Mallikarjun Kharge Congress – News Analysis India https://newsanalysisindia.com The news you need to know, explained Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 They stand as one, united by light of purpose ahead: Rahul Gandhi on Kerala Congress leaders https://newsanalysisindia.com/politics/they-stand-as-one-united-by-light-of-purpose-ahead-rahul-gandhi-on-kerala-congress-leaders/ Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 http://newsanalysisindia.local/they-stand-as-one-united-by-light-of-purpose-ahead-rahul-gandhi-on-kerala-congress-leaders/ New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted on Sunday that the party’s leaders from Kerala “stand as one” and are “united” by the light of purpose ahead. His assertion came after the Congress top brass met leaders from Kerala at the Indira Bhawan here for a brainstorming session on Friday to discuss the strategy and way forward ahead of next year’s Assembly polls.

Posting a picture from the Kerala leaders’ interaction with the media after the meeting, Gandhi said on Facebook: “They stand as one, united by the light of purpose ahead.” His post was accompanied by the hashtag, “Team Kerala”.

The nearly-three-hour meeting at the Congress’s Indira Bhawan headquarters here on Friday had discipline, unity and the strengthening of the state organisation as its running theme. Close on the heels of a row over its MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent remarks, the Congress top brass issued a stern warning to its Kerala leaders, asserting that strong action will be taken against those making comments that go against the party’s interests.

At the meeting, Gandhi said leaders should be very careful about the party’s political strategy and should not do or say anything that does not toe the organisation’s line, according to sources.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge laid stress on discipline, ensuring unity and filling up vacant posts to strengthen the party’s Kerala unit. Besides Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan, Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor and AICC in-charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi, among others, were present at the meeting. “We got a clear indication from our high-command that the Congress is very much connected with the people of Kerala emotionally and politically. People are looking for a change, so we should not do anything that will disrespect the people of Kerala.

“This was a clear indication and if anyone (says) anything personally, we will take strong action. Because we have no right to disrespect the people of Kerala,” Dasmunshi told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting with the senior leaders from Kerala came close on the heels of a row over Tharoor’s recent article in a newspaper that drew criticism from some party leaders over the former Union minister’s “praise” of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the southern state for boosting the investment climate.

Later, Tharoor’s remarks in a Malayalam podcast were seen by many as pitching himself for leadership in the state, which upset a section of leaders in the Kerala Congress.

The Congress is the main opposition party in Kerala and is seeking to wrest power from the LDF.

The Assembly polls are due in Kerala in March-April next year.

]]> Congress to use Tuesday’s rally to establish its clout in Mumbai-Karnataka region https://newsanalysisindia.com/politics/congress-to-use-tuesdays-rally-to-establish-its-clout-in-mumbai-karnataka-region/ Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 http://newsanalysisindia.local/congress-to-use-tuesdays-rally-to-establish-its-clout-in-mumbai-karnataka-region/ The Congress is organising a mega convention in Belagavi on Tuesday hoping to establish its clout in the Mumbai-Karnataka region where the BJP remains the dominant political force. In the Lok Sabha polls, last year, the BJP won six out of the seven seats in the region in a big blow to the Congress which had targeted 20 out of 28 seats in Karnataka.

With AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and heavyweights Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in attendance, the Congress is pitching the event, held in the names of Gandhi, Ambedkar and the Constitution, as a precursor to the upcoming local body polls leading up to the assembly polls in 2028.The Jai Bapu-Jai Bhim-Jai Samvidhan, as the event is named, will target the BJP in the name of threats to the Constitution as the Congress seeks to consolidate the Dalit, backward classes and minority votes. “The Jai Bapu-Jai Bhim-Jai Samvidhan is a convention to send out a big message from Belagavi,” Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said.Shivakumar, who is also the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), is also said to be targeting the 85 seats where the Congress lost in the 2023 assembly polls, to strengthen the party base there. The party is said to be working on a strategy to wrest at least 15 of them in the next election, while hoping that the incumbent lawmakers will retain their seats.

Targeting the BJP, the Dy CM said the saffron party had insulted Ambedkar. “This convention intends to uphold his honour and protect the Constitution for future generations. This is not a political event, and I urge people cutting across party lines to participate in this historic event.”

“We have procured 50,000 Gandhi caps and one lakh badges for the event. Only the Congressmen have an opportunity to protect the legacy of Gandhiji,” Shivakumar said. “More than 60 national level leaders, MPs, CWC members and others are attending the convention. The ministers and MLAs will also participate in the convention.”The convention comes amid demands within the Congress for tabling of the caste census report before the Cabinet which the government has put off, so far. ]]>