News Analysis India

Tag: Gujarat Congress

  • Congress demands response from PM Modi on Gujarat conman who posed as PMO official on visit to Kashmir

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress held a press conference in Ahmedabad on Friday, calling for strict action against conman Kiran Patel who visited Jammu and Kashmir in the guise of an official from the Prime Minister’s Office and moved with Z-plus security.

    Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “When information about Kiran Patel’s visit to the extremely sensitive region of Jammu and Kashmir as a PMO official came to light, it raised major concerns for everyone, especially on the nation’s security. The Prime Minister must respond to the citizens of the nation.”

    Patel pretended to be an Additional Director (Strategy and Campaign) in the Prime Minister’s Office and even had a PMO visiting card. He had been arrested by police in Srinagar on March 3. After the expiry of 15 days of police custody, he has now been sent to 15 days judicial custody.

    During questioning, the investigating agencies discovered that Patel was originally from Isanpur, Ahmedabad. He had brought a bungalow only a year before.

    His wife Malini Patel has claimed that he is innocent. Talking to local media in Ahmedabad, she said, “Kiran is presently in Srinagar but he has been framed. Never have we done anything wrong. And from Kashmir, we had a favorable response. Kiran went there to help Kashmir flourish, but he was framed there. All prior cases against us have been dismissed.”

    Kiran Patel, who is quite articulate, loved leading a glamorous life. He has posted images on social media of himself with BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also claimed affiliation with numerous foreign universities by posting letters from those institutions on social media.

    Patel is also the founder of an NGO in Ahmedabad, During the lockdown, he launched a campaign in which his volunteers distributed free medicine to people in need across Ahmedabad. He also created a WhatsApp group called ‘RP Helping Hands’ for this purpose in which he used to connect with people and update them on his work and where he went.

    This is not the first time that an FIR has been registered against Patel.

    “Two previous FIRs were lodged against him in Ahmedabad, in which there were problems with check returns and personal dues. Aside from this, there are no cases against him. He was given security by a political friend to travel to Kashmir,” Patel’s attorney Nisar Vaidya told local media.

    Patel is active on social networking sites like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. His account is also verified on Twitter.

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress held a press conference in Ahmedabad on Friday, calling for strict action against conman Kiran Patel who visited Jammu and Kashmir in the guise of an official from the Prime Minister’s Office and moved with Z-plus security.

    Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “When information about Kiran Patel’s visit to the extremely sensitive region of Jammu and Kashmir as a PMO official came to light, it raised major concerns for everyone, especially on the nation’s security. The Prime Minister must respond to the citizens of the nation.”

    Patel pretended to be an Additional Director (Strategy and Campaign) in the Prime Minister’s Office and even had a PMO visiting card. He had been arrested by police in Srinagar on March 3. After the expiry of 15 days of police custody, he has now been sent to 15 days judicial custody.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    During questioning, the investigating agencies discovered that Patel was originally from Isanpur, Ahmedabad. He had brought a bungalow only a year before.

    His wife Malini Patel has claimed that he is innocent. Talking to local media in Ahmedabad, she said, “Kiran is presently in Srinagar but he has been framed. Never have we done anything wrong. And from Kashmir, we had a favorable response. Kiran went there to help Kashmir flourish, but he was framed there. All prior cases against us have been dismissed.”

    Kiran Patel, who is quite articulate, loved leading a glamorous life. He has posted images on social media of himself with BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also claimed affiliation with numerous foreign universities by posting letters from those institutions on social media.

    Patel is also the founder of an NGO in Ahmedabad, During the lockdown, he launched a campaign in which his volunteers distributed free medicine to people in need across Ahmedabad. He also created a WhatsApp group called ‘RP Helping Hands’ for this purpose in which he used to connect with people and update them on his work and where he went.

    This is not the first time that an FIR has been registered against Patel.

    “Two previous FIRs were lodged against him in Ahmedabad, in which there were problems with check returns and personal dues. Aside from this, there are no cases against him. He was given security by a political friend to travel to Kashmir,” Patel’s attorney Nisar Vaidya told local media.

    Patel is active on social networking sites like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. His account is also verified on Twitter.

  • Despite a bad loss in Gujarat polls, large-scale tug-of-war in Congress to choose Opposition leader

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who held a press conference in Jaipur on Friday, blamed that if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had not been “put up as a proxy to target” his party, they would have won the recently concluded Gujarat assembly elections. But the internal battle of Gujarat Congress leaders for opposition leaders’ posts tells a different story.

