Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has criticised the Centre for introducing a 0.4% charge on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, alleging the decision was influenced by pressure from the United States and its payment companies like Visa and Mastercard. He highlighted a perceived shift in the government's stance on Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for UPI, claiming it would ultimately burden consumers and small businesses while benefiting American firms.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has criticised the BJP government in Rajasthan over the state's law and order situation, claiming it is 'on the ventilator'. He cited NCRB data indicating a high number of rape cases and alleged that victims are being pressured when seeking justice.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has called for a fair investigation into the alleged assault involving a BJP MLA from Sriganganagar, after police arrested three individuals in connection with the case.
Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot alleges a BJP leader's involvement in the NEET paper leak, accusing the state government of suppression. The SOG has detained over 150 people, with 20 handed to the CBI for questioning.
'And once someone is dead in a family the ritual is to shave your head.'
Lokesh Sharma, the former OSD of Rajasthan's ex-chief minister Ashok Gehlot, has turned approver in a phone tapping case that happened during the political crisis in the state in 2020. Sharma was accused of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and unlawfully intercepting telephonic conversations. He has alleged that Gehlot was involved in tapping of phones and gave evidence to support his claim. Sharma claims that he was directed by Gehlot to circulate recordings of phone calls to the media.
"I sometimes think of leaving it, but the chief minister's post doesn't leave me," Ashok Gehlot famously said earlier this year, in part as a signal to the Congress top brass not to pick someone else for the job if the party wins the assembly polls.
Sources close to Gehlot said that Rahul Gandhi is his first choice for the top party post.
Whatever the outcome of the assembly election in Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot is firmly ensconced in the Congress inner circle.
How C P Joshi is scuttling the Rajasthan chief minister's bid to retain office. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh
'They have been disturbed. They say something, do something else,' says Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The second and final phase of urban local body elections in Rajasthan was marked by EVM-related glitches and voter issues, with a 57.38 per cent turnout recorded by 3 pm. Prominent leaders like Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cast their votes, while several incidents of disputes and alleged bogus voting were reported across various polling stations.
Rahul Gandhi is marching with a positive thought, it is a positive yatra. There is no violence, no hatred. If you are not showing this yatra, you are not fulfilling your dut
Ashok Gehlot, who led the Congress to victory in the Rajasthan election, has emerged as the frontrunner for the chief minister's post. The Congress is the single largest party with 96 seats, five short of the 101 needed for a simple majority. But there are other aspirants for the chief minister's post. State party president C P Joshi, who lost the Nathdwara constituency by a single vote, is one. He said the party need not necessarily nominate a winning candidate.
Supporters of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot on Thursday got into a scuffle with each other ahead of a feedback meeting with the party workers in Ajmer, the police said.
Ashok Gehlot, who spearheaded the Congress campaign and brought it back to power in the assembly elections in Rajasthan, was on Saturday sworn in as chief minister for a second term in office.Gehlot, 57, who was the chief minister between 1998 and 2003, was sworn in at a public ceremony in front of a large number of Congressmen by Governor S K Singh. He was the only one to take oath today.
Self-effacing and a grassroots man, Ashok Gehlot worked untiringly for rebuilding the party from a scratch since 2003 when it was ousted from power in Rajasthan where caste rivalries sought to redraw political equations like never before in the recent past.
Ashok Gehlot may have the image of a politician with his ears to the ground but his populist policies and programmes have not yielded dividends in the elections in Rajasthan where the ruling Congress suffered a massive defeat.
A major Gurjar organisation on Thursday called off its agitation over reservation after reaching a consensus with the Rajasthan government, a community leader said.
A profile of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
However, Gehlot, said he will make one last-ditch effort to convince Rahul to take up the party president's post.
The Congress party has launched nationwide protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his removal. Accusing him of acting in favour of the BJP and citing alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions (SIR), party workers burned effigies and clashed with police. Opposition parties plan further action, including a meeting of the INDIA bloc to strategize for his ouster.
Penguin Random House India has denied any external pressure influenced its decision not to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', stating an 'impasse over a particular issue' led to the author's team withdrawing the book.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is set to meet with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to discuss the state cabinet reshuffle following Siddaramaiah's resignation. Key topics include Rajya Sabha and MLC candidates, as well as potential appointments of multiple Deputy CMs to maintain social and regional balance.
The ruling BJP has increased its lead over the Congress in the Rajasthan urban local body elections, winning 3,587 wards against Congress's 3,050. Independents also performed strongly, securing 2,024 wards. While BJP secured a clear majority in Udaipur, Congress won in Ajmer and Pali. Bharatpur, the Chief Minister's hometown, saw Independents leading. These elections are a crucial test for the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.
CCTV footage of an alleged molestation incident in Jaipur has surfaced, sparking public outrage and political criticism of the BJP government. Police are investigating the incident, which occurred on March 25, based on the available footage.
Congress leaders in Rajasthan have accused the BJP government of attempting to suppress the NEET-UG paper leak, alleging the involvement of a local BJP leader. The BJP denies the claims, while the Congress demands answers and an impartial investigation.
A hotel owner was shot dead and three others critically wounded in a shooting at a hotel in Rajasthan's Churu district. Police suspect a rivalry between groups involved in the liquor trade as a possible motive. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has condemned the incident, citing a deterioration of law and order in the state.
Our campaign was overshadowed by the falsehood and rumours that the BJP spread, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tells PB Chandra in an interview.
Penguin Random House India has clarified that it is not the publisher of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love," in India. This statement follows reports suggesting the publisher backed out due to Gandhi's refusal of editorial changes. The company maintains it was willing to publish but has a prerogative to fact-check authors. The book's India distribution remains uncertain, though an e-book version is available for pre-order from another publisher.
The Congress party has strongly condemned the 'purification' of a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after a public meeting addressed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging it reflects an 'anti-Dalit' mindset of the BJP and RSS.
An NSUI leader has filed an FIR alleging assault and threats by aides of a BJP legislator near the Rajasthan Assembly, prompting condemnation and calls for investigation.
Ashok Gehlot analysis the shocking rout of the Congress in the assembly polls in Rajasthan.
He said Gehlot could tell how he got the call recordings and whether the call interceptions were done legally or not.
A day before the assembly poll results, the Congress on Friday appointed observers for Maharashtra and Jharkhand to oversee the post-election scenarios.
Internal discord within the INDIA bloc has led to alliance partners contesting against each other in at least eight assembly seats in Bihar. The Congress, RJD, and Left parties are facing challenges in seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming elections.
While the going for Dushyant Singh in Jhalawar is not tough, winning Jalore is a tough battle for Vaibhav Gehlot.
'They wanted to prove that the BJP was behind all this, which was not the case. Then Deputy CM Sachin Pilot even said that no one was listening to them even when they wanted to tell their side of the story, so they all got together and reached the party's high command'
