As Congress-led UPA-II completes three years in office, party leaders on Wednesday said India has performed much better in comparison to other countries during these years but the growth has not been up to the expectations of the government.
From the economy to foreign policy issues, to addressing the serious challenge posed by communal forces which are out to viciously polarise and divide Indian society, the UPA II government has shown a certain pronounced weakness and lack of vision and commitment that could seriously harm India in the long run, notes Sanjay Kapoor.
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.
'Vijaya Raje Scindia had assured the prime minister that nothing would happen to the Babri Masjid'
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.
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.
'Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bengal can be the game changers of 2024.'
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."
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.
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.
In his first interaction with India Inc, Rahul Gandhi said the politics of alienating communities is affecting growth.
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.
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.
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.
The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over the women's reservation bill, saying the only appropriate description of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done with the matter is "it is a post-dated cheque drawn on a failing bank".
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."
Sheela Bhatt, who attended the dinner to celebrate UPA-II's fourth anniversary, sensed a deep unease in the ruling echelons.
'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.'
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.
In future if the party wins, people would say 'INDIA has won,' but if the party loses, then people would say 'INDIA has lost'
Jagdeep Dhankhar who is set to take oath as the next vice president this week met incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on Sunday.
Will this be a 'political' Budget? Or, will the Budget be able to take the country back to growth path?
BJP leaders and Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Anurag Thakur had accused Gandhi of insulting OBCs.
Several top Congress leaders including party general secretary organisation K C Venugopal, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and Shashi Tharoor, wished the former party chief on her birthday.
Stalin still enjoys a lot of sympathy and empathy as someone wishing well for the state, but not full-throated support as in 2019 and 2021, notes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The programme backs the repeal of POTA and reservations for women
Because of the ''wrong policies'' of the UPA government, the BJP was gaining benefit and not the common man, Bardhan noted.
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.
"I do not want to boast (about) anything. The court's judgment has to be respected. I am glad that the court has pronounced unambiguously. All the massive propaganda which was being done against the UPA was without any foundation. The judgment speaks for itself," the former PM said.
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.
BJP alleged that banks were 'pushed' into giving Rs 3,100 crore loan to him and unfreezing his bank accounts in 2012.
The government on Wednesday rejected the Congress demand for resignation of Union ministers Sushma Swaraj and Smriti Irani over 'Lalitgate' and 'fake degree' controversies, saying "our ministers do not do all that their (the United Progress Alliance) ministers used to do".
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.
With the Supreme Court on Friday dismissing death row convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea that he should not be sent to the gallows, the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance government are hoping the verdict will stem the raging debate over the hanging of 2001 Parliament House attack accused Afzal Guru.
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.
"What the legislature cannot do is to say that we think the judgment is wrong and therefore we overrule the judgment. The judgment of a court cannot be directly overruled by the legislature," the CJI said.
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