front.&nbsp;

But the irony of the matter is that the idea of a combined front against BJP is an admission to the fact that Congress has reduced in stature and BJP has emerged as the new Congress.

(WION)

The name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, who has served as the governor of West Bengal in the past, is doing the rounds as a consensus candidate for the opposition

In a first, the Congress party has decided that it will not push for a Congress candidate for the presidential elections. The name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, who has served as the governor of West Bengal in the past, is doing the rounds as a consensus candidate for the opposition. Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, is pushing for opposition unity and it is for this reason that she is amenable to the idea of Gopalkrishna Gandhi being put up as the presidential candidate of a united opposition. Even some of the non-Congress opposition parties are sceptical to back a Congress candidate for the presidential election. Sources in the Congress confirmed that the reason why Sonia Gandhi is open to a non-Congress candidate is because she doesn’t want to give a walkover to BJP which has the numbers this time around for the President’s election. Though Meira Kumar’s name also came up for discussion but there weren’t many takers for the name. Many in the opposition are of the view that since BJP is going to propose an insider’s name for the President, Mahatma’s grandson may work as a glue for the entire opposition. Sources also said that even Mamata Banerjee is amenable to the idea of having Gopalkrishna Gandhi as the presidential candidate of a united opposition. Though a formal meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi is scheduled for the third week of May, Sonia Gandhi has already met Omar Abdullah, Sitaram Yechury and Bihar’s chief minister Nitish Kumar in this regard. The idea is that unity during presidential polls should be a precursor for a grand alliance against BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Congress is hopeful that many regional satraps who feel threatened by BJP’s aggressive expansion may come around for a common front. But the irony of the matter is that the idea of a combined front against BJP is an admission to the fact that Congress has reduced in stature and BJP has emerged as the new Congress. (WION)

Congress, others expected to back Gopalkrishna Gandhi as president

The Enforcement Directorate(ED) today raided the premises of Robert Vadra&#39;s associates in connection with the Bikaner land deal issue.&nbsp;Robert Vadra who is the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been under the scanner in the land deal for over two years.

The investigation relates to the purchase of 275 bighas(109acres) allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of Bikaner. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate had said in the complaint that the government land in 34 villages of Bikaner to be used for expanding the army&#39;s firing range in the area was allegedly grabbed by the land mafia operating in the area which prepared forged and fabricated documents with the help of government officials.

Enforcement Directorate officials also searched the house of Vadra&#39;s close aides, Mahesh Nagar and Ashok Kumar&#39;s properties also under the scanner in the controversial land deal case.

Mahesh Nagar is the power attorney holder on behalf Skylight Hospitality, the company which is linked to Vadra.

Raids are currently being conducted in three places in Faridabad, out of which two are located in Buapur village of Faridabad and one in the outskirts of the city.

Last week, the Enforcement Directorate had attached properties worth Rs. 4 crores of individuals linked to Vadra, in connection with the money laundering probe in the Bikaner land deal case.

The ED had also issued a notice to the firm under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).&nbsp;The ED also sent a notice to Vadra&#39;s firm seeking details of its financial and land deals.

The Rajasthan government had cancelled the transfer of land of 374.44 hectares two years ago after the land department claimed to have found that the allotments were made in the names of illegal private persons.

On May 6, 2016, the ED conducted searches of eight premises in Bikaner and nearby areas in connection to the case and registered a money laundering case against certain real estate developers and Rajasthan government officials to probe the Bikaner land scam.&nbsp;

(ANI)

Raids are currently being conducted in three places in Faridabad, out of which two are located in Buapur village of Faridabad

The Enforcement Directorate(ED) today raided the premises of Robert Vadra's associates in connection with the Bikaner land deal issue. Robert Vadra who is the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been under the scanner in the land deal for over two years. The investigation relates to the purchase of 275 bighas(109acres) allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of Bikaner. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate had said in the complaint that the government land in 34 villages of Bikaner to be used for expanding the army's firing range in the area was allegedly grabbed by the land mafia operating in the area which prepared forged and fabricated documents with the help of government officials. Enforcement Directorate officials also searched the house of Vadra's close aides, Mahesh Nagar and Ashok Kumar's properties also under the scanner in the controversial land deal case. Mahesh Nagar is the power attorney holder on behalf Skylight Hospitality, the company which is linked to Vadra. Raids are currently being conducted in three places in Faridabad, out of which two are located in Buapur village of Faridabad and one in the outskirts of the city. Last week, the Enforcement Directorate had attached properties worth Rs. 4 crores of individuals linked to Vadra, in connection with the money laundering probe in the Bikaner land deal case. The ED had also issued a notice to the firm under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED also sent a notice to Vadra's firm seeking details of its financial and land deals. The Rajasthan government had cancelled the transfer of land of 374.44 hectares two years ago after the land department claimed to have found that the allotments were made in the names of illegal private persons. On May 6, 2016, the ED conducted searches of eight premises in Bikaner and nearby areas in connection to the case and registered a money laundering case against certain real estate developers and Rajasthan government officials to probe the Bikaner land scam. (ANI)

Bikaner land deal case: ED raids premises of Robert Vadra's associates

Shortly after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress. What sounded shocking to me then seems like a cold reality today. Post 2012, every election where Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi campaigned intensively has been lost by the party. The Congress has only been able to retain or regain those states where the state leadership has been strong. This development has been co-terminus with the rise of Modi&rsquo;s brand of politics and Rahul&rsquo;s elevation in the Congress Party. The rise of the BJP also became the rise of Narendra Modi which not only electorally marginalised the Congress but also damaged the Gandhi brand. His campaign model ran down Rahul Gandhi hence his capacity to attract and electrify the voters.

