Tag: CPM

  • Alappuzha: LS Polls 2024: KC Venugopal ups stakes to wrest CPM seat, says Pinarayi Vijayan speaks Modi lingo

    As one enters Alappuzha, the citadel of the Communists in Kerala and the land of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and the martyrs column, huge hoardings of KC Venugopal, the influential AICC general secretary (organisation) and a close associate of Rahul Gandhi, are all over. Venugopal is fighting to wrest the CPM seat, the only Lok Sabha constituency that stood by the Left in 2019 when the Congress-led UDF swept 19 of the 20 seats from the state. If that explains the Left’s political resilience here, Venugopal’s entry has upped the stakes for both sides.”This is an election to save Indian democracy and to save our Constitution,” Venugopal said when ET caught up with him at Aryad on the outskirts of the town. “The Congress is leading that fight, along with the INDIA alliance parties, against the Modi government. Every single seat, every single vote counts. I am sure the people of Alappuzha will stand by the Congress in this historic battle”.Venugopal has trained expertise in taking the fight to the Left strongholds; he cut his teeth in the Congress student’s wing in his birthplace of Payyanur in Kannur, another Communist base. As he progressed to the party leadership, the Congress politically relocated Venugopal to Alappuzha where he won three consecutive assembly polls from 1996 and two Lok Sabha polls in 2009 and 2014. CPM reclaimed the seat in 2019 — when Venugopal took a break from electoral contest due to organisational preoccupation with the leadership placing him in the RS from Rajasthan. Venugopal is now back for the retrieval act. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesAs Venugopal reached a street corner meeting venue, an enthusiastic crowd greeted him. “If anyone examines the political life of a Congress worker called KC Venugopal, he will find its foundation was laid when the people of Alappuzha elected me as their MLA way back in 1996. You have made me MLA and MP many times. Whatever I am today, all credit goes to you people. As my party has sent me here to fight this all-important election, I once again place my politics and my future in your hands,” Venugopal tells the responsive crowd.

    He is pitted against a local CPM leader and sitting MP AM Arif, who won the seat in 2019 by a slender margin of 10,474 votes, and senior BJP leader Shobha Surendran, who has a track-record of lifting the BJP vote percentage wherever she contested, albeit losing the elections. But whose vote, in addition to that of the BJP here, she will cut into this time is keeping both Congress and the Left sides guessing.

    As Venugopal moved forward through the crowds, he told ET about his twin concerns and his twin targets. “Can you imagine the way the PM is speaking at his rallies these days? Such blatant communal talk! Shocking. The PM has become desperate after the first phase of election. And here in Kerala, look at the way the CM (and CPI-M leader) Pinarayi Vijayan is speaking, the way he has targeted Rahul Ji. Modi and Pinarayi speak the same language in this election”. CPM’s sitting MP, Arif, 59, told ET that he is fighting to retain his party’s Lok Sabha seat. “I have placed before the people the details of the development works I have done, including the steps to modernise and beautify Alappuzha as a throbbing tourism destination.”

  • Shashi Tharoor on rifts in INDIA bloc, says ‘No one is going to have a one-size-fits-it-all solution’ – The Economic Times Video

    Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “Negotiations will be taking place on a state-by-state basis. You cannot have a one-size-fits-all formula for the states that is because our country is complicated…In Kerala, the CPM & the Congress can never be expected to get together in such sharing seats. But next door in Tamil Nadu, CPM, CPI, Congress & DMK are all allies and have fought the last elections together and will fight the next one together…”

  • For Panthic votes, Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) prefers Left to BJP

    With Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) striving to regain Panthic support and unite all Akali Dal factions, Punjab-based party leaders feel the environment is not favourable for alliance with former decades-old ally BJP.

    Akali leaders believe the party would continue its alliance with BSP and may form a grand alliance by joining hands with Left parties, including CPM and CPI.

    Last month, on Akali Dal’s 103rd anniversary, Badal apologised for his government’s “administrative failures” in the 2015 sacrilege cases and urged for breakaway reunification for Panthic unity. He publicly apologised for failing to apprehend Guru Granth Sahib desecration culprits in 2015 under his tenure.Akali Dal has always highlighted Sikh issues, but after the defeat in 2022 assembly polls, Badal has been trying to reclaim panthic votes and shared the stage with hardline Sikh leaders like SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann and Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Dadduwal. Recently, Badal and the SGPC president visited the family of Late Akal Takht Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke and pledged full support to them. Kaunke’s family claims six police officers killed the Sikh spiritual leader.

    Senior Akali Dal leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder believes the party would prioritise religion and agriculture (Panth te Kisani). Bhunder stated “the situation and circumstances are not conducive for alliance with BJP.” Both parties will struggle to agree ideologically, especially with the current BJP leadership.”

    He added that beside BSP there are many options for SAD, including Left parties such as CPM and CPI. The party had allied with Left parties in the past as well.SAD leader Naresh Gujral also ruled out alliance with BJP, saying, “there is no scope.”Akali Dal, the founder of NDA and BJP’s oldest ally, moved out of the ruling alliance in 2020, following the protest over the three farm laws. The laws were later taken back by the government.

  •  CPM issues directive: No pact with BJP in rural polls

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  Two days after a BJP MP and MLA met CPM leader Ashok Bhattacharya at his residence in Siliguri, the state leadership of West Bengal’s erstwhile ruling party issued a directive to district-level office-bearers asking them to steer clear of any official or unofficial pact with the BJP in panchayat elections scheduled next year.

    The directive is said to be a fallout of an apparent realisation in the Left party that it cannot afford to lose its supporters to the saffron camp anymore when the organisation has started gaining strength in all recent elections after the disastrous performance in the last year’s Assembly polls.

    The CPM suffered a big dent in its vote bank in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2021 Assembly polls resulting in BJP making inroads in the state. The Marxists have since started regaining their electoral strength securing the second position in all the elections after the last year’s Assembly polls. The party is hopeful to perform better in the rural polls next year.

    The ‘no pact’ directive reportedly follows the meeting, which both the BJP and the CPM claimed a courtesy visit, anticipating that the meeting might send out a wrong message of the saffron camp making electoral dividends at the cost of the Left’s attempt to regain strength in panchayat polls.

    “The directions have been clearly spelled out. No form of alliance with the BJP will be permitted. We will lay down a series of guidelines. The area committees will have to make decisions conforming to those guidelines,” said CPI-M state secretary and party’s politburo member Mohammad Salim.

