'The challenge can only be met if Sonia Gandhi asserts herself and sets a clear Left-of-Centre direction for the Congress and the UPA. The Congress's best bet lies in building a new social coalition based on the most disadvantaged strata of subaltern groups, including Dalits, OBCs and Muslims, driven by a pro-poor programme.'
Congress president Sonia Gandhi returned to the capital early Thursday morning from abroad where she underwent surgery a month ago for an undisclosed ailment.
In early 2004, when the Congress had been routed in north Indian states, and even Congressmen were prophesying a two-digit tally for the party in the general elections, Sonia determinedly hit the road and stitched up alliances. Now, once again, she is displaying a similar resoluteness in circumstances that are even more trying, as evidenced by her piloting of the Food Security Bill, says Neerja Chowdhury
The party also named Dinesh Pratap Singh as its candidate from Rae Bareli, a Gandhi family bastion which was won by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi five consecutive times.
The Congress on Friday said it will take a decision at an 'appropriate time' whether its senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi will attend the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
An article published by the party's Mumbai unit has caused a stir as it blames Jawaharlal Nehru for the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said her "sympathies" were with the BJP as big leaders of the INDIA bloc who are known to be good speakers have made it to the House.
Ashok Pandey, a Lucknow-based advocate, had asked the court to direct President A P J Abdul Kalam not to appoint the Congress chief as the prime minister.
If Priyanka wins the Lok Sabha bypolls, it would be for the first time that three members of the Gandhi family will be in Parliament. Her mother Sonia Gandhi is a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
United Progressive Alliance on Wednesday projected a united picture on the eve of the Presidential poll with all constituents including Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and supporting parties attending a lunch hosted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
The request to contest from the state is being made as people see her as the 'mother' who gave statehood to Telangana, he was quoted as saying in an official release
Addressing a rally Garhmukteshwar in UP's Ghaziabad district, Singh said he regretted making adverse remarks against the Congress president and the Amethi MP when he was with the Samajwadi Party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of repeatedly "wounding" the Indian Constitution. He claimed that the Congress, driven by its "lust for power," has consistently undermined the principles of the Constitution. Modi, however, praised India's democratic journey since its independence, highlighting the country's strong democratic roots and its unwavering commitment to its founding principles. He underscored the importance of unity for India's future development and emphasized that the Constitution is the bedrock of that unity.
The decision on Rahul Gandhi's appointment as the Leader of Opposition was made after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has been hospitalised for lower respiratory tract infection, is stable and recovering well.
Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the Bandra Worli Sea Link on June 30, 2009.
Sarabjit Singh, the death row convict in Pakistan, has claimed that there was a threat to his life in jail. Sarabjit, who is currently lodged in Kot Lakhpathrai Jail of Pakistan, has expressed the fear for his life in a letter addressed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
A combative Sonia Gandhi on Thursday sought to deflect attacks on the Congress over corruption by accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of running corrupt governments in several states, affirming that her party has done more to fight this "cancer" than others.
There was more to him than he let on, asserts Aditi Phadnis.
Advani met Sonia Gandhi at 10, Janpath in New Delhi to gift her his recently-released autobiography 'My Country, My Life'. He later greeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the ocassion of Holi. Advani had earlier regretted the lack of communication between himself Sonia Gandhi and Dr Singh.
A year after the Congress party president first travelled abroad for medical treatment, sources familiar with the medical team treating her at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Hospital said Mrs Gandhi is fully cured of cancer.
Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appealed to insurgent groups to give up violence and come forward for talks to help accelerate the current pace of socio-economic development in Assam.
Social activist Aruna Roy in a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi expressed her displeasure over the arrests of Medha Patkar and other campaigners and over the violation of right to peaceful protest. Here's the full text of the letter.
Rahul Gandhi said both Rae Bareli and Wayanad "will get two MPs".
A bench headed by Justice A R Dave said a seven-judge Constitution bench was already hearing a matter on a similar issue and therefore it will not be appropriate to take a view in this matter now.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concerns about the Congress party's leadership role within the INDIA bloc, raising questions about their ability to justify their position. Abdullah highlighted a sense of disquiet among some allies, who feel the Congress isn't doing enough to earn its leadership position. While praising Sonia Gandhi's leadership, he also criticized the alliance's lack of consistent engagement and called for more structured communication to address potential disagreements. Abdullah's comments suggest underlying tensions within the opposition alliance, particularly regarding the Congress's electoral performance and seat distribution strategies.
As a leader, he was ambitious, not for himself but for India and its people. His was not the short-term election cycle calculation of individual political gain. His was a practical vision of how to better the lives of his fellow citizens, asserts Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, who served as foreign secretary and national security advisor when Dr Singh was prime minister.
Scenes from the Opposition leaders' dinner meeting, in Bengaluru on Monday, July 17, 2023.
Zardari explained to journalists who met him in Bhutto's ancestral village of Naudero that he, like the Congress President, wanted to take a back seat and let the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leadership decide things.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi was never shown any government files, her political secretary Ahmed Patel said while terming as "baseless" the charges made against her in a book written by Prime Minister's former media advisor Sanjaya Baru.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra, on Thursday visited the famous Sai Baba temple at Shirdi in Ahmednagar district.
The party has fielded sitting MLA Rajendra Singh Joon from the Bahadurgarh seat.
The Congress' top leadership will deliberate on the Lok Sabha election results and chalk out its future strategy at a crucial meeting of the party's working committee on Saturday.
Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka are protected by the elite Special Protection Group.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been "defanged" by the Congress party in his second term with Sonia Gandhi deciding on key appointments to the Cabinet and to the PMO as he seemed to "surrender" to her and to the United Progressive Alliance constituents.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Tuesday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi amid the controversy over his attending a music launch function of a Bollywood film hours after the serial blasts in Patna on Sunday.
Rahul Gandhi may also contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli, a seat which was previously held by Sonia Gandhi.
There were rumours that the Indian government had shipped across explosives.
Even before the first votes are counted in Maharashtra, fissures have emerged within the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on who will head the next government. Both camps are claiming the chief minister's post, with constituents in both camps laying claim over the chief minister's post. The MVA, consisting of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), and the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, have expressed confidence that their respective alliance will form the next government after votes are counted on Saturday. While a majority of exit polls have predicted that Mahayuti will retain power, a few have favored the MVA.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Maharashtra authorised All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi to choose a new leader to succeed Ashok Chavan who resigned as chief minister in the wake of Adarsh Housing Society scam.
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