This happened when Narendra Modi had more political baggage than the young Rahul Gandhi. Despite the disadvantage he faced, Modi managed to turn it around. He did this through opportunities inadvertently handed down to him by the Opposition and by projecting himself as an outsider to the corrupt world of the Delhi Durbar. In the process, Rahul Gandhi was successfully projected as a lazy leader who was a product of power and pelf in front of an aspirational India which he has not been able to shake off till date.

Rahul Gandhi not only squandered away the opportunity to understand the humbling process of government work but also proved organisationally inept. Not only did his Youth Congress programme come under tremendous criticism but his transition, forced by his mother Sonia Gandhi, created deep fissures in the party. Married to the defeat of 2014 and 2017, one can safely say that Rahul Gandhi today is turning into a brand liability for the Congress as he fails to draw the voters out on his own account. The truth is that the dynasty is in decline. The truth is that majority of Indians aren&rsquo;t taking Rahul Gandhi seriously. It is failing to connect to a new India on its own accord. It is a difficult truth but stares the Congress in its face and it should worry everyone in the Congress a lot.

The sum and total of five polls is that Narendra Modi today stands as the only pan Indian leader who possesses the ability to move and mobilise multiple social constituencies. Even if concession is given to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress wrested a couple of states, its overall vote share continues to decline. Rahul&#39;s victories never gave him the legitimacy of a mass leader as people gave credit to the state leaders. This time, the family bastion in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was again swept away despite the alliance whereas all seats in Varanasi went into the BJP&rsquo;s pocket indicating that even the home turf of the Gandhis is in tatters.

To top it up is the issue of perception that no leader comes close to Modi. This image has been buffeted further by the economically-contested demonetisation which he used to the party&rsquo;s political advantage in Uttar Pradesh. This not only enhanced his stature but also made all adversaries look small, limited and regional in nature.

The UP results also made Rahul Gandhi fall into the trap of sectional politics. In the 2012 elections, &nbsp;he spoke about the issue of backward Muslims which failed miserably. This time also the same mistake was repeated, but in a different avatar.

Despite appealing to the developmental issues, the dog whisper campaign of the SP-Congress was that with the Muslim Yadav combine with the Congress, the upper-caste vote would do well. This was politically countered by the majority discrimination campaign by BJP which was spearheaded by the prime minister himself. Not only did it derail the alliance, but it also created a united Hindu vote which should worry Congress a lot.

Bluntly putting it, PM Modi has become the biggest Hindu mascot who makes his intention of not running after the minority votes very clear to the electorate. To say that the post-Godhra baggage of the PM has been forgotten by India as he speaks more on development would be to fool oneself. Modi represents a skillful combination of Hindutva and the right-of-center economy of the world. So, to say that the UP results showcase booth-management skills or caste management would be to fool oneself. The vote represents a majority vote against a minority veto which has resurfaced in a much more powerful manner after the 1990s. This is the reason why not a single Muslim candidate was fielded by the BJP in UP and similarly in Assam, where the Muslim population touches 30 per cent of the total votes. This is not limited to India. Through the world, a churn exists where the majority not only asserts itself but also wears its cultural and religious symbols dynamically in the political field.

It is in this contrast that Rahul Gandhi comes across as a perpetually struggling leader who has neither defined his idea nor politics. It is this reality that Rahul Gandhi needs to deal with. It will not resolve itself by visiting temples or talking about Saivism in public because it doesn&rsquo;t look organic.

Congress under Rahul Gandhi can either continue to fight the BJP to preserve its past and the family or can call for internal elections to embrace fresh leadership. Who knows that a tough fight to take over the party might reinvent Rahul Gandhi himself. It did wonders to Sonia Gandhi when she was challenged by Jitendra Prasad. It gave her the legitimacy in front of workers and from there she went on to challenge the BJP. She challenged them state by state and in the process rebuilt a broken party.

The Congress will have to walk the same road again but will have to start the process by addressing the issue of the family first. There is not much of a choice. Fix it or replace it with an outsider. 
 
(WION)

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me in 2014 that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress

Shortly after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress. What sounded shocking to me then seems like a cold reality today. Post 2012, every election where Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi campaigned intensively has been lost by the party. The Congress has only been able to retain or regain those states where the state leadership has been strong. This development has been co-terminus with the rise of Modi’s brand of politics and Rahul’s elevation in the Congress Party. The rise of the BJP also became the rise of Narendra Modi which not only electorally marginalised the Congress but also damaged the Gandhi brand. His campaign model ran down Rahul Gandhi hence his capacity to attract and electrify the voters. This happened when Narendra Modi had more political baggage than the young Rahul Gandhi. Despite the disadvantage he faced, Modi managed to turn it around. He did this through opportunities inadvertently handed down to him by the Opposition and by projecting himself as an outsider to the corrupt world of the Delhi Durbar. In the process, Rahul Gandhi was successfully projected as a lazy leader who was a product of power and pelf in front of an aspirational India which he has not been able to shake off till date. Rahul Gandhi not only squandered away the opportunity to understand the humbling process of government work but also proved organisationally inept. Not only did his Youth Congress programme come under tremendous criticism but his transition, forced by his mother Sonia Gandhi, created deep fissures in the party. Married to the defeat of 2014 and 2017, one can safely say that Rahul Gandhi today is turning into a brand liability for the Congress as he fails to draw the voters out on his own account. The truth is that the dynasty is in decline. The truth is that majority of Indians aren’t taking Rahul Gandhi seriously. It is failing to connect to a new India on its own accord. It is a difficult truth but stares the Congress in its face and it should worry everyone in the Congress a lot. The sum and total of five polls is that Narendra Modi today stands as the only pan Indian leader who possesses the ability to move and mobilise multiple social constituencies. Even if concession is given to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress wrested a couple of states, its overall vote share continues to decline. Rahul's victories never gave him the legitimacy of a mass leader as people gave credit to the state leaders. This time, the family bastion in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was again swept away despite the alliance whereas all seats in Varanasi went into the BJP’s pocket indicating that even the home turf of the Gandhis is in tatters. To top it up is the issue of perception that no leader comes close to Modi. This image has been buffeted further by the economically-contested demonetisation which he used to the party’s political advantage in Uttar Pradesh. This not only enhanced his stature but also made all adversaries look small, limited and regional in nature. The UP results also made Rahul Gandhi fall into the trap of sectional politics. In the 2012 elections, he spoke about the issue of backward Muslims which failed miserably. This time also the same mistake was repeated, but in a different avatar. Despite appealing to the developmental issues, the dog whisper campaign of the SP-Congress was that with the Muslim Yadav combine with the Congress, the upper-caste vote would do well. This was politically countered by the majority discrimination campaign by BJP which was spearheaded by the prime minister himself. Not only did it derail the alliance, but it also created a united Hindu vote which should worry Congress a lot. Bluntly putting it, PM Modi has become the biggest Hindu mascot who makes his intention of not running after the minority votes very clear to the electorate. To say that the post-Godhra baggage of the PM has been forgotten by India as he speaks more on development would be to fool oneself. Modi represents a skillful combination of Hindutva and the right-of-center economy of the world. So, to say that the UP results showcase booth-management skills or caste management would be to fool oneself. The vote represents a majority vote against a minority veto which has resurfaced in a much more powerful manner after the 1990s. This is the reason why not a single Muslim candidate was fielded by the BJP in UP and similarly in Assam, where the Muslim population touches 30 per cent of the total votes. This is not limited to India. Through the world, a churn exists where the majority not only asserts itself but also wears its cultural and religious symbols dynamically in the political field. It is in this contrast that Rahul Gandhi comes across as a perpetually struggling leader who has neither defined his idea nor politics. It is this reality that Rahul Gandhi needs to deal with. It will not resolve itself by visiting temples or talking about Saivism in public because it doesn’t look organic. Congress under Rahul Gandhi can either continue to fight the BJP to preserve its past and the family or can call for internal elections to embrace fresh leadership. Who knows that a tough fight to take over the party might reinvent Rahul Gandhi himself. It did wonders to Sonia Gandhi when she was challenged by Jitendra Prasad. It gave her the legitimacy in front of workers and from there she went on to challenge the BJP. She challenged them state by state and in the process rebuilt a broken party. The Congress will have to walk the same road again but will have to start the process by addressing the issue of the family first. There is not much of a choice. Fix it or replace it with an outsider. (WION)

The rise of Modi and the fall of Rahul Gandhi

In an exclusive interview with WION&#39;s Kartikeya Sharma, Kiren Rijiju, minister for state in the central government blamed the Congress party for the current turmoil in the state. He accused the party of tarnishing the BJP&#39;s image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur&#39;s border with Nagaland. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Why are BJP leaders at pains to explain that the Nagaland peace accord will not lead to territorial realignment of Manipur?

A: Why should we mix up issues. Problems of Manipur are different and the state is reeling under tremendous pressure because of various forces and is working like an obstacle to the path of development. Manipur has the potential but the root cause of its problem is the Congress Party. Whether it is the Naga issue or local issues, Congress has created it. We have to start afresh.

&nbsp; 
Q: How do you express the anxiety in Manipur&rsquo;s civil society on Nagalim?

A: It is because Congress Party has launched a malicious campaign that BJP is going to alter the boundary with Manipur. The talks with the Nagas have been taking place from a long time. There are other stake holders also and it cannot be linked with Manipur state elections. They are creating false alarm to divert the attention of the people of Manipur from lack development.

&nbsp; 
Q: Then what is the truth of the Naga accord? North East Chief Ministers met the President and said that they were not taken into confidence?

A: On the day of the signing of the framework agreement, all the Congress chief ministers congratulated. After three days Sonia Gandhi called up the chief ministers asking them as to why are they congratulating the BJP government. She asked them to oppose it. This is on official record. Congress chief ministers had tweeted congratulating us. Suddenly after three days, Congress President made the call?

Q: Are you saying that Sonia Gandhi churned a political turmoil?

A: It is absolutely visible. I&rsquo;m not saying it. It is on record. You see the statements and tweets. After three days, they took a U-turn. It was childish.

Q: New districts were created by Ibobi Singh (Manipur chief minister) before the elections and the blockade happened. But the feeling is also there that Centre didn&#39;t do enough to ameliorate the condition?

A: This is totally unbecoming on part of the Congress chief minister. When he signed the letter in 2011, we were not part of it. Then P Chidambaram was the home minister. He came to Manipur and the Chief Minister Ibobi Singh said that new districts wouldn&rsquo;t be formed till all communities were on board. Then he created the district. He created the problem. Why did he give this commitment earlier? He is responsible for the present situation.