    According to Selim, decisions related to panchayat polls such as selecting candidates or supporting some other party are normally taken by leaders and workers at the grassroots. The process of candidate selection will remain the same, the decisions will be screened by the district committees and the state committee will intervene, if necessary, he said.

    The last rural polls had seen an unofficial understanding between the Left and the BJP at the grassroots level in several areas of the state. On Tuesday, BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh met Bhattacharya. The timing of the meeting and Bhattacharya’s stature sparked speculation on the future equation between the CPI-M and the BJP at a time when the saffron camp is desperate to consolidate its position in North Bengal ahead of the panchayat polls.

    “The contest between the BJP and the TMC is much closer in north Bengal than in the rest of the state. Support of a leader like Bhattacharya can disrupt the ruling party’s plan in north Bengal in the panchayat elections. The visit to Bhattacharya by our elected representatives was not at all only a courtesy. It definitely has a political purpose to achieve,” said a BJP leader.

    Bhattacharya, a former state minister, was elected five times from Siliguri, but he failed to secure victory in the 2021 Assembly polls as his former aide defected to the saffron camp and contested against him.Given Bhattacharya’s political skills, the TMC is smelling conspiracy. “There is a conspiracy going on to destabilize the government, especially in north Bengal. BJP’s elected representatives from that region are demanding separate statehood and now they are trying to bring CPI-M leaders into their fold,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

    The BJP made major gains in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by bagging seven seats out of eight in north Bengal. Though the performance was not as good as it was expected, it won 30 seats out of 54 in that region.

    Who is Ashok Bhattacharya?

     5-time Siliguri MLA since 1991
     Became a minister in Jyoti Basu’s cabinet in 1996 
     Lost in 2011 when TMC defeated Left Front
     Became chairman of Siliguri Municipal Corporation in 1987. After 2011 Assembly poll loss, he became the civic body chief in 2014 in alliance with Congress
     Made a comeback in 2016 by defeating TMC MLA RN Bhattacharya
     Known for his close proximity with Sourav Ganguly

    KOLKATA:  Two days after a BJP MP and MLA met CPM leader Ashok Bhattacharya at his residence in Siliguri, the state leadership of West Bengal’s erstwhile ruling party issued a directive to district-level office-bearers asking them to steer clear of any official or unofficial pact with the BJP in panchayat elections scheduled next year.

    The directive is said to be a fallout of an apparent realisation in the Left party that it cannot afford to lose its supporters to the saffron camp anymore when the organisation has started gaining strength in all recent elections after the disastrous performance in the last year’s Assembly polls.

    The CPM suffered a big dent in its vote bank in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2021 Assembly polls resulting in BJP making inroads in the state. The Marxists have since started regaining their electoral strength securing the second position in all the elections after the last year’s Assembly polls. The party is hopeful to perform better in the rural polls next year.

    The ‘no pact’ directive reportedly follows the meeting, which both the BJP and the CPM claimed a courtesy visit, anticipating that the meeting might send out a wrong message of the saffron camp making electoral dividends at the cost of the Left’s attempt to regain strength in panchayat polls.

    “The directions have been clearly spelled out. No form of alliance with the BJP will be permitted. We will lay down a series of guidelines. The area committees will have to make decisions conforming to those guidelines,” said CPI-M state secretary and party’s politburo member Mohammad Salim.

    According to Selim, decisions related to panchayat polls such as selecting candidates or supporting some other party are normally taken by leaders and workers at the grassroots. The process of candidate selection will remain the same, the decisions will be screened by the district committees and the state committee will intervene, if necessary, he said.

    The last rural polls had seen an unofficial understanding between the Left and the BJP at the grassroots level in several areas of the state. On Tuesday, BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh met Bhattacharya. The timing of the meeting and Bhattacharya’s stature sparked speculation on the future equation between the CPI-M and the BJP at a time when the saffron camp is desperate to consolidate its position in North Bengal ahead of the panchayat polls.

    “The contest between the BJP and the TMC is much closer in north Bengal than in the rest of the state. Support of a leader like Bhattacharya can disrupt the ruling party’s plan in north Bengal in the panchayat elections. The visit to Bhattacharya by our elected representatives was not at all only a courtesy. It definitely has a political purpose to achieve,” said a BJP leader.

    Bhattacharya, a former state minister, was elected five times from Siliguri, but he failed to secure victory in the 2021 Assembly polls as his former aide defected to the saffron camp and contested against him.
    Given Bhattacharya’s political skills, the TMC is smelling conspiracy. “There is a conspiracy going on to destabilize the government, especially in north Bengal. BJP’s elected representatives from that region are demanding separate statehood and now they are trying to bring CPI-M leaders into their fold,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

    The BJP made major gains in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by bagging seven seats out of eight in north Bengal. Though the performance was not as good as it was expected, it won 30 seats out of 54 in that region.

    Who is Ashok Bhattacharya?

     5-time Siliguri MLA since 1991
     Became a minister in Jyoti Basu’s cabinet in 1996 
     Lost in 2011 when TMC defeated Left Front
     Became chairman of Siliguri Municipal Corporation in 1987. After 2011 Assembly poll loss, he became the civic body chief in 2014 in alliance with Congress
     Made a comeback in 2016 by defeating TMC MLA RN Bhattacharya
     Known for his close proximity with Sourav Ganguly

  • ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’: CPM softens stand against Congress, Kejriwal attacks Rahul once again

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday took a potshot at the Congress, saying Rahul Gandhi was “enough” to weaken it, rejecting allegations the AAP was acting as a B-team of the BJP and weakening the Congress.

    The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor also sought to maintain distance from the ongoing bid to form a grand opposition alliance to keep the BJP at bay in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Alliance politics should be left to those who are working on it, Kejriwal said, adding he did not understand it.

    The Delhi chief minister was replying to questions at a townhall event organised by NDTV.

    “Am I needed to weaken the Congress? Isn’t Rahul Gandhi enough,” he quipped when asked to comment on allegations levelled by political rivals that his AAP was weakening the Congress and acting as a B-team of the BJP to help the saffron party win elections.

    On the ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ of the Congress, Kejriwal said, “Let them do it. Everyone should do good work. Best of luck (to Congress).”

    On efforts being made by opposition leaders, including his Bihar counterpart and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, to form a grand alliance of non-BJP parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Delhi chief minister said India would not become the number one country in the world “by bringing politicians together”.

    India will become number one in the world only with the alliance of 130 crore people of the country, he added.