    Before the session of the Gujarat Assembly on 20th December, there is a large-scale tug-of-war going on in the Gujarat Congress to decide the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Importantly, more than 3 congress leaders blamed the chief of the Gujarat Congress for their defeat.

    A Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said “On one hand, the discussions of defeat in the Congress are going on in the state office, on the other hand, Congress leaders C.J. Chavda, Shailesh Parmar, and four to five other MLAs who have won, are lobbying up to Delhi High Command to make them a leader of the opposition (LOP),”

    “Importantly, every leader who lobbied for the Leader of the Opposition from the state to the Delhi level emphasized the ill effects if another leader was made the Leader of the Opposition. Each and every leader are Complaining about the opposite leader,” he further said

    Besides cutthroat competition for Lop, Many Gujarat Congress leaders complained about the congress president and leaders for their defeat, former MLA Raghu Desai, who lost the Assembly polls from Ranadharpur in Patan district, has asked the central leadership to suspend state unit president Jagdish Thakor, alleging his “close associates” had worked against the party.

    Desai also wrote a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge saying “Some party leaders had worked against the interest of the party and also to defeat me in the election. Some of them were close associates of Jagdish Thakor. As the GPCC president, he never controlled such people and played an important rolein defeating me,” alleged Desai.

    Congress’ Lone Muslim MLA from Ahmedbad’s Jamal Pur Khadia Assembly Blamed Rahul Gandhi and Delhi leadership for their defeat. Talking to Local Media, MLA Imran Khedawala said, “Rahul Gandhi was busy with ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ which was to be organized a year ago. It would be best if you asked in Delhi why this Yatra did not go through Gujarat. The party should have focused on Gujarat. The way BJP landed its national leaders here, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi’s rally should have been held here,”

    Surat Congress president Hasmukh Desai also blamed State leadership, saying “Gujarat in charge Dr. Raghu Sharma, State President Jagdish Thakor, AICC Co-Incharge – South Zone BM Sandeep did not co-ordinate with the Surat City President in the election operations, even after such a bad defeat of Congress,the leaders are throwing mud at each other for the position of LOP.”

    Importantly, on one side where congress leaders are fighting for LOP Post, some senior leaders are claiming that there is no codified rule in the Gujarat Assembly on granting the status of LoP, but a norm is being followed assembly since 1960, according to which any party that gets a minimum of 10 per cent ofthe total seats, gets recognised as an opposition party. The Congress is one short of the 10% mark, at 18 seats, it is left to the Speaker whether to grant the status to the largest opposition party or not.

    AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who held a press conference in Jaipur on Friday, blamed that if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had not been “put up as a proxy to target” his party, they would have won the recently concluded Gujarat assembly elections. But the internal battle of Gujarat Congress leaders for opposition leaders’ posts tells a different story.

    Before the session of the Gujarat Assembly on 20th December, there is a large-scale tug-of-war going on in the Gujarat Congress to decide the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Importantly, more than 3 congress leaders blamed the chief of the Gujarat Congress for their defeat.

    A Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said “On one hand, the discussions of defeat in the Congress are going on in the state office, on the other hand, Congress leaders C.J. Chavda, Shailesh Parmar, and four to five other MLAs who have won, are lobbying up to Delhi High Command to make them a leader of the opposition (LOP),”

    “Importantly, every leader who lobbied for the Leader of the Opposition from the state to the Delhi level emphasized the ill effects if another leader was made the Leader of the Opposition. Each and every leader are Complaining about the opposite leader,” he further said

    Besides cutthroat competition for Lop, Many Gujarat Congress leaders complained about the congress president and leaders for their defeat, former MLA Raghu Desai, who lost the Assembly polls from Ranadharpur in Patan district, has asked the central leadership to suspend state unit president Jagdish Thakor, alleging his “close associates” had worked against the party.

    Desai also wrote a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge saying “Some party leaders had worked against the interest of the party and also to defeat me in the election. Some of them were close associates of Jagdish Thakor. As the GPCC president, he never controlled such people and played an important role
    in defeating me,” alleged Desai.

