The massive mandate of BJP sweeps away whole opposition in a blow. The nation's oldest party is feeling the heat as Congress President Rahul gandhi insists of resigning from the position. The party is under great depression, dilemma and before coming to any decisions holding various meeting for the same.

Rahul insists on resigning as Cong President; CWC to hold another meeting

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said she is ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard the basic values of the country, as she thanked the people of Rae Bareli for re-electing her.

In a letter addressed to the people of Rae Bareli, the Congress leader also thanked the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which did not field any candidate against her.

"I promise you that to safeguard the basic values of the country and to uphold the tradition of the ancestors of the Congress, I will not step back from sacrificing whatever I have got," Gandhi said.

"I know that the coming days are going to be very tough, but I am fully confident that with the power of your support and trust, the Congress will meet every challenge," she said.

Referring to the people of her constituency, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leader said she had always tried to look after this extended family.

"Like every Lok Sabha election, this time also you have reposed your faith in me. I am thankful to each and every Congress worker, and friends from the SP, BSP, Swabhiman Dal for the hardwork put in for my win." Gandhi said.

"My life is an open book in front of you all. You are my family. I derive strength from you and this is my real asset," she added.

Gandhi had won the Rae Bareli seat by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party's Dinesh Pratap Singh by over 1.67 lakh votes, according to the Election Commission website.&nbsp;

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said she is ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard the basic values of the country, as she thanked the people of Rae Bareli for re-electing her.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said she is ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard the basic values of the country, as she thanked the people of Rae Bareli for re-electing her. In a letter addressed to the people of Rae Bareli, the Congress leader also thanked the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which did not field any candidate against her. "I promise you that to safeguard the basic values of the country and to uphold the tradition of the ancestors of the Congress, I will not step back from sacrificing whatever I have got," Gandhi said. "I know that the coming days are going to be very tough, but I am fully confident that with the power of your support and trust, the Congress will meet every challenge," she said. Referring to the people of her constituency, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leader said she had always tried to look after this extended family. "Like every Lok Sabha election, this time also you have reposed your faith in me. I am thankful to each and every Congress worker, and friends from the SP, BSP, Swabhiman Dal for the hardwork put in for my win." Gandhi said. "My life is an open book in front of you all. You are my family. I derive strength from you and this is my real asset," she added. Gandhi had won the Rae Bareli seat by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party's Dinesh Pratap Singh by over 1.67 lakh votes, according to the Election Commission website.

Ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard country's values: Sonia

In this video, we bring to you the latest visuals from the Congress Working Committee meeting at the party office. Watch the full video to know more.

Delhi: Visuals from Congress Working Committee meeting at party office

At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday, party president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-result-2019-at-cwc-meet-rahul-gandhi-offers-to-step-down-as-party-chief-committee-rejects-resignation-221506">Rahul Gandhi offered to resign</a> in the wake of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-narendra-modi-surge-swept-aside-all-predictions-221494">humiliating defeat</a> at the hands of the BJP in Lok Sabha elections. The proposal was, however, rejected but not without drama.

Gandhi insisted at the meeting that he wants to resign as Congress president saying he wants to fight for the party, strengthen it and he doesn't have to be the party president to do that, said Congress sources. He also said that he doesn't want a Gandhi to be the Congress president, ruling out Priyanka's name too, said sources.

But the proposal was rejected unanimously and the party stuck to its tradition of not looking beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is very similar to what happened in 2014 when Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress president, had offered to resign after the party's loss in Lok Sabha elections.

Sources also said that the CWC passed a resolution today authorising Gandhi to restructure the party.

Rahul Gandhi left the meeting venue without saying anything to the medipersons outside. But senior party leaders maintained that his leadership was not questioned.

The meeting of CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, was called to deliberate upon the reasons behind the party's electoral debacle and discuss as to why its poll narrative failed to convince the people.

"I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance, but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions," Congress leader AK Antony said.

The meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh (East) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of four party-ruled states - Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh - and of the Union Territory Puducherry.

Senior leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram was also present in the meeting alongside other party colleagues including AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sheila Dikshit, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Watch: Why did Congress' strategy fail?

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Though the Congress improved on its 2014 tally of 44, it could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats this year. In 18 states and Union Territories, the party could not open its account.

Some of the Congress leaders have sent their resignations to Rahul Gandhi in the wake of the party's poll defeat. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik are among them.

At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday, party president Rahul Gandhi offered to resign in the wake of humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP in Lok Sabha elections.

