In spite of its not-so-cordial relationship, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress could join forces to counter Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi if he contests the next Lok Sabha election from Lucknow or Varanasi. Anita Katyal reports
The Congress on Monday nominated Bharatiya Janata Party turncoat Ashish Shukla against the saffron party's nominee, Sanjay Sinh, from the high-profile Amethi assembly seat in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi left no stone unturned to make frontal attacks on Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, repeatedly blaming them for Amethi's neglect. Sharat Pradhan reports
Kharge claimed that though the BJP says the corrupt must be put in jails, when leaders facing corruption charges join the saffron party, they are "put on the lap" and sent to Rajya Sabha or assembly.
On a tour to the US, Gandhi told reporters in Washington that the Muslim League is a completely secular party and there is nothing non-secular about it.
Modi was addressing a public rally after laying the foundation stone of a factory to manufacture advanced AK-203 rifles in Amethi, represented by the Congress president in Lok Sabha.
Noting that farmers are suffering due to problems in the food supply chain, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said there is a need for ensuring better compensation for the farmers against their produce.
'His way of communication is different than the first yatra.' 'Maybe his anger and frustration stems from the fact that no one is asking hard questions to the government and he is trying to do that.'
Narendra Modi stormed Rahul Gandhi bastion Amethi today and launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi parivaar. Here are 10 top quotes from his hour-long speech
Narendra Modi on Sunday ridiculed Sonia Gandhi for asking people in Amethi to take care of Rahul Gandhi to ensure his victory, wondering how the Congress vice president can lead the country when he cannot "handle" his constituency.
A number of high-profile electoral battles, starring veterans and debutants, formidable opponents and unlikely contestants, feature in Tuesday's outcome.
With Lok Sabha elections knocking on the doors, United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi appear to have suddenly woken up to the need to develop their respective constituencies -- Amethi and Rae Bareli.
For a constituency that has voted for the Nehru family time and again, little has changed on the ground. The people of Amethi tell Swarupa Dutt/Rediff.com that they will vote for the Congress, but teach Rahul a lesson.
Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Smriti Irani on Wednesday filed her nomination from Amethi and attacked her main opponent Rahul Gandhi, saying his own party did not have faith in his abilities to name him the prime ministerial candidate.
The Aam Admi Party on Wednesday complained to the Election Commission that several booths in Amethi in UP have been captured, but the poll panel found the charge to be unfounded after verification and said voting there was progressing peacefully.
Aam Admi Party leader Kumar Vishwas on Monday said he would be taking on Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in Lok Sabha elections and dared the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to run from the same constituency and "see who wins" the contest.
They said the filing of nomination papers will be a big show of strength and the top Congress leadership will be present.
Gandhi said when the Congress was in power, the Opposition would allege that all money was going to Amethi and now they say nothing has been done here.
The "venom" that the Congress leader has been spewing against the prime minister in his "political frustration" has now turned into an insult to the country, Irani alleged.
Even when the Congress is facing the toughest challenge in its long history, it shows no sign of turning a new leaf and injecting internal democracy to revive its fortunes, argues Virendra Kapoor.
He had been on leave since February 23.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who had accompanied local MP and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, on a day's visit to his parliamentary constituency Amethi on Tuesday, returned to New Delhi on Wednesday.
Party doubles efforts to retain family strongholds, declares Priyanka will focus on these two constituencies, says Kavita Chowdhury
Union minister Smriti Irani reacted furiously to the Congress leader's barb at the prime minister over the Rafale purchase and the tense situation in Manipur.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani has distributed over 15,000 saris among woman from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency as a Diwali gift.
Campaigning for her brother Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday asked the electorate in Amethi not to vote for "outsiders", an apparent reference his rivals Smriti Irani of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party's Kumar Vishwas.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognised Rahul Gandhi as the leader of opposition on Wednesday, a day after the Congress communicated its decision to name him for the position to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
While the Congress vice-president fighting an anti-incumbency wave is doing all he can to wrest power in the Gandhi stronghold, Amethi, political pundits believe that his estranged cousin, Varun, riding on a strong Modi wave will sail through in Sultanpur. Anita Katyal reports on their political battles.
Kumar Vishwas, an Aam Aadmi Party leader whose name is doing the rounds as the candidate Arvind Kejriwal might field against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections, has dared the Bharatiya Janata Party to make it a three-cornered fight by fielding Narendra Modi.
'I don't want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra'
Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas was shown black flags by a group of people, who were protesting against his purported remarks on a religious event, while he was heading to address a rally in Amethi, Rahul Gandhi's constituency.
The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, which has already crossed swords with the Congress, is all set to launch its campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from the bastion of Gandhi family -- Amethi and Rae Bareli -- on February 9. The party, while announcing its plan to organise Brahmin Sammelans across the state, has decided to organise its first convention in Amethi, parliamentary constituency of All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
When a similar incident had taken place last year in another village, Priyanka Vadra had helped the victim, a dalit, register a case with the police.
The notable names in the BJP's first list include Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow, Hema Malini from Mathura, Ajay Mishra Teni from Kheri, Smriti Irani from Amethi, Lallu Singh from Faizabad (Ayodhya) and Mahendra Nath Pandey from Chandauli among others.
Ending suspense, the Bharatiya Janata Party has picked actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani to take on Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.
Modi said that Congress' tally in the Lok Sabha polls will be an "all-time low"
Priyanka's victory seems assured, but the broader implications for Kerala's political landscape and South Indian politics remain to be seen.
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Tuesday said he could not visit Amethi during his ongoing anti-corruption yatra in Uttar Pradesh as the Ashram which had extended him invitation was pressurised not to call him.
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.
Amid their campaign schedule, the Congress party chief and his sister shared a few light-hearted moments.
