Denouncing the United Progressive Alliance government as a "failure" on all fronts, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday came out with a scathing "chargesheet" on its 10-year rule that accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of being equally guilty of all ills by exercising authority without responsibility.
Years before the Supreme Court struck down as 'unconstitutional' an opaque political funding tool that allowed individuals and companies to donate money to political parties anonymously and without any limits, the then finance minister Arun Jaitley -- the prime mover of electoral bonds -- had termed them legitimate and transparent.
Tearing into the claims of the United Progressive Alliance about its flagship employment generation programme MNREGA, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged it had only "filled the pockets of Congress" and sought to debunk the much-touted RTI.
Reminding the UPA-II government about the need to reverse the negative perception of a 'decision-making paralysis', industry body Assocham has made a pitch for second-generation reforms in various sectors, including finance, banking, taxation and agriculture.
Mounting a scathing attack on the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition at the Centre, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said it was the "most corrupt" government after Independence and there was a "lack of direction and leadership at the central level". The UPA government is neck-deep in trouble, owing to its explicit greed for power and position. It is least concerned about consolidation and expansion of the economy," he said.
Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday admitted that he had offered "issue based support to the United Progressive Alliance provided it drops Trinamool Congress from the alliance." Pointing out that the UPA government's policies were against common people, he said, "We have opposed their anti-people policies in the Lok Sabha. Our support to them will be based on consensus over issues like national security, price rise and the plight of farmers."
The Union Budget for 2009-10 will reflect UPA government's ambitious agenda like Rs 3 kg rice or wheat for BPL families, enlarging NREGA coverage and more focus on infrastructure to bring the economy on high growth.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the United Progressive Alliance government's policies and programmes for rapid and inclusive growth are showing good results and the country has seen a record average economic growth in the last nine years.
'However, to establish a quid pro quo, one can potentially see several things, like whether they got any benefits from the party that they gave money to. That is something that people (of India) will gauge. But to finally establish that there was money paid as consideration, it would require an investigation, a proper investigation, to be able to come up with such conclusions.'
The UPA government hopes the logjam in Parliament over FDI in retail will end on Wednesday with the move to 'hold back' the Cabinet's decision on the issue. But things may not be that simple. Sheela Bhatt reports on the possible scenarios that may emerge.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the decision to join the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre in the changed political scenario would be taken by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
At present, a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder in the national capital costs Rs 1,103. It will cost Rs 903 when the Centre's decision is implemented from Wednesday.
The meteoric rise of Shajahan Sheikh from a modest background of a helper in a local transport company to becoming the so-called 'tiger' of Sandeshkhali is what Bollywood film scripts are made of. And so does his fall.
Addressing media persons in Lucknow, party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said: "By supporting the cut motion we are not strengthening the secular forces."
Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.
In his first interaction with India Inc, Rahul Gandhi said the politics of alienating communities is affecting growth.
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh had a talk with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday about security related, developmental and the political situation on Ground Zero in Chhattisgarh's tribal area.
Seeking to dispel the perception of gloom amid scams and controversies, the United Progressive Alliance on Wednesday painted a rosy picture of its government's performance during the last nine years, contending the fruits of economic growth have reached both urban and rural areas.
Pratibha kicked off her campaign in Bihar soon after her arrival in Patna on Tuesday. "She received a warm response from the legislators and MPs," Congress leader Azim Bari told rediff.com in Patna.
Mr Rahul Gandhi himself has given seven different prices in different speeches with regard to the Rafale, that is the 2007 offer.
The programme backs the repeal of POTA and reservations for women
The former Union minister also slammed Shashi Tharoor for his statement that praising the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing the right things would lend credibility to the opposition's criticism of him.
'Considering that there was an estimated Rs 10 lakh crores of Indian money stolen and kept in foreign tax havens, the UPA government with one stroke of its tainted pen has granted immunity to tax-evaders who had stashed the loot in tax havens.'
Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lashed out at opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties over Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks against 'Sanatan Dharma', accusing them of insulting 'Sanatan Dharma' for votebank and appeasement politics.
Because of the ''wrong policies'' of the UPA government, the BJP was gaining benefit and not the common man, Bardhan noted.
Prasad alleged there was pressure for extraneous considerations and 'bribe' for not finalising the Rafale deal during the UPA rule.
Sheela Bhatt, who attended the dinner to celebrate UPA-II's fourth anniversary, sensed a deep unease in the ruling echelons.
In the backdrop of escalated stand-off between the Congres-led United Progressive Alliance and its outside supporters the Left parties, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Kishenchand Advani on Thursday termed the Manmohan Singh government as a lame duck and said political uncertainity was prevailing in the country.
Management lessons from Dhoni have universal appeal and can be used by corporates and even the UPA, to reflect on existing structures and strategies, says Sanjeev Nayyar.
Will this be a 'political' Budget? Or, will the Budget be able to take the country back to growth path?
It is in power on its own only in three states -- Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana -- with a big question mark on whether it can even stake claim to be head of the INDIA bloc.
The prime minister interacted with media persons on issues ranging from the Indo-US nuclear deal to the crisis in Sri Lanka.
Time is running out for a hapless UPA govt over the Telangana bill, and the latest observation by the Rajya Sabha secretariat -- that the bill has financial implications and so must be introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha first -- has only worsened the crisis for the ruling alliance. Anita Katyal reports.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Venkiah Naidu on Thursday charged the United Progressive Alliance government of adopting 'double standards' over the Jan Lokpal Bill. Naidu said the party would meet in Delhi on Friday to decide its stand on the Bill ahead of an all party meeting called by the Centre on July 3.
Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Monday declared that the United Progressive Alliance combination would return to power despite the Bharatiya Janata Party's claim that it was going to come to power. He blamed the media for creating differences between the Left parties and the UPA. He was addressing mediapersons on the eve of three day ministerial conference on rural development to be held in New Delhi beginning from Tuesday.
'Congress leaders who are making strategy for the Congress to win elections have not even won a class monitor elections.' 'When you have not contested school monitor elections, what will you know about the ground reality?'
The statistics (compiled till May), presented and analysed by the Performance Review Committee of the ministry last week, show that states run by UPA governments have not made much advance in implementing its signature rural development schemes.
The meeting of UPA-Left Committee on nuclear issue, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed, putting back further a decision on whether India should sign the safeguards agreement with IAEA. The meeting is now expected in the first half of next month.
