Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

Ajay Maken

Several leaders who left the Congress and even mounted stinging attacks on it find a place in the pictorial representation of the party's history spread across the five storeys of its new 9A Kotla Road office. Ahead of a media tour of the office, Congress treasurer Ajay Maken Saturday told reporters at the first press conference at the Indira Gandhi Bhawan that the building was built at an estimated cost of Rs 200-225 crore with some dues still left to be paid to Larsen and Toubro (L&T) construction company. The Congress headquarters was inaugurated on Wednesday, as the grand old party turned a page in its history after operating from its iconic 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years. Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the plush building in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, among other senior leaders. "Today we will ...

Updated On: 18 Jan 2025 | 9:47 PM IST

AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleges that Congress leader 'Ajay Maken reads the BJP script', demands action against him. Singh warns AAP will urge INDIA bloc partners to expel Congress if no action is taken

Updated On: 26 Dec 2024 | 3:25 PM IST

Delhi Congress on Wednesday released a 12-point "white paper" targeting the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over their alleged unkept promises and mismanagement on various issues like pollution, civic facilities and law and order. Addressing a press conference, AICC treasurer Ajay Maken lashed out at AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, saying his party came to power riding on the Janlokpal agitation but has failed to set up the anti-corruption ombudsman. "If there is one word to describe former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal here then it would be Farziwal," he said while releasing the white paper titled "Mauka Mauka, Har Baar Dhoka". "If anyone is the king of fraud in the entire country then it is Kejriwal and that is why we have come here with a white paper on the Kejriwal government and also on the BJP government at the Centre," Maken said. There was no immediate reaction from AAP and BJP. Maken questioned why the Janlokpal had not been formed even in Punjab. "If LG is not allowing

Updated On: 25 Dec 2024 | 8:29 PM IST

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on Friday dismissed the Congress party's appeal against imposition of penalty for discrepancies in tax returns for previous years and said it was exploring all legal options and will move the high court against it very soon. Sources said the tribunal had dismissed the appeal of the Congress for imposition of penalties of Rs 210 crore by the Income Tax department here on Friday. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the party is exploring all legal options and would move the high court "very soon". "The BJP government has deliberately chosen the timing of this to coincide with national elections," Maken told PTI. He said the I-T tribunal order freezing Congress's funds is "an attack on democracy" as it has come just ahead of national elections. "How can one expect fair elections in such a situation when funds to the tune of Rs 270 crore have been freezed or taken away by the Income Tax authorities from Congress party's accounts," he asked. Confirming

Updated On: 08 Mar 2024 | 8:19 PM IST

The Congress on Friday said Income Tax authorities had frozen its main bank accounts, impacting all political activity. However, the accounts were later de-frozen by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal pending a further hearing next week. Party leader Vivek Tankha, who appeared before the tribunal against the order, said the party was now allowed to operate its bank accounts. The tribunal will hear the matter next Wednesday before a final decision is taken on the matter. Tankha said he told the tribunal that the Congress would not be able to participate in the "festival of elections" in case its accounts remain frozen. Earlier in the day, treasurer Ajay Maken said the Income Tax department had frozen the Congress' main bank accounts on "flimsy grounds" and this affected all political activity of the party barely two weeks before general elections are announced. The accounts, including that of the Indian Youth Congress, were frozen on an Income Tax demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19,

Updated On: 16 Feb 2024 | 1:36 PM IST

The Income Tax department has frozen the Congress' four main bank accounts on "flimsy grounds", party treasurer Ajay Maken claimed on Friday and alleged that democracy was in danger in the country. This has affected all political activity of the party, Maken said at a press conference. Sources later said nine accounts had been frozen. The accounts were frozen on an Income Tax demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19, an election year, Maken said. "For the first time in the country's history, accounts of the principal opposition party have been frozen by the tax authorities on flimsy grounds, barely two weeks before the announcement of general elections," Maken told reporters. He appealed to the judiciary to save democracy as it was in danger and said the country is headed towards one-party democracy. Maken said the party has already appealed to the Income Tax appellate authority.

Updated On: 16 Feb 2024 | 12:30 PM IST

Earlier in December, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched the crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for Desh' for the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Updated On: 03 Jan 2024 | 12:01 PM IST

Maken served as a minister under Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, as the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly

Updated On: 01 Oct 2023 | 7:58 PM IST

Congress leader and former Union minister Ajay Maken on Sunday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should follow the "Sheila Dikshit model" of engaging with officers respectfully, holding dialogues with them rather than "mistreating" them, and persuading them to work for the city's advancement. He also said Kejriwal's past actions of summoning officers and allegedly using harsh words against them are only contributing to the City's distress. Maken's advice came as the Delhi government is engaged in a battle with the Centre over the control of the city's bureaucracy. Sharing his own experiences as a minister in the Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi during the BJP-led NDA regime at the centre in early 2000s, Maken said they worked with the bureaucracy to get things done in Delhi's interest. "I hope the current Chief Minister takes note of this journey and learns from it. Engage with officers respectfully, hold dialogues, and persuade them for Delhi's advancement. They will ...