    Congress’ Lone Muslim MLA from Ahmedbad’s Jamal Pur Khadia Assembly Blamed Rahul Gandhi and Delhi leadership for their defeat. Talking to Local Media, MLA Imran Khedawala said, “Rahul Gandhi was busy with ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ which was to be organized a year ago. It would be best if you asked in Delhi why this Yatra did not go through Gujarat. The party should have focused on Gujarat. The way BJP landed its national leaders here, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi’s rally should have been held here,”

    Surat Congress president Hasmukh Desai also blamed State leadership, saying “Gujarat in charge Dr. Raghu Sharma, State President Jagdish Thakor, AICC Co-Incharge – South Zone BM Sandeep did not co-ordinate with the Surat City President in the election operations, even after such a bad defeat of Congress,
    the leaders are throwing mud at each other for the position of LOP.”

    Importantly, on one side where congress leaders are fighting for LOP Post, some senior leaders are claiming that there is no codified rule in the Gujarat Assembly on granting the status of LoP, but a norm is being followed assembly since 1960, according to which any party that gets a minimum of 10 per cent of
    the total seats, gets recognised as an opposition party. The Congress is one short of the 10% mark, at 18 seats, it is left to the Speaker whether to grant the status to the largest opposition party or not.

  • First phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats tomorrow: All you need to know

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Voting will be held on Thursday for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats spread across 19 districts in Saurashtra-Kutch and southern parts of the state where 788 candidates are in the fray. Campaigning for the first phase of the elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state ended at 5 pm on Tuesday.

    Voting will be held between 8 am and 5 pm on Thursday across 14,382 polling stations, the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a release.

    Out of the total 4,91,35,400 registered voters in Gujarat, 2,39,76,670 are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of the elections.

    These include 5.74 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 years, and 4,945 above the age of 99 years, the office of the state CEO said.

    Out of the 89 seats going to polls in the first phase, the BJP won 48 in the 2017 election, the Congress had won 40, while one seat was bagged by an independent candidate.

    Who are contesting?

    Apart from the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 36 other political outfits, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) have also fielded candidates in various seats which will go to polls in the first phase.

    The BJP and Congress are contesting in all the 89 seats.
    The new poll entrant AAP is contesting 88 seats. Its candidate from Surat East constituency had withdrawn his candidature, leaving the party with one less seat to contest in the first phase
    The BSP has fielded 57 candidates, BTP 14 and CPI-M four candidates.
    As many as 339 independents are also in the fray in the first phase of polls.
    Out of the total 788 candidates, 70 are women including nine fielded by the BJP, six by the Congress and five by the AAP.

    ALSO READ | How scrapped project can hurt BJP in Gujarat tribal seats

    Who are some of the prominent candidates?

    AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi is contesting from Khambhalia seat in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Saurashtra region that goes to polls on Thursday.

    AAP state unit president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam in Surat.

    Among other prominent candidates in the first phase are Rivaba Jadeja, the wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who is contesting from Jamnagar (North), and BJP MLAs Harsh Sanghavi and Purnesh Modi from different seats in Surat and five-time MLA Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar (Rural).

    Sitting Congress MLAs like Lalit Kagathara, Lalit Vasoya, Rutvik Makwana and Mohammad Javed Pirzada are among the candidates in fray in the first phase from seats in Saurashtra region.

    Seven-time MLA and veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava is contesting from Jhagadia in Bharuch.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat elections 2022: Morbi, Porbandar, Anand… here are 25 seats to watch out for

    Which are the key regions to look out for?

    With 54 seats, the Saurashtra-Kutch region will be crucial for the Congress as it seeks to better its performance.

    In the region, the Congress won 30 seats in 2017 compared to 16 in the 2012 election. The BJP, on the other hand, was reduced to 23 seats in 2017 as against 35 won by it in the previous election.

    In south Gujarat, the Congress in 2017 bettered its tally to 10 compared to six in the previous polls, while the BJPs tally dropped to 25 in the last election from 28 earlier.

    South Gujarat also comprises Surat city with 12 seats which have remained the BJP’s bastion since a long time.

    The BJP has this time found a challenger in the AAP which has fielded some of its senior state leaders from Surat and hopes to win seven-eight seats in the city, as declared by its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Gujarat AAP’s state president Gopal Italia is the candidate from Katargam, general secretary Manoj Sorathiya from Karanj and Patidar community leader Alpesh Kathiriya from Varachha Road in Surat.

    ALSO READ | Trust in the KHAP: How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections  

    Who were the campaigners?

    The BJP, Congress and AAP leaders held roadshows and addressed public rallies as part of their high-pitched campaign in the run-up to the elections.

    The ruling party’s campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and a number of Union ministers and state leaders.

    For the AAP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejiwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were the most frequent campaigners.