    “I am not against anybody. But I do not understand this politics of alliance. Leave this politics to them,” Kejriwal said.

    “If you have to build schools, hospitals, roads or fix electricity-related problems, call me. I will fix the problem as I am an IIT engineer,” he added.

    Kejriwal said India can be made number one in the world within five years if free and quality education was offered to students, free and good healthcare services made available to citizens and every youngster in the country given a job.

    Asked whether such things would happen if the AAP came to power at the Centre and he became the prime minister, Kejriwal said, “In a democracy, people take decisions. When all of them come together, they will decide.”

    “We have to overhaul the education system, healthcare system and provide employment to every youngster. And this is possible. We have shown by doing this in the past seven years (in Delhi). The country has only been looted and fooled in the past 75 years,” he added.

    Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday said “going to people” is a good thing, softening his party’s critique of the Congress’s “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, while asserting that the Left party is part of the effort to bring “secular, democratic” outfits in the country together.

    The Communist Party of India (Marxist) had earlier lashed out at the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for stipulating 18 days for Left-ruled Kerala.

    Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at a recently-concluded politburo meeting of the party, Yechury hailed the efforts of leaders such as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to unite the opposition parties.

    He, however remained ambivalent on the efforts of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    “Every party has the right to chart its on own path. Going to people is a good thing. The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) is also doing it in its own way,” Yechury said, adding that people will draw their own conclusion from the number of days the Congress has planned for the “yatra” in different states.

    The CPI(M) leader’s comments were in contrast to the party’s tweet on September 12, taking a dig at the Congress over its foot march that has kept 18 days for the Left-ruled Kerala and only two days in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.

    Yechury lashed out at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had dubbed the CPI(M) as the “A team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala in response to the Left party’s September 12 tweet.

    “Kerala has no BJP MLA and the credit goes to the Left parties. As far as team A or B is concerned, you can see what has happened in Goa,” Yechury said.

    Eight of the 11 Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, recently switched sides to join the BJP.

    Yechury said the CPI(M) shall join the efforts to bring together the secular, democratic political parties to defend the “Constitution, democracy, democratic rights and civil liberties of people and safeguard the secular, democratic character of the Indian republic”.

    “The central committee’s call for an all-India campaign from September 14 to September 24 against the burdens being imposed on people’s livelihood and to safeguard democracy, democratic rights, secularism and the Indian Constitution will be observed in various forms all across the country and will culminate in state-level public meetings and rallies,” he said.

    India is facing the highest unemployment rate in the last 45 years and it was the duty of the Congress party to strengthen the future of the youth and bring positivity to the minds of youngsters in the country, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday.

    Gandhi, who has embarked on the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ reached Neendakara in Kollam district today, the ninth day since he began his foot march on September 7.

    In a Facebook post, Gandhi said he had been meeting many youngsters during the march and was understanding their expectations from the government.

    If the country could make use of the youth power, the nation could grow very fast, he said.

    “But today the country has the highest unemployment in the last 45 years, educated youngsters are wandering in search of employment and disappointed. It is our duty and also the need of the time today to strengthen the future of our youth, bring positivity to them.”

    After the conclusion of the morning leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has been engaged in discussions with cashew workers, entrepreneurs, trade unions and leaders of RSP and Forward Block, both allies of the Congress party.

    “I am meeting with many youngsters during our Bharat Jodo trip, understanding their expectations from the government, what kind of help they want from us to make their future bright and how many more possibilities can we create for them,” he said.

    Gandhi also noted that the purpose of the Yatra was to lend an ear to children, old, young, women, poor, farmers and tribals and to resolve their problems.

    “We are also succeeding, the youth are openly talking to us, walking together. I hope we all will unite our India and make it forward,” he added.

    The evening leg of the yatra will begin at 5 PM from Chavara bus stand and conclude at Karunagapally where the Bharat Jodo Yatra members will halt for the night.

    The 3,570 kilometres-long foot march started off from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

    Gandhi on Friday resumed his party’s Bharat Jodo yatra, a 150-day-long foot march, after a day’s rest from Polayathodu in Kollam district of Kerala.

    Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, AICC general secretary in charge of Organisation, K C Venugopal, senior Congress leaders, Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, RSP leader N K Premachandran among others were seen walking besides Gandhi.

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi will interact with cashew workers, entrepreneurs, and party allies during the halt of the yatra at Neendakara in the district.

    “After a day of well-earned rest, #BharatJodoYatra resumed from Kollam today at 6:45 am. It’ll cover 13 km this morning and halt at Neendakara on the seashore. Interactions with cashew workers, cashew entrepreneurs, trade union and leaders of RSP & Forward Block in the afternoon,” Ramesh tweeted.

    The foot march was launched from Kanyakumari in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will cover 12 states and two Union territories.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

    The yatra will enter Alappuzha on September 17 and pass through Ernakulam district on September 21 and 22 and reach Thrissur on September 23.

    The foot march will traverse through Palakkad on September 26 and 27 and enter Malappuram on September 28.

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday took a potshot at the Congress, saying Rahul Gandhi was “enough” to weaken it, rejecting allegations the AAP was acting as a B-team of the BJP and weakening the Congress.

    The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor also sought to maintain distance from the ongoing bid to form a grand opposition alliance to keep the BJP at bay in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Alliance politics should be left to those who are working on it, Kejriwal said, adding he did not understand it.

    The Delhi chief minister was replying to questions at a townhall event organised by NDTV.

    “Am I needed to weaken the Congress? Isn’t Rahul Gandhi enough,” he quipped when asked to comment on allegations levelled by political rivals that his AAP was weakening the Congress and acting as a B-team of the BJP to help the saffron party win elections.

    On the ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ of the Congress, Kejriwal said, “Let them do it. Everyone should do good work. Best of luck (to Congress).”

    On efforts being made by opposition leaders, including his Bihar counterpart and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, to form a grand alliance of non-BJP parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Delhi chief minister said India would not become the number one country in the world “by bringing politicians together”.

    India will become number one in the world only with the alliance of 130 crore people of the country, he added.

    “I am not against anybody. But I do not understand this politics of alliance. Leave this politics to them,” Kejriwal said.

    “If you have to build schools, hospitals, roads or fix electricity-related problems, call me. I will fix the problem as I am an IIT engineer,” he added.

    Kejriwal said India can be made number one in the world within five years if free and quality education was offered to students, free and good healthcare services made available to citizens and every youngster in the country given a job.