Q: If your government comes to power then how will you address this issue?

A: This is an administrative matter. We will look at them after formation of the government.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Kiren Rijiju accused the party of tarnishing the BJP's image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur's border with Nagaland

In an exclusive interview with WION's Kartikeya Sharma, Kiren Rijiju, minister for state in the central government blamed the Congress party for the current turmoil in the state. He accused the party of tarnishing the BJP's image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur's border with Nagaland. Q: Why are BJP leaders at pains to explain that the Nagaland peace accord will not lead to territorial realignment of Manipur? A: Why should we mix up issues. Problems of Manipur are different and the state is reeling under tremendous pressure because of various forces and is working like an obstacle to the path of development. Manipur has the potential but the root cause of its problem is the Congress Party. Whether it is the Naga issue or local issues, Congress has created it. We have to start afresh. Q: How do you express the anxiety in Manipur’s civil society on Nagalim? A: It is because Congress Party has launched a malicious campaign that BJP is going to alter the boundary with Manipur. The talks with the Nagas have been taking place from a long time. There are other stake holders also and it cannot be linked with Manipur state elections. They are creating false alarm to divert the attention of the people of Manipur from lack development. Q: Then what is the truth of the Naga accord? North East Chief Ministers met the President and said that they were not taken into confidence? A: On the day of the signing of the framework agreement, all the Congress chief ministers congratulated. After three days Sonia Gandhi called up the chief ministers asking them as to why are they congratulating the BJP government. She asked them to oppose it. This is on official record. Congress chief ministers had tweeted congratulating us. Suddenly after three days, Congress President made the call? Q: Are you saying that Sonia Gandhi churned a political turmoil? A: It is absolutely visible. I’m not saying it. It is on record. You see the statements and tweets. After three days, they took a U-turn. It was childish. Q: New districts were created by Ibobi Singh (Manipur chief minister) before the elections and the blockade happened. But the feeling is also there that Centre didn't do enough to ameliorate the condition? A: This is totally unbecoming on part of the Congress chief minister. When he signed the letter in 2011, we were not part of it. Then P Chidambaram was the home minister. He came to Manipur and the Chief Minister Ibobi Singh said that new districts wouldn’t be formed till all communities were on board. Then he created the district. He created the problem. Why did he give this commitment earlier? He is responsible for the present situation. Q: If your government comes to power then how will you address this issue? A: This is an administrative matter. We will look at them after formation of the government. (WION)

Exclusive - Sonia Gandhi had asked chief ministers to oppose Nagaland peace accord: BJP

WION&#39;s chief domestic correspondent Kartikeya Sharma spoke with the usually taciturn Congress leader Ahmed Patel after the budget. Patel gave his review of the budget, and also spoke of the controversy around the death of former union minister and Indian Union Muslim League national president E Ahamed -- his family alleged they were not allowed to see him at the government-run RML Hospital -- the Congress&#39; alliance with the Samajwadi Party in UP, and Priyanka Gandhi. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Question: Sir, how do you rate this budget? Will it help the people?

Answer: No I&rsquo;m not impressed with this budget. People expected lot from this budget. Poor people and businessmen had hope that this budget will do something for them but it didn&rsquo;t. This budget is nothing but an exercise to cover the blunder of demonetisation. People expected big reforms in the income tax slabs but the benefits will not be more than 10 to 12,000 rupees. Farmers didn&rsquo;t get anything. Famers were hoping that the government would write of their debt but it didn&rsquo;t happen. It is a budget of promises and less on concrete action. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;Q: The budget also focuses on political funding. It could be looked at as an attempt to do away with black money from the political arena? 
A: Well an attempt has been made and we welcome it. The slab of 20,000 has been reduced to 2,000. We also want elections to become transparent. I don&rsquo;t think much will come out of it. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;Q: The BJP says the budget is for the poor, and they will benefit the most from it? 
&nbsp;A: There is nothing for the poor. There is nothing for the workers. Yes, there are some benefits but government has already made its money through excise and petrol and diesel prices. This benefit too should reach people. These are small benefits. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Then how would you rate this budget? How would you define this budget? 
&nbsp;A: I will give this budget 3 out of 10. It is a routine budget and doesn&rsquo;t help common man. This budget doesn&rsquo;t give that message. People are still suffering from demonetisation. A dream was sold that money from rich people will flow down to the poor. The government sold a dream. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Mr Patel, what exactly happened on Tuesday night at RML Hospital. Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to rush there and only then was the body (of E Ahamed) released... 
&nbsp;A: I don&rsquo;t know why hospital authority did this. We were informed after 10 pm by the family members of E Ahmad. We rushed to the hospital. The kids came from far away. They doctors behaved in a strange way. We went but were turned away. We wanted to know about the treatment. We were denied the information. The doctors should have consulted the family members. Real situation should have been informed to the family. There should be an enquiry and health ministry should find out what happen. Imagine what must be happening to common people. Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had to be there. Imagine the plight of those who don&rsquo;t have political muscle. 
&nbsp; 
Q: You have forged an alliance in UP. What makes you believe this alliance will succeed in UP now? 
&nbsp;A: The decision was taken to forge the alliance to stop communal forces. We wanted to stop forces who want to divide the nation. We don&rsquo;t want them to succeed in Uttar Pradesh. This alliance is not about the Congress but about UP. Uttar Pradesh will benefit from it. 
&nbsp; 
Q: There was a tweet of yours on the party (and Priyanka). Lot was made out of it. What do you have to say on it? 
&nbsp;A: I said what I had to say and the matter ends there.