At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday, party president Rahul Gandhi offered to resign in the wake of humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP in Lok Sabha elections. The proposal was, however, rejected but not without drama. Gandhi insisted at the meeting that he wants to resign as Congress president saying he wants to fight for the party, strengthen it and he doesn't have to be the party president to do that, said Congress sources. He also said that he doesn't want a Gandhi to be the Congress president, ruling out Priyanka's name too, said sources. But the proposal was rejected unanimously and the party stuck to its tradition of not looking beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is very similar to what happened in 2014 when Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress president, had offered to resign after the party's loss in Lok Sabha elections. Sources also said that the CWC passed a resolution today authorising Gandhi to restructure the party. Rahul Gandhi left the meeting venue without saying anything to the medipersons outside. But senior party leaders maintained that his leadership was not questioned. The meeting of CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, was called to deliberate upon the reasons behind the party's electoral debacle and discuss as to why its poll narrative failed to convince the people. "I don't agree that it was a disastrous performance, but we were not able to rise up to the expectations. Party will discuss this in details...Today we had only general discussions," Congress leader AK Antony said. The meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh (East) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of four party-ruled states - Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh - and of the Union Territory Puducherry. Senior leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram was also present in the meeting alongside other party colleagues including AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sheila Dikshit, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Watch: Why did Congress' strategy fail? × Though the Congress improved on its 2014 tally of 44, it could win just 52 Lok Sabha seats this year. In 18 states and Union Territories, the party could not open its account. Some of the Congress leaders have sent their resignations to Rahul Gandhi in the wake of the party's poll defeat. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik are among them.

What happened at the CWC meeting: The inside story

The Congress party is at the crossroads of its 134-year-old existence. Despite a rousing electoral campaign, aided by liberal photo-ops and larger-than-life sound-bytes, it is abundantly clear that Rahul Gandhi is not a saleable commodity.

Had there been anyone else in Rahul’s place, minus a Congress lineage as distinguished as his, he would have long been shown the door and pushed into political oblivion.&nbsp;

However, fact is that Rahul has continued merrily since March 2004 when he first announced his entry into politics. Fifteen years down the line, this is his time of denouement. Where does Congress go from here? Indeed, where does Rahul go from here?

Rahul’s ‘chowkidar chor hai’ slogan is going to come haunt him and surely will go down as one of the most ill-conceived pieces of poll-time sloganeering — one that may well have signed the epitaph of India’s oldest political party.

The larger question is whether in an aspirational India, entitlement itself is under the hammer as suddenly, even the lowest of the low is feeling the pangs of empowerment. After all, for over six decades, India has invested in democracy and it has to show somewhere. Birth may no longer be enough to win public office, even though there are political scions who have won elections this time as well.

Since his debut in 2004, Rahul has been held out as the great Congress hope to pull the party’s chestnuts out of the fire. It has not played out that way. The party was vanquished out of India’s most politically crucial state, Uttar Pradesh, in 1989, and it has not come back to the Congress. Thereafter, despite being repeatedly projected as the Congress’ prime ministerial aspirant, Rahul has come a cropper, including in a couple of Assembly elections in UP, where the party has been all but marginalised.

A few years ago, there was hope. From winning 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2004 in UP to 21 out of 80 seats in 2009, there seemed promise, but since then, the Modi tsunami has simply swept aside whatever was left of the fight.&nbsp;

In 2019, it has been no different. This time, the Congress pulled out another supposed ace — Priyanka Gandhi — from its pack of cards to make a dent into proceedings. However, Priyanka’s foray into UP politics in poll 2019 is another classic example of what has gone wrong with Congress politics. First, came the coy announcement — not so much an announcement as a mealy-mouthed hint — that she may contest from Varanasi. It energised a demoralised Congress cadre, lying dormant for decades in the state. But only temporarily. Within days came a less-than-upfront denial that she had no such plans. Potentially, a Modi-Priyanka standoff was a mouth-watering contest, which would have compelled the prime minister to stay put in his constituency, without travelling too much. But the prospect of defeat is simply too much to stomach for the Gandhi family and Priyanka backed out at the last minute.

Congress’s first family is obviously out of touch. Rahul, who had the opportunity of acquiring experience under the Manmohan Singh dispensation as a minister, simply let go of the opportunity — apparently he was made for better things like being prime minister, which has not come to be till now. It would have been a chance of a lifetime to work in a government and see how things function from inside the system. He does not know how a government works, while arch rival Narendra Modi does, having served three terms as Gujarat chief minister.&nbsp;

Likewise, Priyanka backed out from a straight fight against the PM in Varanasi. In the worst case scenario, she would have lost, but the mileage gained would have been worth its weight in gold. For the Gandhi family, no public offices are now given — they will have to fight for it tooth and nail.

Rahul’s rise in the party organisation has been steady. In a reshuffle, he was appointed general secretary of the All India Congress Committee in September 2007. In 2013, he was elevated to the position of party vice-president. But tragically, Congress under his leadership slumped to its lowest-ever tally of 43 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, it is only an incremental improvement. Rahul’s tally of fancy party designations has led to a corresponding decline in the fortunes of his party.&nbsp; 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-gandhi-family-s-hold-takes-congress-down-the-drain-2753025">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Congress party is at the crossroads of its 134-year-old existence. Despite a rousing electoral campaign, aided by liberal photo-ops and larger-than-life sound-bytes, it is abundantly clear that Rahul Gandhi is not a saleable commodity.