Updated On: 21 May 2023 | 8:44 PM IST

The AAP on Monday hit out at Congress leader Ajay Maken for targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the issue of corruption and sought to know if he has clinched any deal with the BJP. The party's reaction came a day after Maken, former Delhi Congress chief, launched a scathing attack on Kejriwal, saying that individuals like him and his associates who face "serious corruption charges" should not be shown any sympathy or support. On the one hand Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge extends his support to Arvind Kejriwal calling him over phone, on the other hand his party leader Ajay Maken is writing against the AAP national convener. This means he (Maken) must have clinched a deal with the BJP, AAP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sanjay Singh told reporters here. He also wondered if there is any communication gap between the Congress leader and his party or if the party is confused. When his party's national president is extending support to Kejriwal, why is h

Updated On: 18 Apr 2023 | 7:09 AM IST

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken has expressed his unwillingness to continue as the in-charge of Rajasthan, where he had failed to convene a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in September amid a rebellion by MLAs. In a letter to party president Mallikarjun Kharge on November 8, Maken cited the developments of September 25 and asked the party chief to appoint someone in place of him, sources said on Wednesday. The development comes ahead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi entering Rajasthan in the first week of December. Maken and Kharge had gone to Jaipur as central observers for holding a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in September amid charges and counter-charges by both factions in favour of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. The CLP meeting could not take place, but some MLAs considered loyal to the chief minister, held a separate meeting at the residence of state minister Shanti Dhariwal, who opposed Pilot as ...

Updated On: 16 Nov 2022 | 7:28 PM IST

Congress observers for Rajasthan on Tuesday recommended disciplinary action against three party leaders, including two ministers, for the crisis in the state, but did not seek any action against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The three Gehlot loyalists against whom action has been recommended are Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Minister and Congress Chief Whip in the Assembly Mahesh Joshi, and MLA Dharmendra Rathore. The observers - Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken - submitted their report to party chief Sonia Gandhi Tuesday evening, flagging "gross indiscipline" on the part of some leaders who organised a parallel meet of MLAs instead of joining a Congress Legislature Party meeting. The two observers had to return from Jaipur without holding the CLP meeting as a large group of MLAs considered loyal to Chief Minister Gehlot refused to join it and put forth certain conditions for the selection of Gehlot's successor. The sources said the report has not sought any action against Gehl

Updated On: 27 Sep 2022 | 8:31 PM IST

Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken briefed president Sonia Gandhi on Monday regarding the developments in Rajasthan and will submit a written report about the crisis in the party's state unit by tonight or tomorrow. Talking to reporters after a nearly hour-long meeting with Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken said they apprised the party president of the developments in the state after which she sought a detailed report on it. He said it was "unfortunate" that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) could not be held and termed the move of pro-Gehlot loyalist MLAs and ministers as "indiscipline". He added that the CLP meet was kept after Gehlot's consent and the place and time were set as per his request. He said the MLAs and ministers loyal to Chief minister Gehlot cannot pose conditions to the party leadership as they amount to a "conflict of interest". "Kharge ji and I have apprised the Congress president of the CLP meeting in Rajasthan. The Congress

Updated On: 26 Sep 2022 | 11:03 PM IST

Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken on Monday slammed the MLAs loyal to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for setting conditions for a party resolution, terming it a "conflict of interest", and said their decision to hold a parallel meeting amounted to indiscipline. The MLAs loyal to Gehlot had on Sunday night submitted their resignation letters over a possible move to appoint Sachin Pilot as the chief minister and also kept away from the legislature party meeting called by central party observers -- Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge. "In the 75 years of Congress history, there has never been a conditional resolution. Resolution is one-line only. Everything is told to the Congress president and then a decision is taken," Maken told reporters here before leaving for New Delhi. "Resolution should not have any conflict of interest. Those who are contesting elections and tomorrow become party president, they get to decide on the resolution and this is a conflict of interest. So,

Updated On: 26 Sep 2022 | 4:20 PM IST

The Gehlot loyalists want someone from their own camp to be chosen as the next Chief Minister, instead of Pilot, who, according to them, had revolted against his own party back in 2020

Updated On: 26 Sep 2022 | 4:09 PM IST

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot became the first person to announce his candidature for the AICC presidential poll on Friday, a day before the nomination process begins, and said Rahul Gandhi has told him that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party chief. He also said the call on his successor to head the Rajasthan government will be taken by the party's interim president, Sonia Gandhi, and the Congress's Rajasthan in-charge, Ajay Maken. Gehlot's remarks came a day after former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi batted for the "one-man, one-post" concept in the party, in line with the Chintan Shivir reforms earlier this year. With Shashi Tharoor likely to be the second contender and the names of several others also doing the rounds for joining the fray, Gehlot said the aim should be that all Congress members work together after the poll to strengthen the party. Talking to reporters in Kochi, the 71-year-old leader said, "I will fix the date (to submit the nominat

Updated On: 24 Sep 2022 | 12:45 AM IST

Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi said it will not be intimidated by this kind of "cheap and petty politics" and will continue to raise people's issues.

Updated On: 03 Aug 2022 | 9:10 PM IST

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken on Monday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging BJP-JJP backed Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma's win in last month's Rajya Sabha polls

Updated On: 19 Jul 2022 | 9:47 AM IST

The Congress is mulling action against Kuldeep Bishnoi for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls which led to party candidate in Haryana Ajay Maken's defeat, sources said

Updated On: 11 Jun 2022 | 1:23 PM IST

The Congress has fielded its general secretary Ajay Maken for the elections, while the BJP has nominated Krishan Lal Panwar.

Updated On: 02 Jun 2022 | 10:05 PM IST