Page 18 - Mallikarjun Kharge

We understand your pain, will bring back peace: Rahul to Manipur people

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday embarked on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from here in Manipur with a promise to bring peace and harmony in the ethnic violence-hit state. The violence that broke out in the northeastern state in May last year has claimed more than 180 lives and rendered thousands homeless. Addressing a public meeting in Thoubal, which is south of Manipur capital Imphal, Gandhi also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying perhaps for the BJP and the RSS, Manipur was not a part of India. "Lakhs of people faced losses, but the prime minister has not come here to wipe your tears, hold your hand or embrace you. Maybe for Narendra Modi, the BJP and the RSS, Manipur is not a part of India. Your pain is not their pain," Gandhi said. "We understand the pain that the people of Manipur have been through, we understand the hurt, the sadness. We will bring back harmony, peace and affection for which this state was known," he said. The yatra will cover a distance of

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge appointed as chairperson of INDIA bloc

A consensus emerged on the name of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for appointment as the chairperson of the opposition bloc INDIA on Saturday, sources said. Leaders of the bloc met virtually and discussed various aspects of the alliance and the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May. Sources said leaders of the Trinamool Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Samajwadi Party did not attend the meeting. According to the sources, a consensus emerged on Kharge's appointment as the chairperson of the bloc. An official announcement on the appointment is awaited. The leaders also decided to make Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar the convenor of the bloc, but a final call will be taken after consulting the parties whose representatives were not present in the meeting, the sources said. As many as 28 opposition parties have come together under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on

Congress didn't deserve Ram mandir invitation: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Congress could have apologised to the Hindu community by accepting the Ram temple invitation

Congress leader criticises party's decision to skip Ram temple ceremony

The Congress on Wednesday said that its leaders would not be attending the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya

'Will regret': BJP after Sonia, Kharge, Adhir Ranjan decline invitation

BJP's reaction came hours after the Congress said that Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not be attending the Ram mandir opening ceremony

Ram Mandir inauguration: Sonia, Kharge, Adhir Ranjan decline invitation

Ram Mandir: Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have declined the invitation, calling the Ram mandir inauguration a 'RSS/BJP event' organised for 'electoral gain'

Manipur denies permission to Congress to launch Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

'Unfavourable situation' in Manipur were cited as the reason for the rejection of Congress rally ahead of the Lok Sabha elections

Cong begins seat-sharing talks with INDIA bloc partners for Lok Sabha polls

After extensive internal consultations, the Congress has begun seat-sharing talks in some states with like-minded parties of the INDIA bloc for Lok Sabha elections. Sources said senior leaders of the party have been told to reach out to other leaders of the alliance and talks with some parties have begun. Formal negotiations for seat-sharing with Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab and Delhi will begin on Monday, the sources added. The Congress' five-member committee on seat-sharing - which has Mukul Wasnik as convener and senior leaders Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel among members - has already held internal consultations with state Congress chiefs and handed over its findings to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The seat-sharing talks with other parties come after the 28-party opposition grouping decided to unitedly take on the BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The INDIA bloc has agreed to have a single opposition candidate in Lok Sabha election seats against the BJP in a bid to defeat

INDIA bloc to decide in 10-15 days on who will hold which post: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said leaders of INDIA parties would take a decision within 10-15 days on allocation of posts in the opposition bloc, remarks that come amid speculation that the alliance could pick a convener ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a press conference, he also said that all other matters including seat-sharing of the INDIA bloc would be resolved soon, with party sources indicating that this is likely to be concluded by the month-end. Kharge said the Congress is working on all the 545 Lok Sabha constiutencies and has appointed observers for all the seats, but which party will contest which seat and how many will be decided soon after consultations with all constituents of the opposition alliance. Asked on how many seats the party would contest, he said, "We have already finalised parliamentary observers for all the constituencies... We will go and assess in each Parliamentary constituency." "Ultimately, when INDIA alliance is the

Will take decision on Ram Temple consecration invite 'very soon': Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said he will "very soon" take a decision on whether he will attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi have been invited for the event and the Congress had earlier said that their decision would be conveyed at the "right time". Besides them, Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has also been invited for the ceremony. "I have got the invitation. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's former principal secretary had come along with the secretary of the (temple) trust, they have invited me. I will decide on it very soon," Kharge said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here when asked about the invite sent to him for the ceremony. Being pressed about a Congress chief minister's remarks on the Ram Temple consecration ceremony invite, Kharge said, "It is about 'personal astha'... If there is an invite, you can go, anyone else can go." The ...