The Congress party is at the crossroads of its 134-year-old existence. Despite a rousing electoral campaign, aided by liberal photo-ops and larger-than-life sound-bytes, it is abundantly clear that Rahul Gandhi is not a saleable commodity. Had there been anyone else in Rahul’s place, minus a Congress lineage as distinguished as his, he would have long been shown the door and pushed into political oblivion. However, fact is that Rahul has continued merrily since March 2004 when he first announced his entry into politics. Fifteen years down the line, this is his time of denouement. Where does Congress go from here? Indeed, where does Rahul go from here? Rahul’s ‘chowkidar chor hai’ slogan is going to come haunt him and surely will go down as one of the most ill-conceived pieces of poll-time sloganeering — one that may well have signed the epitaph of India’s oldest political party. The larger question is whether in an aspirational India, entitlement itself is under the hammer as suddenly, even the lowest of the low is feeling the pangs of empowerment. After all, for over six decades, India has invested in democracy and it has to show somewhere. Birth may no longer be enough to win public office, even though there are political scions who have won elections this time as well. Since his debut in 2004, Rahul has been held out as the great Congress hope to pull the party’s chestnuts out of the fire. It has not played out that way. The party was vanquished out of India’s most politically crucial state, Uttar Pradesh, in 1989, and it has not come back to the Congress. Thereafter, despite being repeatedly projected as the Congress’ prime ministerial aspirant, Rahul has come a cropper, including in a couple of Assembly elections in UP, where the party has been all but marginalised. A few years ago, there was hope. From winning 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2004 in UP to 21 out of 80 seats in 2009, there seemed promise, but since then, the Modi tsunami has simply swept aside whatever was left of the fight. In 2019, it has been no different. This time, the Congress pulled out another supposed ace — Priyanka Gandhi — from its pack of cards to make a dent into proceedings. However, Priyanka’s foray into UP politics in poll 2019 is another classic example of what has gone wrong with Congress politics. First, came the coy announcement — not so much an announcement as a mealy-mouthed hint — that she may contest from Varanasi. It energised a demoralised Congress cadre, lying dormant for decades in the state. But only temporarily. Within days came a less-than-upfront denial that she had no such plans. Potentially, a Modi-Priyanka standoff was a mouth-watering contest, which would have compelled the prime minister to stay put in his constituency, without travelling too much. But the prospect of defeat is simply too much to stomach for the Gandhi family and Priyanka backed out at the last minute. Congress’s first family is obviously out of touch. Rahul, who had the opportunity of acquiring experience under the Manmohan Singh dispensation as a minister, simply let go of the opportunity — apparently he was made for better things like being prime minister, which has not come to be till now. It would have been a chance of a lifetime to work in a government and see how things function from inside the system. He does not know how a government works, while arch rival Narendra Modi does, having served three terms as Gujarat chief minister. Likewise, Priyanka backed out from a straight fight against the PM in Varanasi. In the worst case scenario, she would have lost, but the mileage gained would have been worth its weight in gold. For the Gandhi family, no public offices are now given — they will have to fight for it tooth and nail. Rahul’s rise in the party organisation has been steady. In a reshuffle, he was appointed general secretary of the All India Congress Committee in September 2007. In 2013, he was elevated to the position of party vice-president. But tragically, Congress under his leadership slumped to its lowest-ever tally of 43 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, it is only an incremental improvement. Rahul’s tally of fancy party designations has led to a corresponding decline in the fortunes of his party. (This article was originally published on The 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.)

Lok Sabha election result 2019: Gandhi family’s hold takes Congress down the drain

With trends painting a dismal picture for the Congress in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/">Lok Sabha elections</a>, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also met Rahul Gandhi here.&nbsp;

Even Priyanka's formal entry into politics could not act as a saving grace for the Congress. She was made in-charge of the party's fortunes in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but despite her high-octane election campaign Congress is ahead on just one seat- her mother Sonia Gandhi from Raebareli.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/congratulations-to-the-winners-but-all-losers-are-not-losers-how-opposition-reacted-to-lok-sabha-2019-election-results-220926">How opposition reacted to Lok Sabha 2019 election results</a>

Rahul Gandhi is facing a tough battle in Amethi as BJP rival Smriti Irani is leading from the seat, though by a slim margin. However, he is leading from Kerala's Wayanad.&nbsp;

As per trends post noon, the ruling BJP appears to be storming back to power with a comfortable majority on its own for the second consecutive time and is set to cross the 300-mark in the Lok Sabha along with its NDA allies.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Congress was way behind BJP, leading in only 51 seats. Its ally DMK has put up a good show leading in 22 of the 30 seats in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;'There is no place for dynasty rulers, corrupt leaders in this nation' says Yogi Adityanath

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The Congress was leading in eight of the nine seats it contested in the state. The party was also doing well in Kerala where it was leading in 15 out of total 20 parliamentary seats.

With trends painting a dismal picture for the Congress in Lok Sabha elections, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence.