    Apart from them, Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sosidoa and AAP’s Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh also campaigned in Gujarat.

    The Congress banked on its local leaders for campaigning apart from Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who held some rallies in the last few days before the first phase of elections.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held two rallies in the state this month by taking out time from his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    How will the polling process be carried out?

    Voting will be held across 14,382 polling stations, of which 3,311 are in the urban and 11,071 in rural areas, the poll body said in a release.

    The election body has set up 89 ‘model polling stations’, as many stations run by differently-abled people, 89 eco-friendly polling stations and 611 run by women.

    There are also 18 polling stations run by the youth, it said.

    A total 34,324 ballot units, an equal number of control units, and 38,749 Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used for the election in the first phase, the release said.

    A total of 2,20,288 trained officers and employees will be on duty for the smooth conduct of the election process, it said.

    In the first phase, 27,978 presiding officers and 78,985 polling officers will be on duty, it said.

    ALSO READ | Battleground Gujarat: All eyes on AAP in three-way poll contest in bipolar state politics

    AHMEDABAD: Voting will be held on Thursday for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats spread across 19 districts in Saurashtra-Kutch and southern parts of the state where 788 candidates are in the fray. Campaigning for the first phase of the elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state ended at 5 pm on Tuesday.

    Voting will be held between 8 am and 5 pm on Thursday across 14,382 polling stations, the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a release.

    Out of the total 4,91,35,400 registered voters in Gujarat, 2,39,76,670 are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of the elections.

    These include 5.74 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 years, and 4,945 above the age of 99 years, the office of the state CEO said.

    Out of the 89 seats going to polls in the first phase, the BJP won 48 in the 2017 election, the Congress had won 40, while one seat was bagged by an independent candidate.

    Who are contesting?

    Apart from the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 36 other political outfits, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) have also fielded candidates in various seats which will go to polls in the first phase.

    The BJP and Congress are contesting in all the 89 seats.
    The new poll entrant AAP is contesting 88 seats. Its candidate from Surat East constituency had withdrawn his candidature, leaving the party with one less seat to contest in the first phase
    The BSP has fielded 57 candidates, BTP 14 and CPI-M four candidates.
    As many as 339 independents are also in the fray in the first phase of polls.
    Out of the total 788 candidates, 70 are women including nine fielded by the BJP, six by the Congress and five by the AAP.

    ALSO READ | How scrapped project can hurt BJP in Gujarat tribal seats

    Who are some of the prominent candidates?

    AAP’s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi is contesting from Khambhalia seat in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Saurashtra region that goes to polls on Thursday.

    AAP state unit president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam in Surat.

    Among other prominent candidates in the first phase are Rivaba Jadeja, the wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who is contesting from Jamnagar (North), and BJP MLAs Harsh Sanghavi and Purnesh Modi from different seats in Surat and five-time MLA Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar (Rural).

    Sitting Congress MLAs like Lalit Kagathara, Lalit Vasoya, Rutvik Makwana and Mohammad Javed Pirzada are among the candidates in fray in the first phase from seats in Saurashtra region.

    Seven-time MLA and veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava is contesting from Jhagadia in Bharuch.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat elections 2022: Morbi, Porbandar, Anand… here are 25 seats to watch out for

    Which are the key regions to look out for?

    With 54 seats, the Saurashtra-Kutch region will be crucial for the Congress as it seeks to better its performance.

    In the region, the Congress won 30 seats in 2017 compared to 16 in the 2012 election. The BJP, on the other hand, was reduced to 23 seats in 2017 as against 35 won by it in the previous election.

    In south Gujarat, the Congress in 2017 bettered its tally to 10 compared to six in the previous polls, while the BJPs tally dropped to 25 in the last election from 28 earlier.

    South Gujarat also comprises Surat city with 12 seats which have remained the BJP’s bastion since a long time.

    The BJP has this time found a challenger in the AAP which has fielded some of its senior state leaders from Surat and hopes to win seven-eight seats in the city, as declared by its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Gujarat AAP’s state president Gopal Italia is the candidate from Katargam, general secretary Manoj Sorathiya from Karanj and Patidar community leader Alpesh Kathiriya from Varachha Road in Surat.

    ALSO READ | Trust in the KHAP: How caste equations are at the heart of the 2022 Gujarat elections  

    Who were the campaigners?

    The BJP, Congress and AAP leaders held roadshows and addressed public rallies as part of their high-pitched campaign in the run-up to the elections.

    The ruling party’s campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and a number of Union ministers and state leaders.