    Asked whether such things would happen if the AAP came to power at the Centre and he became the prime minister, Kejriwal said, “In a democracy, people take decisions. When all of them come together, they will decide.”

    “We have to overhaul the education system, healthcare system and provide employment to every youngster. And this is possible. We have shown by doing this in the past seven years (in Delhi). The country has only been looted and fooled in the past 75 years,” he added.

    Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday said “going to people” is a good thing, softening his party’s critique of the Congress’s “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, while asserting that the Left party is part of the effort to bring “secular, democratic” outfits in the country together.

    The Communist Party of India (Marxist) had earlier lashed out at the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for stipulating 18 days for Left-ruled Kerala.

    Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at a recently-concluded politburo meeting of the party, Yechury hailed the efforts of leaders such as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to unite the opposition parties.

    He, however remained ambivalent on the efforts of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    “Every party has the right to chart its on own path. Going to people is a good thing. The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) is also doing it in its own way,” Yechury said, adding that people will draw their own conclusion from the number of days the Congress has planned for the “yatra” in different states.

    The CPI(M) leader’s comments were in contrast to the party’s tweet on September 12, taking a dig at the Congress over its foot march that has kept 18 days for the Left-ruled Kerala and only two days in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.

    Yechury lashed out at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had dubbed the CPI(M) as the “A team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala in response to the Left party’s September 12 tweet.

    “Kerala has no BJP MLA and the credit goes to the Left parties. As far as team A or B is concerned, you can see what has happened in Goa,” Yechury said.

    Eight of the 11 Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, recently switched sides to join the BJP.

    Yechury said the CPI(M) shall join the efforts to bring together the secular, democratic political parties to defend the “Constitution, democracy, democratic rights and civil liberties of people and safeguard the secular, democratic character of the Indian republic”.

    “The central committee’s call for an all-India campaign from September 14 to September 24 against the burdens being imposed on people’s livelihood and to safeguard democracy, democratic rights, secularism and the Indian Constitution will be observed in various forms all across the country and will culminate in state-level public meetings and rallies,” he said.

    India is facing the highest unemployment rate in the last 45 years and it was the duty of the Congress party to strengthen the future of the youth and bring positivity to the minds of youngsters in the country, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday.

    Gandhi, who has embarked on the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ reached Neendakara in Kollam district today, the ninth day since he began his foot march on September 7.

    In a Facebook post, Gandhi said he had been meeting many youngsters during the march and was understanding their expectations from the government.

    If the country could make use of the youth power, the nation could grow very fast, he said.

    “But today the country has the highest unemployment in the last 45 years, educated youngsters are wandering in search of employment and disappointed. It is our duty and also the need of the time today to strengthen the future of our youth, bring positivity to them.”

    After the conclusion of the morning leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has been engaged in discussions with cashew workers, entrepreneurs, trade unions and leaders of RSP and Forward Block, both allies of the Congress party.

    “I am meeting with many youngsters during our Bharat Jodo trip, understanding their expectations from the government, what kind of help they want from us to make their future bright and how many more possibilities can we create for them,” he said.

    Gandhi also noted that the purpose of the Yatra was to lend an ear to children, old, young, women, poor, farmers and tribals and to resolve their problems.

    “We are also succeeding, the youth are openly talking to us, walking together. I hope we all will unite our India and make it forward,” he added.

    The evening leg of the yatra will begin at 5 PM from Chavara bus stand and conclude at Karunagapally where the Bharat Jodo Yatra members will halt for the night.

    The 3,570 kilometres-long foot march started off from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

    Gandhi on Friday resumed his party’s Bharat Jodo yatra, a 150-day-long foot march, after a day’s rest from Polayathodu in Kollam district of Kerala.

    Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, AICC general secretary in charge of Organisation, K C Venugopal, senior Congress leaders, Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, RSP leader N K Premachandran among others were seen walking besides Gandhi.

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi will interact with cashew workers, entrepreneurs, and party allies during the halt of the yatra at Neendakara in the district.

    “After a day of well-earned rest, #BharatJodoYatra resumed from Kollam today at 6:45 am. It’ll cover 13 km this morning and halt at Neendakara on the seashore. Interactions with cashew workers, cashew entrepreneurs, trade union and leaders of RSP & Forward Block in the afternoon,” Ramesh tweeted.

    The foot march was launched from Kanyakumari in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will cover 12 states and two Union territories.

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

    The yatra will enter Alappuzha on September 17 and pass through Ernakulam district on September 21 and 22 and reach Thrissur on September 23.

    The foot march will traverse through Palakkad on September 26 and 27 and enter Malappuram on September 28.

  • Bharat Jodo Yatra: Day after CPM jibe, Rahul extends stay in UP by three days

    Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Under attack from the CPM for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra spending only two days in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has reworked the yatra’s itinerary, extending its stay in the key state to five days. The Congress leadership though put up a brave face, saying the yatra was originally scheduled for five days in UP.

    The CPM’s official twitter handle on Monday posted a poster with a tag line, ‘strange way to fight BJP-RSS’, and wondering whether the Yatra that spends 18 days in Left-ruled Kerala and two days in BJP-ruled UP was meant to unite India or just Congress’ seats in the southern state. The tweet sent ripples across the political spectrum, prompting the Congress national general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh to retort that the “CPM is the ‘A’ team of BJP in the land of Mundu Modi”.

    However, the Congress leadership on Tuesday made it clear that the yatra will be in UP for five days. Jairam Ramesh told TNIE that the yatra was planned for five days in UP from day one and there is no change of plan following the CPM’s jibe.“It was an idiotic tweet by the CPM. They got it wrong which led me to reply that they should have done their homework on how and why the yatra was planned the way it is,” he said.

    A Congress source from New Delhi said the yatra schedule for UP was changed from two days to five days even before the CPM’s criticism. The schedule for each state was finalised based on length of the route, topography and the security aspects, said the source.

    A source close to Rahul said the Nehru scion shares a good rapport with CPM general secretary Sitram Yechury and must have heeded to the Left leader’s opinion to extend the stay in UP. Rahul would be spending a maximum of 21 days in Karnataka and Rajasthan. Incidentally, both these states are going to polls next year. Then the question arose on why the yatra completely avoided Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and north-eastern states.

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Under attack from the CPM for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra spending only two days in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has reworked the yatra’s itinerary, extending its stay in the key state to five days. The Congress leadership though put up a brave face, saying the yatra was originally scheduled for five days in UP.