With trends painting a dismal picture for the Congress in Lok Sabha elections, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Earlier in the day, party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also met Rahul Gandhi here. Even Priyanka's formal entry into politics could not act as a saving grace for the Congress. She was made in-charge of the party's fortunes in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but despite her high-octane election campaign Congress is ahead on just one seat- her mother Sonia Gandhi from Raebareli. Also Read: How opposition reacted to Lok Sabha 2019 election results Rahul Gandhi is facing a tough battle in Amethi as BJP rival Smriti Irani is leading from the seat, though by a slim margin. However, he is leading from Kerala's Wayanad. As per trends post noon, the ruling BJP appears to be storming back to power with a comfortable majority on its own for the second consecutive time and is set to cross the 300-mark in the Lok Sabha along with its NDA allies. On the other hand, Congress was way behind BJP, leading in only 51 seats. Its ally DMK has put up a good show leading in 22 of the 30 seats in Tamil Nadu. Watch: 'There is no place for dynasty rulers, corrupt leaders in this nation' says Yogi Adityanath × The Congress was leading in eight of the nine seats it contested in the state. The party was also doing well in Kerala where it was leading in 15 out of total 20 parliamentary seats.

Lok Sabha election results 2019: Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka meet Rahul as Congress stares at defeat

A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu meets West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Chandrababu Naidu meets Mamata Banerjee for post-poll alliance talks in Kolkata

While Opposition leaders are rallying together in efforts to form an anti-NDA front, BSP chief Mayawati is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi here, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election result on May 23.

This comes in the wake of Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu meeting with Sonia Gandhi today as he continued his attempts to cobble a front to keep BJP out of power in case it falls of majority in the elections.

Naidu had also met Mayawati on Saturday in Lucknow.

According to sources, Congress is working hard to get all alliance partners on board before the general elections are announced.

According to sources, Congress managers are attempting to fix a meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati.

Congress is hopeful that Mayawati will support any government other than BJP, even though the BSP supremo had lashed out at Congress throughout her campaigning.

However, she had said that votes of the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh would go to the Congress, which contested on two seats -Rae Barelli and Amethi- fought by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Nothing was disclosed about the Naidu-Sonia meeting here and what was discussed but it is understood that the two leaders went over the options before non-BJP parties in the post-poll scenario.

On Saturday Naidu had undertaken a hectic round of discussions with parties opposed to BJP when he met leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the mahagathbandhan leaders -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati in Lucknow.

Naidu also met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy and Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi.

Meanwhile Sonia Gandhi has also invited leaders of the UPA and sounded some others including Odisha and Telangana chief ministers Naveen Pattnaik and K Chandrasekhar Rao respectively as well as YSR Congress party chief Jaganmohan Reddy for a meeting on May 23, when the results will be out.She has also convened a meeting of party leaders on May 22, for preparations for the Thursday meeting.&nbsp;

While Opposition leaders are rallying together in efforts to form an anti-NDA front, BSP chief Mayawati is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi here, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election result on May 23.

While Opposition leaders are rallying together in efforts to form an anti-NDA front, BSP chief Mayawati is likely to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi here, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election result on May 23. This comes in the wake of Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu meeting with Sonia Gandhi today as he continued his attempts to cobble a front to keep BJP out of power in case it falls of majority in the elections. Naidu had also met Mayawati on Saturday in Lucknow. According to sources, Congress is working hard to get all alliance partners on board before the general elections are announced. According to sources, Congress managers are attempting to fix a meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati. Congress is hopeful that Mayawati will support any government other than BJP, even though the BSP supremo had lashed out at Congress throughout her campaigning. However, she had said that votes of the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh would go to the Congress, which contested on two seats -Rae Barelli and Amethi- fought by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Nothing was disclosed about the Naidu-Sonia meeting here and what was discussed but it is understood that the two leaders went over the options before non-BJP parties in the post-poll scenario. On Saturday Naidu had undertaken a hectic round of discussions with parties opposed to BJP when he met leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the mahagathbandhan leaders -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati in Lucknow. Naidu also met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy and Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi. Meanwhile Sonia Gandhi has also invited leaders of the UPA and sounded some others including Odisha and Telangana chief ministers Naveen Pattnaik and K Chandrasekhar Rao respectively as well as YSR Congress party chief Jaganmohan Reddy for a meeting on May 23, when the results will be out.She has also convened a meeting of party leaders on May 22, for preparations for the Thursday meeting.

Mayawati likely to meet Sonia Gandhi, ahead of Lok Sabha poll result

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of senior Congress leaders on May 22, a day ahead of the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections.

All senior leaders, General Secretaries and 'in-charge'&nbsp;of the party have been called by Gandhi to prepare for the meeting of UPA allies and some other parties she has convened on May 23 in a bid to keep the BJP out of power if the ruling party is short of a majority in a hung house.

The possibility of roping in new non-NDA parties into the UPA coalition to buttress the opposition numbers may be discussed in the May 22 meeting, sources said.

After the feedback session, tasks will be assigned to various leaders as per their expertise. A team of four leaders has already been put in place to reach out to potential allies and is working hard to make the alliance meeting successful.

Gandhi is understood to have invited leaders of secular parties including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK chief MK Stalin, RJD and TMC for the meeting on a day the results will be out.

Everybody is working hard to sway fence sitters and the Congress was also seeing a change in the tone of leaders like Telangana Chief Minister K.