Nyay Yatra required as govt didn't allow us to speak in Parl: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said his party is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as the government did not give it a chance to raise issues in Parliament. The Rahul Gandhi-led Manipur-to-Maharashtra yatra, which will begin on January 14, will cover 6,713 km and its participants will travel on buses and foot. "The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will focus on basic social, political and economic issues of the country," Kharge told a press conference here. He added that INDIA bloc leaders and members of the civil society have also been invited to join the march along its route. The Congress had earlier said that the east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would prove to be as impactful and transformative as the earlier south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The Congress is taking out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as "the government did not give us the chance to raise our issues in Parliament", Kharge said and added that "we will listen to people throu

Kharge asks party workers to ensure Congress victory in Lok Sabha elections

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the BJP of raising emotive issues to hide its failures of 10 years and asked workers to get united to ensure the party's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a meeting of party leaders from across the country, Kharge told them to sink their differences, not raise internal issues in the media and work as a team to ensure the party's victory. "The BJP is pushing emotive issues to cover up the failures of its government in the last 10 years. They deliberately involve Congress in every issue," Kharge said at the meeting. "We have to unite and give a befitting reply to the lies, deceit and wrongdoings of the BJP on grassroots issues in front of the people," he added. The Congress president also lauded Rahul Gandhi for undertaking the the Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and expressed confidence that his Bharat Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Maharashtra will bring issues of social justice to centre of the nation

Senior Congress leaders meet to discuss poll strategy, Bharat Nyay Yatra

Senior Congress leaders from across the country met here on Thursday to discuss strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, seat sharing and preparations for the Rahul Gandhi-led Manipur to Maharashtra Bharat Nyay Yatra beginning January 14. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge convened the meeting of party general secretaries, state in-charges, state unit chiefs and Congress Legislature Party leaders at the party headquarters here. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi was also present. This is the first meeting of the newly appointed party officials after Kharge carried out a reshuffle in December. Ahead of the meeting, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said two meetings of the internal Congress committee were held to deliberate on seat sharing with other parties. "The committee will now present its report to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. We will be meeting again to discuss strategies to strengthen the INDIA alliance and address seat-sharing issues

Crude oil prices falling but no control on looting of Modi govt: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday targeted the Modi government for not reducing the prices of petrol and diesel even when crude oil prices were falling globally. In a post on X, Kharge also put out a chart, which said crude oil has reduced by 31 per cent in 19 months but the minister says there will be no reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel. "Crude oil prices are falling, but there is no control on the looting of the Modi government. Modi ji's ministers themselves are saying that 'there has been no talk with oil companies about reducing prices'. Oil companies are earning Rs 8 to Rs 10 profit from the public on every litre of petrol and Rs 3 to Rs 4 profit on diesel," he said in his post. "The country is looking for an account of lowest 'public savings' in 50 years, ... in BJP's false speeches of 'Acche Din' and in their hollow advertisements," Kharge added.

Meet Y S Sharmila, Andhra Pradesh CM's sister who is set to join Congress

YS Sharmila, the younger sister of Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, had been in close talks with the Congress over the merger with her party. The brother-sister parted ways politically in July 2021

Elated to witness successful launch of XPoSat, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Earlier, on Monday, Isro successfully put the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite in its desired orbit

BJP's lies are strongest: Kharge as he slams PM on doubling farmers' income

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the promises made by him to double farmers' income by 2022, alleging that the "BJP's lies are the strongest". In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "Narendra Modi ji, Today is the last day of 2023. You said that till 2022'Every farmer's income will double. Every Indian will have a house and 24x7 electricity. The economy will become USD 5 Trillion." "All this did not happen'but every Indian knows that BJP's lies are the strongest!" Kharge said. The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy and its policies regarding farmers. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh attacked the government over not conducting the decennial census. Responding to a post on the delay in holding the census, Ramesh said, "The inordinate delay in conducting the decennial Census last due for 2021 raises several questions. It is not just related to the Covid ...

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Will decide if Sonia, Kharge will attend Ram temple consecration: Cong

The Congress on Friday said it will take a decision at an "appropriate time" on whether party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi will attend the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh told reporters here that Gandhi and Kharge have been invited to the ceremony. "Chairperson Congress parliamentary party Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have been invited to the inauguration of the Ram temple. A decision will be taken at an appropriate time, and communicated at an appropriate time," he said. Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also been invited to the ceremony. The consecration ceremony will be held on January 22 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and more than 6,000 people are expected to attend it.