(WION)

The Congress leader says it was a budget of promises, not of concrete action

WION's chief domestic correspondent Kartikeya Sharma spoke with the usually taciturn Congress leader Ahmed Patel after the budget. Patel gave his review of the budget, and also spoke of the controversy around the death of former union minister and Indian Union Muslim League national president E Ahamed -- his family alleged they were not allowed to see him at the government-run RML Hospital -- the Congress' alliance with the Samajwadi Party in UP, and Priyanka Gandhi. Question: Sir, how do you rate this budget? Will it help the people? Answer: No I’m not impressed with this budget. People expected lot from this budget. Poor people and businessmen had hope that this budget will do something for them but it didn’t. This budget is nothing but an exercise to cover the blunder of demonetisation. People expected big reforms in the income tax slabs but the benefits will not be more than 10 to 12,000 rupees. Farmers didn’t get anything. Famers were hoping that the government would write of their debt but it didn’t happen. It is a budget of promises and less on concrete action. Q: The budget also focuses on political funding. It could be looked at as an attempt to do away with black money from the political arena? A: Well an attempt has been made and we welcome it. The slab of 20,000 has been reduced to 2,000. We also want elections to become transparent. I don’t think much will come out of it. Q: The BJP says the budget is for the poor, and they will benefit the most from it? A: There is nothing for the poor. There is nothing for the workers. Yes, there are some benefits but government has already made its money through excise and petrol and diesel prices. This benefit too should reach people. These are small benefits. Q: Then how would you rate this budget? How would you define this budget? A: I will give this budget 3 out of 10. It is a routine budget and doesn’t help common man. This budget doesn’t give that message. People are still suffering from demonetisation. A dream was sold that money from rich people will flow down to the poor. The government sold a dream. Q: Mr Patel, what exactly happened on Tuesday night at RML Hospital. Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to rush there and only then was the body (of E Ahamed) released... A: I don’t know why hospital authority did this. We were informed after 10 pm by the family members of E Ahmad. We rushed to the hospital. The kids came from far away. They doctors behaved in a strange way. We went but were turned away. We wanted to know about the treatment. We were denied the information. The doctors should have consulted the family members. Real situation should have been informed to the family. There should be an enquiry and health ministry should find out what happen. Imagine what must be happening to common people. Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had to be there. Imagine the plight of those who don’t have political muscle. Q: You have forged an alliance in UP. What makes you believe this alliance will succeed in UP now? A: The decision was taken to forge the alliance to stop communal forces. We wanted to stop forces who want to divide the nation. We don’t want them to succeed in Uttar Pradesh. This alliance is not about the Congress but about UP. Uttar Pradesh will benefit from it. Q: There was a tweet of yours on the party (and Priyanka). Lot was made out of it. What do you have to say on it? A: I said what I had to say and the matter ends there. (WION)

Budget nothing but an exercise to cover blunder of demonetisation: Ahmed Patel

The Congress party in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is toying with the idea of using &quot;insider vs outsider&quot;&nbsp;idiom in the upcoming assembly elections. A highly placed source in the campaign team confirmed to WION that Congress would like to portray Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi as local boys against Narendra Modi as an outsider.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We have not formalised the proposal but it is one idea we would like to play with,&rdquo; the source said. The reason why Congress has zeroed in on this idea is because the BJP has not declared a chief ministerial candidate for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and would be banking on the charisma of Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

The source also said that since it is an assembly election Akhilesh and Rahul can easily be portrayed as local boys and the prime minister as a rank outsider since the chief minister&#39;s face is the one that stays back in the state once the election is over. 
&nbsp; 
The idea also stands an equally good chance of running in hot water as Modi as a national campaigner is still the most powerful face in the country. Narendra Modi also happens to be a sitting member of parliament (MP) from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

By calling him an outsider, Modi can also get to play on an emotional pitch that flimsy issues are being used to personally target him and lastly even Gandhis migrated from Kashmir and settled in Allahabad which embraced them as their own.&nbsp;

Finally, the idea that the prime minister who has the national mandate be called an outsider in itself looks weak when it was under his leadership that the BJP won 71 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the general elections in 2014. 
&nbsp; 
Many would say that this goes with Prashant Kishore&rsquo;s style which relies on powerful hashtags focused on a face rather than party issues. Even in this case Prashant Kishore will campaign focusing on the face rather than manifesto promises. From &quot;chai par charcha&quot;, and &quot;Bihar mein bahar ho, Nitish Kumar ho&quot; to &quot;Coffee with Captain&quot; and now &quot;Rawat sang dawat&quot;, all have been produced by Kishore&rsquo;s team. 
&nbsp; 
The sources also indicated that Priyanka Gandhi&rsquo;s role in UP campaign will remain very limited and focus will only be on the campaign of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi. The source also confirmed to WION that Priyanka&rsquo;s campaign will be limited to Rai Barelli and Amethi and that too will remain low profile in nature. Sources said that SP-Congress campaign would have more local flavour than national.&nbsp;

(WION)

Sources also said that Priyanka Gandhi is likely to play a limited role in the upcoming UP assembly elections