Chandrashekar Rao. Rao has recently met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DMK chief M K Stalin as part of his efforts to form a third front government.

There were reports that Rao and the chief of YSRCP Congress Jaganmohan Reddy have also been invited but there was no confirmation.

The sources said Congress was confident that BJP was not going to get a majority and that was why it wanted to put in place a front to outsmart the rival BJP in case of a hung Parliament.&nbsp;

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of senior Congress leaders on May 22, a day ahead of the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections. All senior leaders, General Secretaries and 'in-charge' of the party have been called by Gandhi to prepare for the meeting of UPA allies and some other parties she has convened on May 23 in a bid to keep the BJP out of power if the ruling party is short of a majority in a hung house.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of senior Congress leaders on May 22, a day ahead of the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections. All senior leaders, General Secretaries and 'in-charge' of the party have been called by Gandhi to prepare for the meeting of UPA allies and some other parties she has convened on May 23 in a bid to keep the BJP out of power if the ruling party is short of a majority in a hung house. The possibility of roping in new non-NDA parties into the UPA coalition to buttress the opposition numbers may be discussed in the May 22 meeting, sources said. After the feedback session, tasks will be assigned to various leaders as per their expertise. A team of four leaders has already been put in place to reach out to potential allies and is working hard to make the alliance meeting successful. Gandhi is understood to have invited leaders of secular parties including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK chief MK Stalin, RJD and TMC for the meeting on a day the results will be out. Everybody is working hard to sway fence sitters and the Congress was also seeing a change in the tone of leaders like Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Rao has recently met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DMK chief M K Stalin as part of his efforts to form a third front government. There were reports that Rao and the chief of YSRCP Congress Jaganmohan Reddy have also been invited but there was no confirmation. The sources said Congress was confident that BJP was not going to get a majority and that was why it wanted to put in place a front to outsmart the rival BJP in case of a hung Parliament.

Sonia Gandhi calls meeting of senior Congress leaders on May 22 to muster strategies

Today marks the last day of campaigning (except West Bengal) for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha election 2019, political parties across the country will leave no stone unturned in their attempts to woo the voters. Watch this video to know more.

India Votes: Final push by star campaigners

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be chairing a meeting of Opposition leaders in New Delhi on May 23, the day election results will be announced. UPA ally DMK on Thursday confirmed the meeting, saying that party chief M K Stalin has received an invite from Gandhi.

IEW: UPA seeks to add support, reaches out to regional parties

India's famed political family - the Gandhis cast their vote in capital New Delhi in the penultimate phase of the mammoth Indian elections on Sunday (May 12).

India's Gandhi family members vote in New Delhi

Watch this segment of India Election Watch for latest updates of India Election as on May 2nd, 2019.

India Election Watch; May 2nd, 2019

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi yet to campaign in 2019 election. Sonia Gandhi has been seen only thrice in public. Decoding the reason. Watch video to know more.

IEW: Sonia Gandhi yet to campaign in 2019 election

Watch this segment of India Election Watch for latest updates of India Election as on May 3rd, 2019.

India Election Watch; May 3rd, 2019

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, April 29th 2019

In Lok Sabha Polls 2019, 17 seats of Maharashtra are in the fray in fourth phase.

LS Polls: 17 seats of Maharashtra in the fray in fourth phase of Lok Sabha Polls

In this video, know which candidates' fate is on claim in Phase 4 of LS Polls 2019.

LS Polls 2019: Know which candidates' fate on claim in Phase 4

Lok Sabha election 2019 reaches its half-way mark with voting in the fourth of seven phases taking place across 72 constituencies where 961 candidates are in the fray. Watch this video to know more.

Lok Sabha Election 2019: Big ticket battles in phase 4

Lok Sabha Polls: India votes in phase 4 of General Polls

Lok Sabha Polls: Voting underway for 6 Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai

India’s grand opposition Congress party seems to be inflicted with conspicuous confusion with very little clarity on the direction it wants to move. Amidst its bid to arrest the sagging fortunes and improve its presence, the party is simultaneously conspiring for the defeat of the National Democratic Alliance government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There is an old proverb: “One foot cannot stand on two boats.” And that is precisely what the Congress is doing. Can the Congress take on the ruling party when it itself is struggling to regain the space it ceded to the BJP and other regional parties in the last few years?

If the Congress has failed to stitch together an effective counter-alliance to the NDA, it is because of its refusal to give room to smaller but growing parties fearing further erosion in its shrinking base. As a result, not only did it miss the opportunity to be part of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Uttar Pradesh, it is facing alliance blues in other states as well. The classic case is of Sharad Pawar-led National Congress party (NCP), which has been steadfastly associated with the Congress, has chosen to go it alone in Gujarat even though the two parties have pledged to contest together in Maharashtra. There is no doubt that with NCP choosing to contest all the 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat, there will be a division of votes, which will ultimately benefit the BJP.