    The CPM’s official twitter handle on Monday posted a poster with a tag line, ‘strange way to fight BJP-RSS’, and wondering whether the Yatra that spends 18 days in Left-ruled Kerala and two days in BJP-ruled UP was meant to unite India or just Congress’ seats in the southern state. The tweet sent ripples across the political spectrum, prompting the Congress national general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh to retort that the “CPM is the ‘A’ team of BJP in the land of Mundu Modi”.

    However, the Congress leadership on Tuesday made it clear that the yatra will be in UP for five days. Jairam Ramesh told TNIE that the yatra was planned for five days in UP from day one and there is no change of plan following the CPM’s jibe.“It was an idiotic tweet by the CPM. They got it wrong which led me to reply that they should have done their homework on how and why the yatra was planned the way it is,” he said.

    A Congress source from New Delhi said the yatra schedule for UP was changed from two days to five days even before the CPM’s criticism. The schedule for each state was finalised based on length of the route, topography and the security aspects, said the source.

    A source close to Rahul said the Nehru scion shares a good rapport with CPM general secretary Sitram Yechury and must have heeded to the Left leader’s opinion to extend the stay in UP. Rahul would be spending a maximum of 21 days in Karnataka and Rajasthan. Incidentally, both these states are going to polls next year. Then the question arose on why the yatra completely avoided Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and north-eastern states.

  • Not against Bharat Jodo Yatra, CPM makes its stance clear

    By Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just a day after the tweet war between the CPM and Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and its long stay in Kerala, the ruling party seems to have opted for a more cautious approach, choosing not to indulge in further provocation. Realising the obvious politics behind Rahul’s padayatra, CPM state secretary M V Govindan was quick to make it clear that the party was not against the yatra per se.

    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the newly-elected CPM state chief made it categorically clear that the CPM as such is not against the yatra or any other democratic process in this regard. Govindan, however, maintained that the party would respond accordingly whenever there is unfair criticism directed against either the party, the Left front or the state government. Notably, Govindan did not endorse the remarks by party state secretariat member M Swaraj who had dubbed the pan-India tour the “container yatra” in a mock reference to the mobile stay arrangements made for the participants.

    Sources said the respective leadership of both CPM and Congress was surprised at the seemingly unprovoked and sudden jibes at each other by party members. “We never thought a leader like Jairam Ramesh would come up with such a tweet on Kerala and the CPM. Hence, it was bit surprising,” said a senior CPM leader. On the other hand, the Congress too felt the CPM tweet with Rahul’s caricature could have been avoided. “We don’t think it was done with the knowledge of Sitaram Yechury. In fact, the national Left leaders were keen about avoiding such remarks,” said a source.

    Meanwhile, senior CPM leader Thomas Isaac too tweeted asking Jairam Ramesh why he made such a remark on the Kerala chief minister. “Dear Rameshji, I was amazed at your response. Why the unprovoked insult of the Kerala CM? Not an auspicious start to a Jodo Yatra. And the question still remains unanswered. Whom are you trying to unite by touring Kerala for 18 days, while avoiding Gujarat and UP? Anyway, happy journey,”  Isaac tweeted.

    RAHUL GANDHI TAKES POTSHOTS AT BJP

    T’Puram: As the third day of his yatra ended at Kallambalam on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took potshots at the BJP. Addressing a massive crowd, Rahul said the BJP is getting panicky due to the hatred it is spreading. He also questioned the double standards of the BJP, saying a party which believes in Hindutva is creating disharmony in society. Earlier, Rahul held talks with the leaders of the anti-K Rail movement at Attingal, where he expressed solidarity with their protest. He also met Attingal native Jayachandran and his eight-year-old daughter who were accused of stealing a policewoman’s mobile phone. The yatra will enter Kollam district on Wednesday afternoon.

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just a day after the tweet war between the CPM and Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and its long stay in Kerala, the ruling party seems to have opted for a more cautious approach, choosing not to indulge in further provocation. Realising the obvious politics behind Rahul’s padayatra, CPM state secretary M V Govindan was quick to make it clear that the party was not against the yatra per se.

    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the newly-elected CPM state chief made it categorically clear that the CPM as such is not against the yatra or any other democratic process in this regard. Govindan, however, maintained that the party would respond accordingly whenever there is unfair criticism directed against either the party, the Left front or the state government. Notably, Govindan did not endorse the remarks by party state secretariat member M Swaraj who had dubbed the pan-India tour the “container yatra” in a mock reference to the mobile stay arrangements made for the participants.

    Sources said the respective leadership of both CPM and Congress was surprised at the seemingly unprovoked and sudden jibes at each other by party members. “We never thought a leader like Jairam Ramesh would come up with such a tweet on Kerala and the CPM. Hence, it was bit surprising,” said a senior CPM leader. On the other hand, the Congress too felt the CPM tweet with Rahul’s caricature could have been avoided. “We don’t think it was done with the knowledge of Sitaram Yechury. In fact, the national Left leaders were keen about avoiding such remarks,” said a source.

    Meanwhile, senior CPM leader Thomas Isaac too tweeted asking Jairam Ramesh why he made such a remark on the Kerala chief minister. “Dear Rameshji, I was amazed at your response. Why the unprovoked insult of the Kerala CM? Not an auspicious start to a Jodo Yatra. And the question still remains unanswered. Whom are you trying to unite by touring Kerala for 18 days, while avoiding Gujarat and UP? Anyway, happy journey,”  Isaac tweeted.

    RAHUL GANDHI TAKES POTSHOTS AT BJP

    T’Puram: As the third day of his yatra ended at Kallambalam on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took potshots at the BJP. Addressing a massive crowd, Rahul said the BJP is getting panicky due to the hatred it is spreading. He also questioned the double standards of the BJP, saying a party which believes in Hindutva is creating disharmony in society. Earlier, Rahul held talks with the leaders of the anti-K Rail movement at Attingal, where he expressed solidarity with their protest. He also met Attingal native Jayachandran and his eight-year-old daughter who were accused of stealing a policewoman’s mobile phone. The yatra will enter Kollam district on Wednesday afternoon.

  • With regional cuisines and morning tea, suspended MPs spend night in Parliament complex

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Braving mosquitoes and the heat, some of the suspended MPs like CPI’s Santosh Kumar, AAP’s Sanjay Singh spent the night beside the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex.

    TMC’s Dola Sen and Santanu Sen were present on the site till post midnight With no permission for a tent granted by the authorities, five MPs slept under the sky as a protest against the suspension of 24 MPs, 20 from Rajya Sabha and four Congress members from Lok Sabha.