The Congress party in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is toying with the idea of using "insider vs outsider" idiom in the upcoming assembly elections. A highly placed source in the campaign team confirmed to WION that Congress would like to portray Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi as local boys against Narendra Modi as an outsider. “We have not formalised the proposal but it is one idea we would like to play with,” the source said. The reason why Congress has zeroed in on this idea is because the BJP has not declared a chief ministerial candidate for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and would be banking on the charisma of Narendra Modi. The source also said that since it is an assembly election Akhilesh and Rahul can easily be portrayed as local boys and the prime minister as a rank outsider since the chief minister's face is the one that stays back in the state once the election is over. The idea also stands an equally good chance of running in hot water as Modi as a national campaigner is still the most powerful face in the country. Narendra Modi also happens to be a sitting member of parliament (MP) from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. By calling him an outsider, Modi can also get to play on an emotional pitch that flimsy issues are being used to personally target him and lastly even Gandhis migrated from Kashmir and settled in Allahabad which embraced them as their own. Finally, the idea that the prime minister who has the national mandate be called an outsider in itself looks weak when it was under his leadership that the BJP won 71 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the general elections in 2014. Many would say that this goes with Prashant Kishore’s style which relies on powerful hashtags focused on a face rather than party issues. Even in this case Prashant Kishore will campaign focusing on the face rather than manifesto promises. From "chai par charcha", and "Bihar mein bahar ho, Nitish Kumar ho" to "Coffee with Captain" and now "Rawat sang dawat", all have been produced by Kishore’s team. The sources also indicated that Priyanka Gandhi’s role in UP campaign will remain very limited and focus will only be on the campaign of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi. The source also confirmed to WION that Priyanka’s campaign will be limited to Rai Barelli and Amethi and that too will remain low profile in nature. Sources said that SP-Congress campaign would have more local flavour than national. (WION)

UP elections: Akhilesh & Rahul to fight on 'insider vs outsider' card

The meeting organised by the Indian National Congress in Delhi against demonetisation wasn&rsquo;t without significance. First, a major function was organised in absence of&nbsp;Congress president Sonia Gandhi and secondly Congress chose the death anniversary of late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri as the day to organise the function.

Only Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri&rsquo;s photographs were put on the dais.

Indira Gandhi had given the slogan, &rdquo;Mein kahti hun garibi hatao aur vo kehte hain mujhe hatao,&rdquo; and Shastri gave the famous slogan &rdquo;Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan.&rdquo; Sources say that the imagery goes well with the anti-demonetisation drive of the Congress Party as BJP would find it difficult to pin Congress down on Shastri. And Sonia&rsquo;s absence would give Rahul ample space to engage the public&rsquo;s mind.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attacked the government on the ground that it was&nbsp;a personal decision of Narendra Modi. &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t do it because we felt that it would give the desired dividends,&rdquo; said Rahul Gandhi. He also said that Congress did not once interfere&nbsp;in&nbsp;the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India.

&ldquo;Achhe din are only going to come when the Congress party is going to come back to power,&rdquo; said Rahul Gandhi. The Congress vice-president also said that media is being constrained under the Modi regime. &ldquo;Media also have the responsibility to show what people are going through because of demonetisation,&rdquo; said Rahul Gandhi. He also took the jibe at media by saying,&rdquo; Maybe, we respected the press too much.&rdquo;

The Congress also alleged that they wanted to organise a bigger function but could not because a&nbsp;bigger auditorium wasn&rsquo;t leased out to them.

The Congress vice-president called Ramdev and Bhogle as homemade economists whose decisions the Prime Minister enforced. Congress has decided to make demonetisation a major theme in the forthcoming state Assembly elections.

The same strategy is being deployed by BJP which has linked demonetisation with an&nbsp;anti-corruption drive. In the end, Rahul Gandhi also accused RSS of running the government by saying that only Mohan Bhagwat and Modi are running the government.

&nbsp;

The meeting was significant because it was organised in the absence of Sonia Gandhi and it marked Lal Bahadur Shastri's death anniversary

The meeting organised by the Indian National Congress in Delhi against demonetisation wasn’t without significance. First, a major function was organised in absence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and secondly Congress chose the death anniversary of late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri as the day to organise the function. Only Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri’s photographs were put on the dais. Indira Gandhi had given the slogan, ”Mein kahti hun garibi hatao aur vo kehte hain mujhe hatao,” and Shastri gave the famous slogan ”Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan.” Sources say that the imagery goes well with the anti-demonetisation drive of the Congress Party as BJP would find it difficult to pin Congress down on Shastri. And Sonia’s absence would give Rahul ample space to engage the public’s mind. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attacked the government on the ground that it was a personal decision of Narendra Modi. “We didn’t do it because we felt that it would give the desired dividends,” said Rahul Gandhi. He also said that Congress did not once interfere in the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India. “Achhe din are only going to come when the Congress party is going to come back to power,” said Rahul Gandhi. The Congress vice-president also said that media is being constrained under the Modi regime. “Media also have the responsibility to show what people are going through because of demonetisation,” said Rahul Gandhi. He also took the jibe at media by saying,” Maybe, we respected the press too much.” The Congress also alleged that they wanted to organise a bigger function but could not because a bigger auditorium wasn’t leased out to them. The Congress vice-president called Ramdev and Bhogle as homemade economists whose decisions the Prime Minister enforced. Congress has decided to make demonetisation a major theme in the forthcoming state Assembly elections. The same strategy is being deployed by BJP which has linked demonetisation with an anti-corruption drive. In the end, Rahul Gandhi also accused RSS of running the government by saying that only Mohan Bhagwat and Modi are running the government.