In fact, it was Sharad Pawar who had first taken the initiative to form a “Mahagathbandhan” of opposition parties to take on the ruling alliance. But his idea could not materialise as the Congress was not ready to play second fiddle to some parties which had grown in stature. The Congress, which was wiped out from Delhi in both the assembly and parliamentary elections, lacked maturity in entering into any understanding with the Aam Aadmi Party which also wanted the alliance in both Punjab and Haryana besides Delhi. But the Congress, which snatched power from the BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab and lost ground to the BJP in Haryana, did not want to share space with AAP which was spreading its wings there. As a result, what we see is a loosely-knit alliance led by Congress party with smaller parties in some states.&nbsp;

It reflects very poorly on the leadership of the Congress, which is not sagacious enough to come out of its shadow. Congress president Rahul Gandhi should realise that his party is not in a position to command a premium on its value. Had he been sensible and could see the writing on the wall; he would have gone ahead to accommodate as many parties which still wanted a solid and credible opposition alliance? The problem with the Congress leadership is that it wants to have the cake and eat it too. That’s not only practical but impossible also.

If the NDA alliance has been largely successful, it is due to the open-heartedness of the principal party, the BJP, which has been careful in creating a non-disturbing environment for smaller and regional parties. While continuing to pursue its agenda of maximising its reach in states where it does not have much influence, the BJP has been wise enough to enter into an alliance with regional parties.&nbsp;

With the Congress not having the stomach to accommodate the interests of other parties, it would have been better had it gone alone with an aim to improve its reach and tally. The Congress, which recorded its worst performance in the last general elections bagging just 44 seats, could corner only 19.5 per cent of votes then. Before it recovered some ground by winning state elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last year, the Congress was only ruling Punjab and sharing power in Karnataka. The party showed some signs of recovery last year when elections to nine states – Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana – were held in 2018. Of the 1082 seats in these states, the Congress won 414 seats whereas the BJP won 355 seats.

The ideal strategy for Congress would have been to recoup and revitalise its organisation before going overboard with the aggressive approach of dislodging the Modi government. It has scored a self-goal by compromising with its prime objective of reviving the almost moribund party and simultaneously working to remove the present government. It is this confusion which has prevented it from allying with potential parties leading to three-cornered contests in several constituencies which is only going to help the BJP. In a nutshell, the present is tense and the future uncertain for the oldest political party.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

India’s grand opposition Congress party seems to be inflicted with conspicuous confusion with very little clarity on the direction it wants to move. Amidst its bid to arrest the sagging fortunes and improve its presence, the party is simultaneously conspiring for the defeat of the National Democratic Alliance government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

India’s grand opposition Congress party seems to be inflicted with conspicuous confusion with very little clarity on the direction it wants to move. Amidst its bid to arrest the sagging fortunes and improve its presence, the party is simultaneously conspiring for the defeat of the National Democratic Alliance government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There is an old proverb: “One foot cannot stand on two boats.” And that is precisely what the Congress is doing. Can the Congress take on the ruling party when it itself is struggling to regain the space it ceded to the BJP and other regional parties in the last few years? If the Congress has failed to stitch together an effective counter-alliance to the NDA, it is because of its refusal to give room to smaller but growing parties fearing further erosion in its shrinking base. As a result, not only did it miss the opportunity to be part of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Uttar Pradesh, it is facing alliance blues in other states as well. The classic case is of Sharad Pawar-led National Congress party (NCP), which has been steadfastly associated with the Congress, has chosen to go it alone in Gujarat even though the two parties have pledged to contest together in Maharashtra. There is no doubt that with NCP choosing to contest all the 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat, there will be a division of votes, which will ultimately benefit the BJP. In fact, it was Sharad Pawar who had first taken the initiative to form a “Mahagathbandhan” of opposition parties to take on the ruling alliance. But his idea could not materialise as the Congress was not ready to play second fiddle to some parties which had grown in stature. The Congress, which was wiped out from Delhi in both the assembly and parliamentary elections, lacked maturity in entering into any understanding with the Aam Aadmi Party which also wanted the alliance in both Punjab and Haryana besides Delhi. But the Congress, which snatched power from the BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab and lost ground to the BJP in Haryana, did not want to share space with AAP which was spreading its wings there. As a result, what we see is a loosely-knit alliance led by Congress party with smaller parties in some states. It reflects very poorly on the leadership of the Congress, which is not sagacious enough to come out of its shadow. Congress president Rahul Gandhi should realise that his party is not in a position to command a premium on its value. Had he been sensible and could see the writing on the wall; he would have gone ahead to accommodate as many parties which still wanted a solid and credible opposition alliance? The problem with the Congress leadership is that it wants to have the cake and eat it too. That’s not only practical but impossible also. If the NDA alliance has been largely successful, it is due to the open-heartedness of the principal party, the BJP, which has been careful in creating a non-disturbing environment for smaller and regional parties. While continuing to pursue its agenda of maximising its reach in states where it does not have much influence, the BJP has been wise enough to enter into an alliance with regional parties. With the Congress not having the stomach to accommodate the interests of other parties, it would have been better had it gone alone with an aim to improve its reach and tally. The Congress, which recorded its worst performance in the last general elections bagging just 44 seats, could corner only 19.5 per cent of votes then. Before it recovered some ground by winning state elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last year, the Congress was only ruling Punjab and sharing power in Karnataka. The party showed some signs of recovery last year when elections to nine states – Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana – were held in 2018. Of the 1082 seats in these states, the Congress won 414 seats whereas the BJP won 355 seats. The ideal strategy for Congress would have been to recoup and revitalise its organisation before going overboard with the aggressive approach of dislodging the Modi government. It has scored a self-goal by compromising with its prime objective of reviving the almost moribund party and simultaneously working to remove the present government. It is this confusion which has prevented it from allying with potential parties leading to three-cornered contests in several constituencies which is only going to help the BJP. In a nutshell, the present is tense and the future uncertain for the oldest political party. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Congress's woes: Present tense and future uncertain