    For the AAP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejiwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were the most frequent campaigners.

    Apart from them, Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sosidoa and AAP’s Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh also campaigned in Gujarat.

    The Congress banked on its local leaders for campaigning apart from Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who held some rallies in the last few days before the first phase of elections.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held two rallies in the state this month by taking out time from his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    READ HERE | Bridge collapse to Bilkis Bano convicts’ remission: Top issues in Gujarat Assembly elections

    How will the polling process be carried out?

    Voting will be held across 14,382 polling stations, of which 3,311 are in the urban and 11,071 in rural areas, the poll body said in a release.

    The election body has set up 89 ‘model polling stations’, as many stations run by differently-abled people, 89 eco-friendly polling stations and 611 run by women.

    There are also 18 polling stations run by the youth, it said.

    A total 34,324 ballot units, an equal number of control units, and 38,749 Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used for the election in the first phase, the release said.

    A total of 2,20,288 trained officers and employees will be on duty for the smooth conduct of the election process, it said.

    In the first phase, 27,978 presiding officers and 78,985 polling officers will be on duty, it said.

    ALSO READ | Battleground Gujarat: All eyes on AAP in three-way poll contest in bipolar state politics

  • Gujarat Congress wants Rahul Gandhi to become party’s national president 

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress on Sunday demanded that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s national president.

    The demand was made at the party’s state executive committee meeting held here, with all its members supporting the proposal with a round of applause. 

    All the members of the grand old party’s state executive committee met here and expressed their feelings that Rahul Gandhi be made the president of the Indian National Congress.

    “They wanted this point to be presented before the national leadership,” chief spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

    “It was demanded that respected Rahul Gandhi, who is the future of India and the voice of the youth, be made the president of the Indian National Congress. All the present delegates of the state executive approved it with thunderous applause,” the party said in a statement after the meeting. 

    The state unit also resolved to win 125 out of Gujarat’s 182 seats in the upcoming Assembly election under the leadership of state president Jagdish Thakor.

    Earlier in the day, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) also passed a resolution demanding that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s national president, Congress leaders said.

    The resolution was passed in a meeting of 310 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates (who will vote in party’s presidential election) from Chhattisgarh chaired by Hussain Dalwai, state Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said.

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress on Sunday demanded that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s national president.

    The demand was made at the party’s state executive committee meeting held here, with all its members supporting the proposal with a round of applause. 

    All the members of the grand old party’s state executive committee met here and expressed their feelings that Rahul Gandhi be made the president of the Indian National Congress.

    “They wanted this point to be presented before the national leadership,” chief spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

    “It was demanded that respected Rahul Gandhi, who is the future of India and the voice of the youth, be made the president of the Indian National Congress. All the present delegates of the state executive approved it with thunderous applause,” the party said in a statement after the meeting. 

    The state unit also resolved to win 125 out of Gujarat’s 182 seats in the upcoming Assembly election under the leadership of state president Jagdish Thakor.

    Earlier in the day, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) also passed a resolution demanding that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s national president, Congress leaders said.

    The resolution was passed in a meeting of 310 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates (who will vote in party’s presidential election) from Chhattisgarh chaired by Hussain Dalwai, state Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said.

  • Chorus grows louder in Congress for Rahul as president

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Congress leaders from across the country have started exerting pressure for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president. The party’s state units in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha and Gujarat have passed resolutions that Gandhi be brought back as party president. Other state units are likely to take cue and adopt similar resolutions.

    Rahul Gandhi had resigned from the post after the party’s loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and has since rejected calls to take back the party’s reins and indicated that he may not change his mind.

    With the process for Congress president’s election scheduled to set into motion on September 22, all state units have been asked by the party’s central leadership to pass a resolution authorising the incoming president to appoint state unit chiefs and AICC members. While passing this resolution, the PCCs have started simultaneously passing another resolution calling for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president.

    The resolution seeking Rahul’s return was moved in Chhattisgarh by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and seconded by PCC chief Mohan Markam, state Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant, and ministers TS Singh Deo, Shivkumar Dahariya and Premsai Singh Tekam.

    ALSO READ | Rajasthan Congress passes resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the party’s national president

    Baghel said “If similar resolutions are passed in other states, then Rahul ji should rethink his decision of returning as Congress president.” He said the party’s presidential election is nearing and “keeping in view the sentiments of party workers, I think Rahul ji will agree (to become party chief).”