India: Congress remembers Shastri in Sonia's absence, targets Modi and RSS

In a Right to Information (RTI) reply on the erstwhile National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister&#39;s Office has stated that Sonia Gandhi was entitled to same pay, allowance, salary and other facilities which a Union Council of Minister is entitled to, under the salaries and allowance of Ministers Act, 1952. 
&nbsp; 
WION was also able to access, through an RTI query, the expenditure made by the NAC over a period of 10 years from 2004-05 till 2014-15.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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The information that was sought from the authorities (WION)
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&nbsp;

The budgetary allocation was 236.15 million Indian Rupees, out of which the NAC spent 103.8 million Indian Rupees as official expenditure.&nbsp;

There was no allocations and expenditure for the fiscal year 2009-10 as the NAC was wound up on 30 April, 2008 as per the RTI reply and wasn&#39;t reconstituted immediately after the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.

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The details of budgetary allocation and expenditure on NAC as given by the authorities. (WION)
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The National Advisory Council is in news again as the government is expected to make public the correspondence between the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;

Even WION had sought information through RTI on the correspondence between both of them but was considered &quot;too vague and wide&quot; by the authorities.&nbsp;

WION wanted to know as to how many times Sonia Gandhi had written letters to Manmohan Singh on the issues concerning the government policies.

Insiders say that the NAC was constituted to provide a platform to Sonia Gandhi for official correspondence with the government as she had relinquished the position of the Prime Minister.

It was felt by many, at that time, in the Congress that Sonia&rsquo;s authority may diminish without any official position in the government.&nbsp;

BJP had attacked the NAC during Lok Sabha elections as an extra-constitutional authority eroding the authority of the Prime Minister&rsquo;s office, whereas the Congress insists that the job of the NAC was to assist the government on the issues of workers and marginal classes. 
&nbsp; 
The dual power centres of the PMO and the NAC became the bane for the then Congress-led UPA government as people came to perceive the PMO headed by Manmohan Singh as less powerful than the NAC headed by Sonia Gandhi.

(WION)

The budgetary allocation was 236.15 million Indian Rupees, out of which the NAC spent 103.8 million Indian Rupees as official expenditure

In a Right to Information (RTI) reply on the erstwhile National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister's Office has stated that Sonia Gandhi was entitled to same pay, allowance, salary and other facilities which a Union Council of Minister is entitled to, under the salaries and allowance of Ministers Act, 1952. WION was also able to access, through an RTI query, the expenditure made by the NAC over a period of 10 years from 2004-05 till 2014-15. The information that was sought from the authorities (WION) × The budgetary allocation was 236.15 million Indian Rupees, out of which the NAC spent 103.8 million Indian Rupees as official expenditure. There was no allocations and expenditure for the fiscal year 2009-10 as the NAC was wound up on 30 April, 2008 as per the RTI reply and wasn't reconstituted immediately after the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. The details of budgetary allocation and expenditure on NAC as given by the authorities. (WION) × The National Advisory Council is in news again as the government is expected to make public the correspondence between the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Even WION had sought information through RTI on the correspondence between both of them but was considered "too vague and wide" by the authorities. WION wanted to know as to how many times Sonia Gandhi had written letters to Manmohan Singh on the issues concerning the government policies. Insiders say that the NAC was constituted to provide a platform to Sonia Gandhi for official correspondence with the government as she had relinquished the position of the Prime Minister. It was felt by many, at that time, in the Congress that Sonia’s authority may diminish without any official position in the government. BJP had attacked the NAC during Lok Sabha elections as an extra-constitutional authority eroding the authority of the Prime Minister’s office, whereas the Congress insists that the job of the NAC was to assist the government on the issues of workers and marginal classes. The dual power centres of the PMO and the NAC became the bane for the then Congress-led UPA government as people came to perceive the PMO headed by Manmohan Singh as less powerful than the NAC headed by Sonia Gandhi. (WION)

India: Between 2004-05 and 2014-15, Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council spent less than half of its allocation

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s office has decided to make public the decisions taken by the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) set up by the first UPA government in 2004 to advise then PM Manmohan Singh, Indian daily <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/590434/centre-make-nac-files-public.html">Deccan Herrald</a> reported.

Around 700 files containing details of the NAC meetings will &quot;establish&quot; that it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who was running the UPA government and not former prime minister Manmohan Singh, highly placed sources told Deccan Herrald.

The files will contain the minutes of the NAC meetings, details of foreign and domestic tours undertaken by its members, and other sensitive government matters handled by the council and will be made public shortly, the sources said.

The Deccan Herrald report says that one of the files accessed by Sonia Gandhi was on the drafting of a real estate regulation bill in 2011.

The files show that union minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Shelja, wrote to &ldquo;Madam&rdquo;&mdash; as Sonia Gandhi is popularly called &mdash; &nbsp;on November 16, 2011, &ldquo;informing&rdquo; and seeking her &ldquo;guidance&rdquo; on the &ldquo;Real Estate (Regulation &amp; Development) Bill 2011.&rdquo; At that time, the bill had been circulated among the chief ministers and Central ministers for their feedback, Shelja&rsquo;s communication revealed.

The files establish that suggestions on the draft legislation were made by private real estate developers associations and a leading real estate developer. They also contain a note dated December 2, 2011, from Rita Sharma, who was secretary to the advisory body, giving the salient features of the bill and marked to the Congress president.

The NAC, set up by PM Manmohan Singh in 2004, was criticised by the BJP as an &ldquo;extra-Constitutional authority&rdquo; designed to equip Sonia with remote control to run the UPA government.&nbsp;

Modi, a critic of the NAC, had accused it of drafting a &ldquo;perverse&rdquo; and &ldquo;ill-conceived&rdquo; bill to tackle communal violence while he was chief minister of Gujarat.The bill was seen by the BJP as a tool to target the BJP government in the state.