    “50 hour non-stop dharna by Opposition MPs. 21 hours done. 29 hours to go.”

    “Revoke suspension of 24 MPs. Discuss,” tweeted TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien.

    In the morning, TMC MP Mausam Noor who brought tea for the MPs said that the Opposition MPs will not apologise and the protest will continue.

    The opposition has demanded a discussion on price rise in both Houses of Parliament.

    They were later joined by four Congress MPs who have also been suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Monsoon session.

    The Rajya Sabha MPs are holding the protest near the Gandhi statue and will stay at the site through night, Trinamool Congress’ Dola Sen, who is one of the suspended members, said earlier in the day.

    The 20 MPs, suspended over Monday and Tuesday, include seven from the TMC, six from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

    The Nationalist Congress Party and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha who have no members suspended will also join the protests, sources said.

    “Question: What were Opposition MPs demanding Answer: A discussion on #PriceRise #GST hurting millions of people Action: Dictatorial @narendramodi govt suspends 24 MPs from #Parliament Next few days 24x 7 dharna at Gandhi statue.

    Peaceful satyagraha will always WIN,” tweeted TMC’s Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien.

    While the Congress and other Opposition parties were protesting at different venues in the morning, by the evening, it seemed they had come together on the issue of price rise.

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh visited the site of the protests and said his party will be part of the day-night dharna organised by the other Opposition parties.

    “Congress, DMK, TMC, CPM & AAP MPs from both Houses on 50-hour continous dharna by turns in Parliament precincts. They are protesting their suspension for demanding URGENT debate on price rise and GST on food items,” he tweeted later at night.

    “There’s a 170% increase in the suspension of MPs under Modi govt compared to UPA. 24 MPs suspended this Monsoon session alone!” he said.

    “We are fighting the Modi-Shah onslaught on democracy and it’s clear that the Modi regime will be seen as a black spot in Indian history. All four Lok Sabha MPs are standing in solidarity with RS MP and are sitting in batches,” said Manickam Tagore, one of the four Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha.

    The CPI, whose one member has been suspended, said in a statement the suspension is an assault on the basic rights of freedom of expression of members of Parliament.

    “The suspension of 4 opposition MPs of the Lok Sabha and 20 MPs of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha including two MPs of the CPI(M) on successive days is a serious blow to the democratic functioning of Parliament.”

    “It is the Modi government that has been stubbornly refusing to accept any motion moved by the opposition under the Rules for a structured discussion on the burning problems being faced by the people, destroying their lives, like price rise, unemployment etc.”

    Opposition sources also said feelers from the “other side” has indicated that there is a view within the government that suspending 19 opposition MPs at one go in Rajya Sabha was a wrong strategic move and should have been avoided.

    In fact, in the morning, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu met leaders of the Opposition parties in RS and an offer was made to them that if they express regret over their behaviour in the House, another resolution will be brought to revoke the suspensions, the sources said.

    However, none of the leaders acquiesced, saying instead that the government should express regret over the decision of not discussing the price rise.

    With the suspension of the MPs in RS concluding on Friday, a discussion on price rise will be taken up after that.

    Sources in the Opposition also said a detailed plan of action has been drawn out for the dharna and a roster of duties was created which is being circulated on a dedicated WhatsApp group.

    While on Wednesday, idli-sambhar breakfast was organised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, lunch with curd rice was arranged by the DMK.

    Dinner will be roti, daal, paneer and chicken tandoori courtesy the TMC.

    On Thursday, the DMK would be in charge of breakfast, the TRS of lunch and the AAP will arrange dinner.

    Sources said the parties have taken upon themselves to appoint leaders to take turns of one to two hours to sit at the site in support of those who have been suspended.

    In fact, parties such as the NCP and JMM who have no members suspended will also join the protests, sources said.

    The leaders, however, will have to sleep under the sky, with their request of a tent being denied by the authorities, as no structures can be built, even temporarily inside the premises.

    The protesting MPs can, however, use the toilet in the bathroom of the Parliament library.

    From curd rice to ‘gajar ka halwa’, Opposition parties arrange regional cuisine for 50-hour protest

    From curd rice and idli-sambhar to chicken tandoori, ‘gajar ka halwa’ and fruits, Opposition parties are taking turns to arrange regional cuisine for MPs on a 50-hour relay protest against their suspension and demanding discussion on price rise.

    In a show of solidarity and political strength, the Opposition parties have come together to create a duty roster for the protest with every party taking responsibility for making arrangements, including food, for those sitting on the dharna.

    The roster is being circulated on a dedicated WhatsApp group, keeping everyone in the loop about the day’s arrangements.

    Twenty suspended Rajya Sabha members started the protest inside the Parliament complex on Wednesday, with sources saying the Opposition declined the Chairman’s offer that they express regret over their members’ behaviour in the House to get the suspension revoked.

    The MPs are holding the protest near the Gandhi statue and will stay at the site through the night, said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Dola Sen, who is one of the suspended.

    Those suspended over Monday and Tuesday, include seven from the TMC, six from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

    The parties which will be a part of the protests include the TMC, DMK, AAP, TRS, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, CPIM, CPI, JMM and the Kerala Congress.

    Sources said the parties have decided that they will try to arrange regional cuisines for the MPs for their meals.

    On Wednesday, the MPs had idli-sambhar for breakfast which was organised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva.

    The lunch of curd rice was also arranged by the DMK.

    The menu for dinner is roti, daal, paneer and chicken tandoori, courtesy of the TMC.

    DMK’s Kanimozhi, who was instrumental in planning the roster, came to the protest site carrying ‘gajar ka halwa’, while TMC arranged for fruits and sandwiches.

    On Thursday, the DMK would be in charge of breakfast, the TRS for lunch and the AAP would arrange dinner.

    The AAP was also in charge of erecting a tent for the MPs to shield them from the scorching sun but permission for it was denied by the authorities.

    Sources said that the parties have taken it upon themselves to appoint leaders to take turns sitting at the protest site for one to two hours in support of those who have been suspended.

    Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Mahua Majhi and leaders of Nationalist Congress Party — none of whose members have been suspended — have given their time to sit with the protesting MPs as a mark of solidarity.

    The leaders, however, will have to sleep under the sky, with their request for a tent being denied by authorities, as no structures can be built, even temporarily inside the premises.