    As the demand for his return as Congress president gained momentum, Rahul Gandhi once again said “whether I become president of Congress or not will become clear when the elections for the president post take place. But, I have clearly decided what I will do and there is no confusion in my mind.”

    At a press conference in Kanyakumari during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had said “wait till that time (when elections take place) and when that time comes, you will see, and if I don’t stand, you can ask me then ‘why didn’t you stand’ and I will answer the question for you.”

    Rahul’s remarks were seen as an indication that he might stick to his earlier stance of not taking up the party chief’s post.

    ALSO READ | ‘Will work under Rahul Gandhi’: Gehlot on Congress leadership crisis ahead of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’

    Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh too have favoured a consensus for the post of the AICC chief

    The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on September 22 and the process for filing nominations will be held from September 24 to 30.

    The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19.

    NEW DELHI: Congress leaders from across the country have started exerting pressure for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president. The party’s state units in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha and Gujarat have passed resolutions that Gandhi be brought back as party president. Other state units are likely to take cue and adopt similar resolutions.

    Rahul Gandhi had resigned from the post after the party’s loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and has since rejected calls to take back the party’s reins and indicated that he may not change his mind.

    With the process for Congress president’s election scheduled to set into motion on September 22, all state units have been asked by the party’s central leadership to pass a resolution authorising the incoming president to appoint state unit chiefs and AICC members. While passing this resolution, the PCCs have started simultaneously passing another resolution calling for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president.

    The resolution seeking Rahul’s return was moved in Chhattisgarh by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and seconded by PCC chief Mohan Markam, state Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant, and ministers TS Singh Deo, Shivkumar Dahariya and Premsai Singh Tekam.

    ALSO READ | Rajasthan Congress passes resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the party’s national president

    Baghel said “If similar resolutions are passed in other states, then Rahul ji should rethink his decision of returning as Congress president.” He said the party’s presidential election is nearing and “keeping in view the sentiments of party workers, I think Rahul ji will agree (to become party chief).”

    As the demand for his return as Congress president gained momentum, Rahul Gandhi once again said “whether I become president of Congress or not will become clear when the elections for the president post take place. But, I have clearly decided what I will do and there is no confusion in my mind.”

    At a press conference in Kanyakumari during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had said “wait till that time (when elections take place) and when that time comes, you will see, and if I don’t stand, you can ask me then ‘why didn’t you stand’ and I will answer the question for you.”

    Rahul’s remarks were seen as an indication that he might stick to his earlier stance of not taking up the party chief’s post.

    ALSO READ | ‘Will work under Rahul Gandhi’: Gehlot on Congress leadership crisis ahead of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’

    Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh too have favoured a consensus for the post of the AICC chief

    The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on September 22 and the process for filing nominations will be held from September 24 to 30.

    The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19.

  • Congress’ dual challenge in 2022 Gujarat elections: To take on BJP & keep vote bank intact, say experts

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The forthcoming Gujarat Assembly polls are likely to be one of the toughest for the opposition Congress as it is facing a dual challenge – of defeating the ruling BJP in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and protecting its base from parties like the AAP and AIMIM, which are also trying to make inroads into the state, say political experts.

    However, a state Congress spokesperson claimed people will vote for their party, in the Gujarat elections due later this year, as they are fed up of the BJP’s “misrule” for over two decades.

    But, political observers feel the Congress is plagued by a dearth of strong local leaders, infighting and depleting work force in the state.

    “This will be one of the toughest election for the Congress in Gujarat,” Rajkot-based political observer Suresh Samani told PTI, noting the party has not won the state Assembly polls since 1995.

    In 2017, the Congress won 77 seats in the 182-member Assembly, and a high vote share, largely due to rural distress, he said.

    The BJP had won 99 seats in the Assembly in the last election.

    “The farming community was not happy as it was not getting a good price for crop produce. In the last five years, the BJP government in the state purchased every farm produce, including commercial crops like groundnut, by paying a reasonably good return as the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The rural population now has nothing to complain about,” Samani said.

    Also, the urban middle class and higher middle class voters have stood firmly behind the BJP due to various reasons, including Hindutva, despite the rising inflation, he said.

    “So, the Congress’s plan to make inroads into the state’s urban areas is not likely to make much headway,” he said.

    The Congress strongholds of north Gujarat and some tribal region have also been breached as many of its strong leaders have crossed over to the BJP in the last five years.

    “The Congress has a problem of depleting party work force and infighting, among others issues,” he said.