During the last four years, the stature of the Congress party has declined drastically. Once a pan India party, the Congress, is now reduced to just five states and one union territory in the country. As of March 2019, the party is in power in Karnataka (in an alliance with the JDS), Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry (in an alliance with the DMK).

Indian National Congress: The oldest party of India

Congress party supremo Sonia Gandhi reaches her Constituency Rae Bareli to file nomination. Prior that she hold a 700 meteres mega road show for Lok Sabha polls. Watch video to know more.

Lok Sabha election 2019: Congress' mega show of strength at Rae Bareli

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday filed her nomination papers from Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency.&nbsp;

When she was asked what she thought of PM Narendra Modi's invincibility, she said ''Don't forget 2004''.

''Vajpayee Ji was invincible, but we won,'' she said.

Live Lok Sabha polls 2019: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-lok-sabha-polls-2019-voting-underway-in-91-seats-in-first-phase-209404">TDP leader killed in election-related clashes</a>

Echoing Sonia's thoughts, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that there have been many people in Indian history who had the arrogance to believe that they're invincible and bigger than the people of India.&nbsp;

''Narendra Modi for the last 5 years has done nothing for the people of India. His invincibility will be in full view after election results,'' he added.

Sonia embarked on roadshow before filing nomination.

She also offered puja at the Congress' central office here before starting the roadshow.

Sonia Gandhi, who trying to get re-elected from the seat the fifth time in a row, was accompanied by son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law Robert Vadra.

The seat, where voting will be held in the fifth phase on May 6, will see a straight contest between the former Congress chief and Dinesh Pratap Singh, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the Congress.

The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have not fielded any candidate in this Congress bastion.&nbsp;

Sonia Gandhi had won the seat in 2004, 2006 (bypolls), 2009 and 2014.&nbsp;

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday filed her nomination papers from Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency. When she was asked what she thought of PM Narendra Modi's invincibility, she said ''Don't forget 2004''.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday filed her nomination papers from Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency. When she was asked what she thought of PM Narendra Modi's invincibility, she said ''Don't forget 2004''. ''Vajpayee Ji was invincible, but we won,'' she said. Live Lok Sabha polls 2019: TDP leader killed in election-related clashes Echoing Sonia's thoughts, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that there have been many people in Indian history who had the arrogance to believe that they're invincible and bigger than the people of India. ''Narendra Modi for the last 5 years has done nothing for the people of India. His invincibility will be in full view after election results,'' he added. Sonia embarked on roadshow before filing nomination. She also offered puja at the Congress' central office here before starting the roadshow. Sonia Gandhi, who trying to get re-elected from the seat the fifth time in a row, was accompanied by son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law Robert Vadra. The seat, where voting will be held in the fifth phase on May 6, will see a straight contest between the former Congress chief and Dinesh Pratap Singh, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the Congress. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have not fielded any candidate in this Congress bastion. Sonia Gandhi had won the seat in 2004, 2006 (bypolls), 2009 and 2014.

'Vajpayee was invincible, but we won': Sonia after filing nomination from Rae Bareli 

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat on April 10 and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will do the same from the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency on April 11, party sources said on Thursday.

Newly-appointed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be present with her brother and mother when they file their nomination papers.&nbsp;

The family will be together on both days with Rahul Gandhi accompanying his mother in Rae Bareli and Sonia Gandhi present while he files his papers in Amethi, the sources said.&nbsp;

They said the filing of nomination papers will be a big show of strength and the top Congress leadership will be present.&nbsp;

A road show is also likely to be taken out after the filing of papers, the sources added.

