Noting that the assembly election results being very disappointing is an understatement, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson urged party MPs to channel their disappointment into positivity for next year's general elections.
The poll is witnessing a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy, with the BJP-led alliance having a clear edge in the poll necessitated due to the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
During the meeting, Sonia and Dr Singh have been deliberating upon induction of new faces in the Cabinet, dropping old ones, promotions from Minister of State rank to Cabinet.
The former Congress president was asked to vacate the premises by April 22 following his disqualification after the conviction and two-year sentence by a Surat court for his 'Modi surname' remark.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to meet United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi again on Sunday to discuss matters related to Monday's expected Cabinet reshuffle. Dr Singh had met Sonia Gandhi in this regard earlier on Saturday. Dr Singh also met Kapil Sibal, who is presently holding the telecommunications and human resources development ministerial portfolios. It is likely that he may be relieved of some responsibility in the reshuffle.
The workers said though they haven't lost confidence in the Left, they wanted to appeal to Sonia about the highhandedness of the police.
She has also resigned as chairperson of the NAC.
President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday paid homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 17th death anniversary. Amid a continuous drizzle, the departed leader's widow and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, along with her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Vadra, reached his memorial 'Vir Bhumi' to pay their tributes. A prayer meeting was organised in the premises of the memorial.
When asked if there would be instability in Lok Sabha after the differences over the bill , she said, "I can't say. I am not an astrologer. Let's see."
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.
This will be the first time that the Congress, since its ouster from power in 2014, will get the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. It failed to get the position in the past 10 years as its tally was below the requisite 10 per cent of total seats in the House, both in 2014 and 2019.
Before filing her nomination papers at the Collectorate Rae Bareli, the UPA chairperson held a roadshow and offered puja at the Congress central office.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded action against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi in connection with the Commonwealth Games and 2G scams, saying the duo were director and producer of the "corruption movie".
Even Priyanka's formal entry into politics could not act as a saving grace for the Congress. She was made in-charge of the party's fortunes in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but despite her high-octane election campaign, Congress is ahead on just one seat -- her mother Sonia Gandhi from Raebareli.
Rahul Gandhi may also contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli, a seat which was previously held by Sonia Gandhi.
United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was given a rousing welcome by thousands of people, including United Democratic Front leaders and workers, at Kalpetta in Wayanad on Wednesday as she prepares to make her electoral debut by filing nomination papers for the coming Lok Sabha bypoll.
How would Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Deotale, India's Asian Games archery stars, rate these leaders' bow and arrow skills?
This is the second time Sonia Gandhi joined the yatra that began in September from Kanyakumari.
As an IAS officer in Kerala, Gyanesh Kumar -- who the Congress described as Amit Shah's 'right hand man' -- had a good working equation with the state's Congress and Left leaders.
United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday came down heavily on main opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party for disrupting Parliament proceedings and preventing crucial legislations from being passed. "I cannot hide my deep sense of disappointment over the manner in which Parliamentary proceedings have been disrupted by the principal opposition party," Gandhi said.
The Left leaders are unhappy over the manner in which the UPA government is going ahead with disinvestment of profit\nmaking public sector companies or inviting foreign direct investment.
Without naming Pakistan, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that India's neighbours wanted to weaken the country, but they were not aware that India can give them a befitting reply. Sonia was addressing a public rally in Silvassa, the capital of union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
They said the filing of nomination papers will be a big show of strength and the top Congress leadership will be present.
During her talks with Putin in his hometown St. Petersburg, Sonia was accompanied by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Indian Ambassador to Russia Kanwal Sibal.
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.
During the four-hour trip to the temple town, Sonia would also address the annual summit of Akhila Bharatiya Rachanatmak Samaj, an NGO in Tirupati official sources told PTI.
Left planned nationwide protests over UPA government's economic policies.
Prime Minister Manmohon Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived in Imphal on Saturday on a day's visit to Manipur, official sources said.
Gandhi spent around 20 minutes at the party office and met Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Sanjay Raut and others.
'Tributes to India's former Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi Ji on her birth anniversary,' Modi tweeted.
When he turned 53 last year, celebrations were rather subdued. Two weeks after the Congress won 99 seats (including a personal double victory in Wayanad and Raebareli), hoardings and banners wishing Rahul Gandhi on his 54th birthday appeared around 10 Janpath (where his mama and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi lives) and the Congress HQ in Delhi.
Social activist Aruna Roy has decided not to continue in the United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council after her term expires on Friday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi Tuesday visited the Army base hospital at Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar to inquire about the condition of jawans injured in the Hyderpora attack.
Cautioning the people against voting for an opposition that plays with their emotions, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that certain political parties were misusing Shivaji's name for their selfish political ends.
According to sources, Congress managers are attempting to fix a meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati. Congress is hopeful that Mayawati will support any government other than BJP, even though the BSP supremo had lashed out at Congress throughout her campaigning.
The UPA chairperson appealed to sportspersons to strengthen unity and amity and spread the message of peace.
An image of Sonia Gandhi at a rally in Mumbai.
'Sonia took Rajiv to Sicily island for their safety when India was fighting the war with Pakistan in 1971,' the Shiv Sena chief told party mouthpiece Saamna in Mumbai.
United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday favoured an approach of welfare and development to defeat left-wing extremism and insurgency and bring back youth involved in it back to the democratic mainstream.
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