    The other challenge before the Congress is contenders like the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Asaduddin Owaisi headed All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which are also “vying for a pie of the traditional Congress vote bank,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra: Hit by cross-voting in Council polls, absenteeism during trust vote, Congress orders probe

    AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, during his recent campaign rallies in Gujarat, targeted the Congress by appealing to voters not to waste their votes on the opposition party, claiming it cannot defeat the BJP.

    The AAP is eyeing to cut into the Congress’s vote share to challenge the BJP, as it had done in Delhi.

    The Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) of Chotu Vasava has also announced an alliance with the AAP to give a fight to the Congress for tribal votes.

    AIMIM chief Owaisi recently visited some Muslim-dominated constituencies in Ahmedabad, Vadgam in north Gujarat and Kutch with an aim to woo the minority community.

    His party is aiming to open its account in the state Assembly in constituencies where the Muslim population is comparatively higher than other communities.

    Another political observer Hari Desai said the Congress can give the BJP a tough fight if it sticks to cater to the KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi (tribal) and Muslim) vote bank and gets votes of disgruntled Patel community members.

    The KHAM combination of castes and communities was devised as a winning formula by former Gujarat chief minister Madhavsinh Solanki.

    “Parties like the AAP and the BTP can grab votes of the BJP and harm the ruling party equally, and not just the Congress,” Desai said.

    He also said that the AIMIM is likely to cut the Congress’s votes in the state.

    However, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi claimed the people of Gujarat were fed up of the “arrogance and misrule” of the BJP for over two decades and that it will reflect in the 2022 Assembly elections as they will vote out the ruling party.

    READ HERE | Gujarat Assembly polls: Congress won’t project CM face during campaigning

    “The Congress has formed a strategy, and the party’s central leadership is observing everything minutely and directing us on how to go about the polls. We have decided to make this election a fight against Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP state unit president C R Paatil,” Doshi said.

    The Congress does not want the state election to be a fight between PM Narendra Modi and the opposition party, he added.

    On the AAP and other parties also gearing up to contest the Gujarat polls, Congress national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said a third party has never succeeded in the state.

    “Since its formation, Gujarat has seen contests only between the Congress and the BJP and it will remain so. The AAP will not be able to cut ice with the people of Gujarat,” he claimed.

  • Amid Hardik Patel row, Gujarat Congress sets target of winning over 125 seats in assembly polls

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress has planned a slew of programmes across the state in the coming months in view of the ensuing assembly polls and set an ambitious target of winning more than 125 seats out of the total 182 and forming its government, said a senior party leader on Thursday.

    Grappling with internal dissensions, reflected in the resignation of Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel, the party, which is in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state for nearly three decades now, has got into the election mode and is trying to enlist top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for its events ahead of polls due by the year-end.

    The party on Thursday convened its Saurashtra Zone meeting in Rajkot to discuss upcoming programmes, especially making 25 new workers on each of the 52,000-odd booths in the state, said Gujarat Congress in-charge Raghu Sharma while speaking at the event.

    After the meeting, Sharma said the party has resolved to form the next government by winning over 125 seats in the 182-member Gujarat assembly.

    In 2017, the Congress had won 77 seats in the state.

    “This meeting of the Saurashtra Zone was attended by MLAs, district unit presidents and senior party leaders of the state and the region. The party has set a target of forming the next government by winning over 125 seats” Sharma told reporters.

    In his address at the meeting, Sharma said in coming days, the party will hold similar meetings in north, south and central Gujarat areas.

    “We have planned a foot march between August 9 and 15. The yatra would cover at least 75 km in each district. We will connect with people through this pad yatra,” said Sharma.

    “We will also launch the ‘Mera Booth Mera Gaurav’ (My booth my pride) initiative to enroll at least 25 new party workers in each of the 52,000-odd booths. This comes to around 13 lakh new workers. This army of 13 lakh workers will help us in winning the polls,” he said.

    In his address, Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor said the party has planned to organise a mass gathering in Bardoli, a town in Surat district closely associated with Sardar Vallabhai Patel, on June 12.

    “We are planning to invite Rahul Gandhi for the rally in Bardoli. In Saurashtra too, we are planning to organise roadshows of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi on issues concerning farmers, fishermen and unemployed youths,” said Thakor.

  • Former Gujarat Congress MLA Indranil Rajguru joins AAP in Rajkot

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: In a blow to the Gujarat Congress, its former MLA Indranil Rajguru on Thursday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Rajkot, citing that the party has emerged as the best option to serve the people and uproot the ruling BJP in the state.