The NAC was dissolved after the NDA government came to power in 2014.

The Congress defended it as being an advisory body set up to implement the UPA coalition&#39;s Common Minimum Programme. The party argued that its existence marked signs of a healthy democracy, facilitating greater pre-policy deliberations.

Around 700 files will 'establish' that it was the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council which was running the UPA government

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office has decided to make public the decisions taken by the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) set up by the first UPA government in 2004 to advise then PM Manmohan Singh, Indian daily Deccan Herrald reported. Around 700 files containing details of the NAC meetings will "establish" that it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who was running the UPA government and not former prime minister Manmohan Singh, highly placed sources told Deccan Herrald. The files will contain the minutes of the NAC meetings, details of foreign and domestic tours undertaken by its members, and other sensitive government matters handled by the council and will be made public shortly, the sources said. The Deccan Herrald report says that one of the files accessed by Sonia Gandhi was on the drafting of a real estate regulation bill in 2011. The files show that union minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Shelja, wrote to “Madam”— as Sonia Gandhi is popularly called — on November 16, 2011, “informing” and seeking her “guidance” on the “Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill 2011.” At that time, the bill had been circulated among the chief ministers and Central ministers for their feedback, Shelja’s communication revealed. The files establish that suggestions on the draft legislation were made by private real estate developers associations and a leading real estate developer. They also contain a note dated December 2, 2011, from Rita Sharma, who was secretary to the advisory body, giving the salient features of the bill and marked to the Congress president. The NAC, set up by PM Manmohan Singh in 2004, was criticised by the BJP as an “extra-Constitutional authority” designed to equip Sonia with remote control to run the UPA government. Modi, a critic of the NAC, had accused it of drafting a “perverse” and “ill-conceived” bill to tackle communal violence while he was chief minister of Gujarat.The bill was seen by the BJP as a tool to target the BJP government in the state. The NAC was dissolved after the NDA government came to power in 2014. The Congress defended it as being an advisory body set up to implement the UPA coalition's Common Minimum Programme. The party argued that its existence marked signs of a healthy democracy, facilitating greater pre-policy deliberations.

PM Modi to make files public that show Sonia Gandhi-led advisory body ran UPA govt: Report

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today cut short her visit to the Indian temple town Varanasi after she was advised by the doctors to return to the national capital Delhi. 
 
This development comes after it was reported that Sonia had high fever. Before leaving for the national capital, the Congress president, standing in an SUV, waved to the thousands of people who gathered to see her off. 
 
&quot;Heard about Sonia ji&#39;s ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health,&quot; Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted. 
 
Gandhi, earlier in the day, launched her party&#39;s campaign for the 2017 assembly elections in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s parliamentary constituency Varanasi. 
 
The roadshow began with Gandhi putting a garland at the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, hailed as an architect of the Indian constitution, at the Circuit House. 
 
Thousands of party supporters and workers took part in the roadshow, which started from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.It was ensured that Congress president&#39;s posters, banners, welcome arches and gates are seen everywhere in the city.&nbsp; 
 
Gandhi, who was initially travelling in a car and later moved to a vehicle with open sunroof, waved at the crowd which cheered and raised slogans against the Modi government.&nbsp;She came out of her vehicle several times to accept the greetings of the cheering supporters, including groups of Muslim women. As the road show passed through several localities, rose petals were showered on Gandhi and her cavalcade from adjoining buildings. 
 
Dozens of mini trucks prominently displayed posters with &#39;27 Saal, UP Behaal&#39; (27 years of UP&#39;s distress) written on them. Placards carried by hundreds of workers also had the same slogan written on them. 
 
Besides the party&#39;s chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, state party chief Raj Babbar and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh accompanied Gandhi. 
 
This was Gandhi&#39;s first visit to Varanasi after Modi became Prime Minister. 
 
(ANI, PTI)&nbsp;

This was Gandhi's first visit to Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency since he became Prime Minister

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today cut short her visit to the Indian temple town Varanasi after she was advised by the doctors to return to the national capital Delhi. This development comes after it was reported that Sonia had high fever. Before leaving for the national capital, the Congress president, standing in an SUV, waved to the thousands of people who gathered to see her off. "Heard about Sonia ji's ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted. Gandhi, earlier in the day, launched her party's campaign for the 2017 assembly elections in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. The roadshow began with Gandhi putting a garland at the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, hailed as an architect of the Indian constitution, at the Circuit House. Thousands of party supporters and workers took part in the roadshow, which started from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.It was ensured that Congress president's posters, banners, welcome arches and gates are seen everywhere in the city. Gandhi, who was initially travelling in a car and later moved to a vehicle with open sunroof, waved at the crowd which cheered and raised slogans against the Modi government. She came out of her vehicle several times to accept the greetings of the cheering supporters, including groups of Muslim women. As the road show passed through several localities, rose petals were showered on Gandhi and her cavalcade from adjoining buildings. Dozens of mini trucks prominently displayed posters with '27 Saal, UP Behaal' (27 years of UP's distress) written on them. Placards carried by hundreds of workers also had the same slogan written on them. Besides the party's chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, state party chief Raj Babbar and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh accompanied Gandhi. This was Gandhi's first visit to Varanasi after Modi became Prime Minister. (ANI, PTI)

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi cuts short Varanasi visit after falling ill

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