Rahul Gandhi’s tough message to Congress leaders – ‘Zero tolerance to groupism'

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi warned Congress leaders against any act of groupism within the party and also told the leaders that coordination and cooperation is the key to success.

In his first formal interaction with newly-appointed party office-bearers Rahul Gandhi categorically asserted that accountability will follow responsibility.

At a time when series of assembly polls are going to take place apart from Lok Sabha elections by May next, the Congress Vice President said that the  Congress party set up should project a picture of a united family where the young give respect to elders and draw from their experience. Rahul Gandhi said the Congress leaders should prepare a roadmap for the states under their charge and the secretaries should visit the district and block levels as per the plan.

The Congress leader who has frequently talked about the system being closed to youngsters, asked the leaders to help open it up. Congress general secretaries, who had in earlier meetings with Gandhi, complained of not having been given adequate responsibilities, have been given the charge this time and they will have to do lot of touring of the states. Seeking to put the house in order, Gandhi said factionalism is detrimental to the party’s interests and should be shunned.

Rahul Gandhi also chose the occassion to flag the issue of inadequate representation to women in the AICC and other party wings. “Rahul Gandhi talked about how to ensure 50 percent representation to women in AICC…It’s not about reservation. It’s about their representation. When he observed that their (women) presence is not in the proportion it should be, he said the presence of women is less but it will definitely be 50 per cent in the coming two-three years,” party spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das told reporters after the meeting.

Jharkhand: Sonia Gandhi holds discussions with senior Congress leaders on govt formation

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday held discussions with senior party leaders regarding an alliance with JMM for the next Lok Sabha polls and formation of a coalition government in Jharkhand.

Defence Minister Antony, who chairs the sub-group on alliances for the next general elections, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge of Jharkhand B K Hariprasad, AICC General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed, Jharkhand Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat and CLP leader Rajendra Singh met Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the progress of the talks with JMM so far.

Earlier, Bhagat, Singh and senior state Congress leader Sarfaraz Ahmed met RJD chief Lalu Prasad. Singh said he was 100 per cent sure that the RJD would back the new government in Jharkhand.

The Congress party has agreed to have a JMM Chief Minister in the state which in lieu has consented to give a lion's share of the 14 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress. Shibu Soren's son Hemant Soren, who is tipped to be the next chief minister, held a meeting with RJD chief Lalu Prasad last night to seek his support for the coalition government.

Hours before his meeting with Prasad, Soren had a long discussion with Antony, the Congress President's political secretary Ahmed Patel where further steps in connection with government formation were learnt to have been discussed.

President's Rule was imposed in Jharkhand on January 18 following the resignation of Chief Minister Arjun Munda. In the 82-member Assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 MLAs each. The Congress has a total of 13 members, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(P) 11 and RJD 5. CPI-ML(L), Marxist Coordination Party, Jharkhand Party (Ekka), Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch and Jai Bharat Samta Party have one member each besides an independent.

Sonia Gandhi, PM flag-off Banihar-Quazigund rail line in Kashmir

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi jointly flagged off the first service through Banhial-Quazigund railway line in Kashmir. The new rail line provide the people with all-weather rail link in the Valley.

Rahul Gandhi in Amethi at the funeral of IAF officer killed in U’Khand

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited Amethi, his parliament constituency, to attend the funeral of IAF officer Akhilesh Kumar Singh who died in the recent chopper crash in Uttarakhand.. He also met the family members of Singh.

Sonia Gandhi recalls legendary Kashmiri poet Mahjoor's contribution

Srinagar : Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday stressed how Kashmiri poet Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor had delivered his message of brotherhood in the common's man language. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also lauded Mahjoor by saying that the revolutionary poet should have been honoured many years ago.

Speaking at the occasion of releasing a commemorative postage stamp in the poet's honour, Sonia Gandhi said that Mahjoor was a great example of the country's great tradition and a social reformer of his times. "Mahjoor's contribution has been significant and it is because of his great contribution that he is known as the poet of Kashmir” said Sonia Gandhi.” He had progressive ideas and through his verses he delivered a message of universal brotherhood” added the Congress President.

"He had the capacity to deliver his message in a language the common man understood well and for this reason, Rabindra Nath Tagore had called him the 'Wordsworth of Kashmir'," further said Sonia Gandhi.
The Prime Minister said Kashmir was known as the heaven on Earth not just because of its geographical beauty, but by "great spiritual personalities" who furthered "universal values those glorify human virtues". "I will briefly mention just two great personalities of Kashmir - Lalla Arifa or Lallashwari and Sheikh Nuruddin Wali, who are the champions of the soul of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat.

Department of Posts is bringing out the stamp on Mehjoor, a poet of great excellence and doyen of secularism. This is the second occasion that a postage stamp on Kashmir is being released. In 2006, the then President A P J Abdul Kalam released a postage stamp on J-K High Court on its 150th anniversary at the same venue. Samuel said the stamp is of Rs 5 denomination, and will be available at Srinagar GPO after the its formal release. First Day Cover and information brochure will also be released on the occasion. Release of the postage stamp on Mehjoor is a historic event for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rahul Gandhi warns Congress leaders against groupism

New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, while interacting with the newly elected office bearers of the party on Saturday, warned the Congress leaders against groupism and said that coordination and cooperation is the key to success.

Rahul Gandhi told them in no uncertain terms that accountability will follow responsibility. He also felt there was something amiss in the functioning of the outgoing party set-up. With a series of assembly polls due this year and Lok Sabha elections by May next, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress should project a picture of a united family where the young give respect to elders and draw from their experience. He said the general secretaries should prepare a roadmap for the states under their charge and the secretaries should visit the district and block levels as per the plan.

The Congress vice president, who has frequently talked about the system being closed to youngsters, asked the leaders to help open it up. AICC secretaries, who had in earlier meetings with Rahul Gandhi, complained of not having been given adequate responsibilities, have been given the charge this time and they will have to do lot of touring of the states. The young Congress MP said factionalism is detrimental to the party's interests and should be shunned.

Rahul Gandhi also chose the occasion to flag the issue of inadequate representation to women in the AICC and other party wings. The Congress leader assured that in two-three years, 50 percent of the office-bearers will be women.

Rahul Gandhi in Amethi attends funeral of IAF officer AK Singh killed in Uttarakhand chopper crash

Amethi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reached Amethi, his parliament constituency, and attended the funeral of IAF officer Akhilesh Kumar Singh who died in Tuesday's chopper crash in Uttarakhand.. He also met the family members of Singh.

The Congress MP arrived at Fursatganj airport in the afternoon and went directly to Pure Nago village under Deeh area to meet the family of the junior warrant officer. Rahul Gandhi met Akhilesh's father Vikramjit Singh and wife Anju Singh and assured all possible help to the bereaved family.

When pointed out that the deceased officer was keen on providing quality education to his young kids, Rahul Gandhi said he would do everything to ensure it. Rahul Gandhi also told the family to talk to him directly in case of any problem. He also attended the cremation in the village later.

The body of the martyr was brought to his native village on Saturday forenoon. An Indian Air Force helicopter crashed on June 25 during a rescue mission in Uttarakhand. All 20 people, including its five crew members, were killed in the mishap. Two of the IAF personnel belonged to Uttar Pradesh.