    Rajguru showered praises on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, claiming that the Delhi chief minister fights for the people, not for his party.

    “This attitude impressed me a lot. I was in the Congress from the beginning because I wanted to serve the people. The BJP has acquired power by fooling people, while the Congress has lost its ability to become an alternative. My only problem with the Congress is that it lacks the will to defeat the BJP,” he said.

    Rajguru won as Congress MLA from Rajkot-East seat in 2012. In 2017, he decided to quit his safe seat to fight the Assembly polls against the then Chief Minister Vijay Rupani from Rajkot-West seat. But he eventually lost to Rupani.

    In 2018, Rajguru resigned from the Congress, claiming that he was unhappy with the functioning of the party organisation. He had also alleged that party workers involved in anti-party activities during the polls were promoted instead of being punished.

    Rajguru rejoined the Congress in 2019 and also campaigned for the party candidates during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “I am joining the AAP because it has emerged as the best option to serve the people in a better way. Moreover, I feel that only the AAP has the strength to uproot the BJP in Gujarat,” Rajguru said, adding that he was not keen on contesting the upcoming Assembly polls, expected to be held in December.

    Local Congress leader Vashram Sagathiya, who had served as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation, also joined the AAP.

  • Gujarat Cong seeks action under sedition law against group behind installation of Nathuram Godse’s bust

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Congress in Gujarat on Wednesday approached the police and demanded that people who installed Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse’s bust in Jamnagar be treated as “anti-nationals” and booked under the sedition law “in the interest of the country’s integrity”.

    A delegation of senior Congress leaders, MLAs and party workers met state Director General of Police (DGP) Ashish Bhatia and submitted a memorandum, which stated that installing the bust of the man who murdered Gandhi was an attempt to attack the country’s integrity and was like an act of terrorism.

    “In the interest of the country’s integrity, request you to take action against people behind this under sedition law,” the memorandum read.

    A group of people from a right-wing outfit Hindu Sena had on Monday installed the bust, which some Congress members demolished on Tuesday.

    Police arrested seven persons from both sides on charges of promoting enmity.

    ALSO READ | Nathuram Godse’s bust installed by right-wing outfit demolished by Cong leaders in Gujarat; seven held

    “It is a matter of shame that such a thing is happening in the Gujarat of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. Gandhi is celebrated the world over for this non-violence, and dedicated his entire life to fight for the country’s freedom,” Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki told reporters after meeting the DGP.

    “People who are behind this despicable act of installing the bust of the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi should be booked under sedition law, because this is an anti-national act.

    This is what we have demanded from the DGP,” he said.

    Godse’s bust was installed by members of the Hindu Sena, a right-wing outfit led by Jamnagar-based lawyer Pratik Bhatt, in an open ground of a small temple-cum-ashram on Jamnagar city outskirts, said inspector of Jamnagar ‘A’ division police station, Mahavir Jalu.

    Upon learning about the bust installation, president of Jamnagar city Congress Digubha Jadeja reached the spot along with party colleague Dhaval Nanda and demolished it.

    Based on the complaints submitted by Bhatt and Jadeja, police have lodged cross-complaints under section 153A of the IPC for promoting enmity between different groups.

  • Rahul focuses on consensus candidate, Gujarat Congress revamp

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Ahead of major organisational changes in the Congress party in Gujarat, party leader Rahul Gandhi Friday held discussion on leadership issues with a group of leaders from the state and a decision on the matter is likely soon.

    Sources said the party is likely to pick a senior party leader to lead the Congress in the state where the elections are due by the end of 2022. During the meeting, Rahul asked them to prepare for the elections and sought views on a consensus candidate to be named as Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief.

    The meeting was attended by 15 state leaders, including working president Hardik Patel, four former state chiefs — Bharatsinh Solanki, Arjun Modhwadia, Siddharth Patel and Amit Chavda — among others. AICC general secretary organisation KC Venugopal and AICC in-charge for Gujarat Raghu Sharma were also present at the meeting.

    The discussions were held on the appointment of the president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and Leader of Opposition (LOP) ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. Both the posts have been lying vacant since March this year since Amit Chavda and Paresh Dhanani submitted their resignations following the party’s poor performance in the local body polls.

    Sharma will discuss names of consensus candidates for the post with party leaders and would send for final approval of the party high command.  Sources said that Rahul Gandhi could visit Gujarat next month to enthuse the party workers while planning is on for a ‘Chintan Shivir’.