    The protesting MPs can, however, use the toilet in the bathroom of the Parliament library.

    Opposition leaders said the authorities have fully cooperated with them to arrange a security team and cleaning staff for the protesting MPs.

    Arrangements have also been made for their exit and entry.

    While Congress and the other opposition parties were protesting at different venues in the morning, by the evening, it seemed that they had come together on the issue of price rise.

    Senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh visited the protest site and said his party will be part of the day-night dharna organised by the opposition parties.

    NEW DELHI: Braving mosquitoes and the heat, some of the suspended MPs like CPI’s Santosh Kumar, AAP’s Sanjay Singh spent the night beside the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex.

    TMC’s Dola Sen and Santanu Sen were present on the site till post midnight With no permission for a tent granted by the authorities, five MPs slept under the sky as a protest against the suspension of 24 MPs, 20 from Rajya Sabha and four Congress members from Lok Sabha.

    “50 hour non-stop dharna by Opposition MPs. 21 hours done. 29 hours to go.”

    “Revoke suspension of 24 MPs. Discuss,” tweeted TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien.

    In the morning, TMC MP Mausam Noor who brought tea for the MPs said that the Opposition MPs will not apologise and the protest will continue.

    The opposition has demanded a discussion on price rise in both Houses of Parliament.

    They were later joined by four Congress MPs who have also been suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Monsoon session.

    The Rajya Sabha MPs are holding the protest near the Gandhi statue and will stay at the site through night, Trinamool Congress’ Dola Sen, who is one of the suspended members, said earlier in the day.

    The 20 MPs, suspended over Monday and Tuesday, include seven from the TMC, six from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

    The Nationalist Congress Party and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha who have no members suspended will also join the protests, sources said.

    “Question: What were Opposition MPs demanding Answer: A discussion on #PriceRise #GST hurting millions of people Action: Dictatorial @narendramodi govt suspends 24 MPs from #Parliament Next few days 24x 7 dharna at Gandhi statue.

    Peaceful satyagraha will always WIN,” tweeted TMC’s Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien.

    While the Congress and other Opposition parties were protesting at different venues in the morning, by the evening, it seemed they had come together on the issue of price rise.

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh visited the site of the protests and said his party will be part of the day-night dharna organised by the other Opposition parties.

    “Congress, DMK, TMC, CPM & AAP MPs from both Houses on 50-hour continous dharna by turns in Parliament precincts. They are protesting their suspension for demanding URGENT debate on price rise and GST on food items,” he tweeted later at night.

    “There’s a 170% increase in the suspension of MPs under Modi govt compared to UPA. 24 MPs suspended this Monsoon session alone!” he said.

    “We are fighting the Modi-Shah onslaught on democracy and it’s clear that the Modi regime will be seen as a black spot in Indian history. All four Lok Sabha MPs are standing in solidarity with RS MP and are sitting in batches,” said Manickam Tagore, one of the four Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha.

    The CPI, whose one member has been suspended, said in a statement the suspension is an assault on the basic rights of freedom of expression of members of Parliament.

    “The suspension of 4 opposition MPs of the Lok Sabha and 20 MPs of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha including two MPs of the CPI(M) on successive days is a serious blow to the democratic functioning of Parliament.”

    “It is the Modi government that has been stubbornly refusing to accept any motion moved by the opposition under the Rules for a structured discussion on the burning problems being faced by the people, destroying their lives, like price rise, unemployment etc.”

    Opposition sources also said feelers from the “other side” has indicated that there is a view within the government that suspending 19 opposition MPs at one go in Rajya Sabha was a wrong strategic move and should have been avoided.

    In fact, in the morning, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu met leaders of the Opposition parties in RS and an offer was made to them that if they express regret over their behaviour in the House, another resolution will be brought to revoke the suspensions, the sources said.

    However, none of the leaders acquiesced, saying instead that the government should express regret over the decision of not discussing the price rise.

    With the suspension of the MPs in RS concluding on Friday, a discussion on price rise will be taken up after that.

    Sources in the Opposition also said a detailed plan of action has been drawn out for the dharna and a roster of duties was created which is being circulated on a dedicated WhatsApp group.

    While on Wednesday, idli-sambhar breakfast was organised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, lunch with curd rice was arranged by the DMK.

    Dinner will be roti, daal, paneer and chicken tandoori courtesy the TMC.

    On Thursday, the DMK would be in charge of breakfast, the TRS of lunch and the AAP will arrange dinner.

    Sources said the parties have taken upon themselves to appoint leaders to take turns of one to two hours to sit at the site in support of those who have been suspended.

    In fact, parties such as the NCP and JMM who have no members suspended will also join the protests, sources said.

    The leaders, however, will have to sleep under the sky, with their request of a tent being denied by the authorities, as no structures can be built, even temporarily inside the premises.

    The protesting MPs can, however, use the toilet in the bathroom of the Parliament library.

    From curd rice to ‘gajar ka halwa’, Opposition parties arrange regional cuisine for 50-hour protest

    From curd rice and idli-sambhar to chicken tandoori, ‘gajar ka halwa’ and fruits, Opposition parties are taking turns to arrange regional cuisine for MPs on a 50-hour relay protest against their suspension and demanding discussion on price rise.

    In a show of solidarity and political strength, the Opposition parties have come together to create a duty roster for the protest with every party taking responsibility for making arrangements, including food, for those sitting on the dharna.

    The roster is being circulated on a dedicated WhatsApp group, keeping everyone in the loop about the day’s arrangements.

    Twenty suspended Rajya Sabha members started the protest inside the Parliament complex on Wednesday, with sources saying the Opposition declined the Chairman’s offer that they express regret over their members’ behaviour in the House to get the suspension revoked.

    The MPs are holding the protest near the Gandhi statue and will stay at the site through the night, said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Dola Sen, who is one of the suspended.

    Those suspended over Monday and Tuesday, include seven from the TMC, six from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

    The parties which will be a part of the protests include the TMC, DMK, AAP, TRS, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, CPIM, CPI, JMM and the Kerala Congress.

    Sources said the parties have decided that they will try to arrange regional cuisines for the MPs for their meals.

    On Wednesday, the MPs had idli-sambhar for breakfast which was organised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva.

    The lunch of curd rice was also arranged by the DMK.

    The menu for dinner is roti, daal, paneer and chicken tandoori, courtesy of the TMC.

    DMK’s Kanimozhi, who was instrumental in planning the roster, came to the protest site carrying ‘gajar ka halwa’, while TMC arranged for fruits and sandwiches.