While both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are contesting from the constituencies they have represented for many years, the Congress chief has this time also decided to contest from Wayanad in Kerala.&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi filed his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-files-nomination-from-wayanad-parliamentary-constituency-207840">nomination papers on Thursday in Wayanad</a>, where he was accompanied by his sister.&nbsp;

Elections in Amethi and Rae Bareli will be held in the fifth phase of elections on May 6. The process of filing of nomination starts on April 10 and continues till April 18.&nbsp;

The Congress has decided to go it alone in Uttar Pradesh after it was left out of the alliance between SP and BSP. They said they will not field any candidates for the two seats being contested by the top Congress leadership.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat on April 10 and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will do the same from the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency on April 11, party sources said on Thursday.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat on April 10 and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will do the same from the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency on April 11, party sources said on Thursday. Newly-appointed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be present with her brother and mother when they file their nomination papers. The family will be together on both days with Rahul Gandhi accompanying his mother in Rae Bareli and Sonia Gandhi present while he files his papers in Amethi, the sources said. They said the filing of nomination papers will be a big show of strength and the top Congress leadership will be present. A road show is also likely to be taken out after the filing of papers, the sources added. While both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are contesting from the constituencies they have represented for many years, the Congress chief has this time also decided to contest from Wayanad in Kerala. Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers on Thursday in Wayanad, where he was accompanied by his sister. Elections in Amethi and Rae Bareli will be held in the fifth phase of elections on May 6. The process of filing of nomination starts on April 10 and continues till April 18. The Congress has decided to go it alone in Uttar Pradesh after it was left out of the alliance between SP and BSP. They said they will not field any candidates for the two seats being contested by the top Congress leadership.

Rahul to file nomination from Amethi on April 10, Sonia from Rae Bareli on April 11

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-a-speed-breaker-in-bengals-development-modi-in-siliguri-207693">Mamata Banerjee a 'speed breaker' in Bengal's development: PM Modi</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to go for the betterment of the state. He said she was a "speed breaker" in the state's development.&nbsp;

Modi was speaking at an election rally in Siliguri in West Bengal.&nbsp;

"'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee) is a speed breaker in the path of West Bengal's development," Modi said.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sensex-snaps-4-day-winning-streak-drops-180-points-207701">Sensex snaps 4-day winning streak, drops 180 points</a>

Breaking its four-day rising streak, the BSE Sensex dropped about 180 points Wednesday on profit booking and forecast of below-normal monsoon this year.

Despite a strong rally in global equities, Indian market failed to sustain at lifetime highs led by losses in oil and gas, telecom, metal and healthcare stocks.

After swinging nearly 450 points, the 30-share Sensex settled 179.53 points, or 0.46 per cent lower at 38,877.12.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pakistan-intelligence-officer-who-helped-osama-bin-laden-sworn-in-as-minister-report-207692">Former Pakistani IB chief, who reportedly helped Osama bin Laden, sworn in as minister</a>

Despite objections from the Opposition, Pakistan's former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Ijaz Shah, who reportedly helped Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, was sworn in as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday by President Arif Alvi here.&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pakistan-intelligence-officer-who-helped-osama-bin-laden-sworn-in-as-minister-report-207692">This is the photograph Sonia Gandhi wanted on Congress manifesto cover</a>

Sonia Gandhi, after going through the Congress manifesto, suggested that the photograph published on page nine could have been used as the cover picture. The photograph showed Congress president Rahul Gandhi sitting with a group of rural women wearing ghoonghats (veils).&nbsp;

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/malaysia-open-saina-nehwal-knocked-out-after-losing-to-thailands-chochuwong-in-first-round-207725">Malaysia Open: Saina Nehwal knocked out in </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/malaysia-open-saina-nehwal-knocked-out-after-losing-to-thailands-chochuwong-in-first-round-207725">first</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/malaysia-open-saina-nehwal-knocked-out-after-losing-to-thailands-chochuwong-in-first-round-207725"> round after losing to Thailand's Chochuwong</a>

Saina Nehwal Wednesday registered a major upset as she lost to Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 22-20, 15-21, 10-21 in the first round of the Malaysian Open.

Mamata Banerjee a 'speed breaker' in Bengal's development: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to go for the betterment of the state.

Mamata Banerjee a 'speed breaker' in Bengal's development: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to go for the betterment of the state. He said she was a "speed breaker" in the state's development. Modi was speaking at an election rally in Siliguri in West Bengal. "'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee) is a speed breaker in the path of West Bengal's development," Modi said. Sensex snaps 4-day winning streak, drops 180 points Breaking its four-day rising streak, the BSE Sensex dropped about 180 points Wednesday on profit booking and forecast of below-normal monsoon this year. Despite a strong rally in global equities, Indian market failed to sustain at lifetime highs led by losses in oil and gas, telecom, metal and healthcare stocks. After swinging nearly 450 points, the 30-share Sensex settled 179.53 points, or 0.46 per cent lower at 38,877.12. Former Pakistani IB chief, who reportedly helped Osama bin Laden, sworn in as minister Despite objections from the Opposition, Pakistan's former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Ijaz Shah, who reportedly helped Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, was sworn in as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday by President Arif Alvi here. This is the photograph Sonia Gandhi wanted on Congress manifesto cover Sonia Gandhi, after going through the Congress manifesto, suggested that the photograph published on page nine could have been used as the cover picture. The photograph showed Congress president Rahul Gandhi sitting with a group of rural women wearing ghoonghats (veils). Malaysia Open: Saina Nehwal knocked out in first round after losing to Thailand's Chochuwong Saina Nehwal Wednesday registered a major upset as she lost to Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 22-20, 15-21, 10-21 in the first round of the Malaysian Open.

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