    On Thursday, the DMK would be in charge of breakfast, the TRS for lunch and the AAP would arrange dinner.

    The AAP was also in charge of erecting a tent for the MPs to shield them from the scorching sun but permission for it was denied by the authorities.

    Sources said that the parties have taken it upon themselves to appoint leaders to take turns sitting at the protest site for one to two hours in support of those who have been suspended.

    Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Mahua Majhi and leaders of Nationalist Congress Party — none of whose members have been suspended — have given their time to sit with the protesting MPs as a mark of solidarity.

    The leaders, however, will have to sleep under the sky, with their request for a tent being denied by authorities, as no structures can be built, even temporarily inside the premises.

    The protesting MPs can, however, use the toilet in the bathroom of the Parliament library.

    Opposition leaders said the authorities have fully cooperated with them to arrange a security team and cleaning staff for the protesting MPs.

    Arrangements have also been made for their exit and entry.

    While Congress and the other opposition parties were protesting at different venues in the morning, by the evening, it seemed that they had come together on the issue of price rise.

    Senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh visited the protest site and said his party will be part of the day-night dharna organised by the opposition parties.

  • Union minister V Muraleedharan, opposition face-off at seminar on democracy

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union minister V Muraleedharan on Friday made a slew of suggestions to opposition parties, including on internal democracy and promoting talent, at a seminar and left soon citing “pressing engagements”, sparking protests from other participants.

    The Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs was speaking at a seminar ‘Challenges Before Democracy’ to celebrate the 86th birth anniversary of late M P Veerendra Kumar, a socialist leader and Chairman of the Mathrubhumi Media Group.

    The other speakers at the seminar were senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha, CPI(M) leader John Brittas, BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta and activist Yogendra Yadav.

    “In the present context, the opposition feels that any achievement of India will go into the account of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence it chooses not to applaud it. Is it good for democracy,” Muraleedharan asked.

    In his 30-minute speech, mostly in Malayalam, Muraleedharan said in a democracy everyone has the right to criticise, but in his home state Kerala, a person could be put in jail for criticising the chief minister.

    In an apparent jibe at the Congress, he said people protest on the roads across the country saying ‘democracy is in peril’ when central government agencies summon a person for questioning following the due process of the law.

    As Muraleedharan began to leave, Khera and Yadav asked him to at least hear the opposition response to the points he had raised in his speech.

    “You call this democracy when the government is not ready to listen to what we have to say? This is not acceptable,” Khera said.

    In his keynote speech, Bhushan said the role of money power in democracy had increased manifold with the introduction of electoral bonds, removal of limit on contributions to political parties by big corporations and allowing subsidiaries of foreign companies to make donations to political parties.

    He also referred to lack of access to justice, delay in court cases and not having competent judges also posed challenges before democracy.

    “If we have to reclaim democracy there will have to be a very robust citizen’s movement across the country. That movement will have to create its own media organisation that can be used by citizens to spread the right information,” Bhushan said.

    “Our republic has been brought to the brink and if we do not rise to the challenge the situation will become irretrievable,” he said.

    Khera said Congress alone will not be able to fight this battle to reclaim democracy without the participation of the civil society or the media.

    Jha, the Rajya Sabha member from RJD, said the real challenge was not to realise that there were challenges to democracy in the country.

    Yadav, who heads Swaraj Abhiyan, said when solemn memorial lectures are used to score petty political points one realises something was really wrong with democracy.

    NEW DELHI: Union minister V Muraleedharan on Friday made a slew of suggestions to opposition parties, including on internal democracy and promoting talent, at a seminar and left soon citing “pressing engagements”, sparking protests from other participants.

    The Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs was speaking at a seminar ‘Challenges Before Democracy’ to celebrate the 86th birth anniversary of late M P Veerendra Kumar, a socialist leader and Chairman of the Mathrubhumi Media Group.

    The other speakers at the seminar were senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha, CPI(M) leader John Brittas, BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta and activist Yogendra Yadav.

    “In the present context, the opposition feels that any achievement of India will go into the account of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence it chooses not to applaud it. Is it good for democracy,” Muraleedharan asked.

    In his 30-minute speech, mostly in Malayalam, Muraleedharan said in a democracy everyone has the right to criticise, but in his home state Kerala, a person could be put in jail for criticising the chief minister.

    In an apparent jibe at the Congress, he said people protest on the roads across the country saying ‘democracy is in peril’ when central government agencies summon a person for questioning following the due process of the law.

    As Muraleedharan began to leave, Khera and Yadav asked him to at least hear the opposition response to the points he had raised in his speech.

    “You call this democracy when the government is not ready to listen to what we have to say? This is not acceptable,” Khera said.

    In his keynote speech, Bhushan said the role of money power in democracy had increased manifold with the introduction of electoral bonds, removal of limit on contributions to political parties by big corporations and allowing subsidiaries of foreign companies to make donations to political parties.

    He also referred to lack of access to justice, delay in court cases and not having competent judges also posed challenges before democracy.

    “If we have to reclaim democracy there will have to be a very robust citizen’s movement across the country. That movement will have to create its own media organisation that can be used by citizens to spread the right information,” Bhushan said.

    “Our republic has been brought to the brink and if we do not rise to the challenge the situation will become irretrievable,” he said.

    Khera said Congress alone will not be able to fight this battle to reclaim democracy without the participation of the civil society or the media.

    Jha, the Rajya Sabha member from RJD, said the real challenge was not to realise that there were challenges to democracy in the country.

    Yadav, who heads Swaraj Abhiyan, said when solemn memorial lectures are used to score petty political points one realises something was really wrong with democracy.

  • CPM forms six-member central secretariat

    By Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM central committee meeting has decided to formulate a six-member central secretariat including the general secretary, to coordinate various activities of the party at the national level.

    The committee has been formed as per the decision of the last Party Congress. Keralite leaders Muraleedharan and Vijoo Krishnan are part of the secretariat.

    The committee will have Joginder Sharma, Rajender Sharma, Delhi-based leader Muraleedharan, former SFI leader Arun Kumar and Vijoo Krishnan of Kissaan Sabha.

    Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury or Politburo member with organisational charge Prakash Karat will attend the secretariat meeting.

    “The central secretariat will assist the central committee and the politburo in implementing various decisions. In the absence of Yechury or Karat, another available PB member will attend the secretariat meeting,” said sources.