'This is millions of Indians standing up for values rather than an individual gain.' 'This is why this protest is unique and this is why this protest has for the first time made this government uncertain and doubtful of what to do next,' says Aakar Patel.
The second list has named 16 candidates from Uttar Pradesh and five from Maharashtra.
Union External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid took time off from his election campaign in Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh to speak to Kavita Chowdhury on Congress politics and the minority community.
'As a member of the Trinamool Congress, there is no scope for any frank and honest discussion in the TMC. The party runs on a one-person mandate. Either one has to abide by it or keep mum,' says Somen Mitra, who is on the verge of quitting the party.
The veteran Kerala Congress leader had been a dominant player in Kerala's coalition politics, serving under six chief ministers.
Gearing up for the 2014 general elections, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday told partymen that unity should be their watchword as the party had floundered many an opportunity for want of discipline.
The more Narendra Modi tours the country with his 'vikas purush' card, the more the Congress will refresh his image as the poster boy of Hindutva. The irony is that the Congress's political reaction suits Modi! He won't complain at all, says Sheela Bhatt.
'There is a need for a younger person at the top, but the old guard wants to grab the post themselves,' points out Amulya Ganguli.
Once he towered over the Congress' Mumbai unit, its crucial link with New Delhi, but towards the end he became a nowhere man, says N Suresh.
The Samajwadi Party, which is supporting the United Progressive Alliance from the outside, on Tuesday saw "internal Congress politics" behind the disruptions by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Parliament, and wondered whether it was for replacing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Rahul Gandhi
When was the last time you saw the majority of the non-Congress political parties rooting for a Congressman as President? So why is the Congress hesitating to name him for the post? Neerja Chowdhury analyses the party's dilemma
'Naidu understands electoral calculus, that the regional parties are yet to gain confidence in Rahul as a vote-catcher,' points out R Rajagopalan.
Rahul Gandhi has signalled the willingness to make the transition from the Congress' political strategy consultant to its chief-decision maker. Aarthi Ramachandran analyses whether he has it in him to make the cut?
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday claimed that victory of the Janata Dal-United-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the Bihar assembly elections reflects the national mood against Congress party.
The back-to-back statements of three Indira Gandhi loyalists -- R K Dhawan, Vasant Sathe and C K Jafar Sherief (the former questioning the advisors of Rahul Gandhi and the direction of his politics and the other two wanting Priyanka Gandhi to come into the mainstream of Congress politics) -- is being seen as a reflection of the concern gripping the senior guard in the Congress over the functioning of the party as well as the fate of the upcoming UP elections.
With a substantially weakened Left Front and the Congress, political observers say the anti-Trinamool vote will go to the BJP.
The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Tamil Nadu unit of the Congress are gearing up for the assembly polls in the state, scheduled to be held next year. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Congress' political emissaries from Delhi are in constant touch with both the DMK and the AIADMK.The first meeting to discuss pre-poll arrangements was held on Saturday, when Home Minister P Chidambaram met DMK chief Karunanidhi.
Interestingly both parties in question are in denial mode, but reliable sources say that the offer to merge was made by the Congress.
If Advani's ideological leadership galvanised the party's cadres and core support, Vajpayee's soaring oratory, common touch, easy charm and convivial manners won over the masses and brought new allies on board.
Modi Sarkar will not stand on ceremonies even if that means stepping on the Constitution, says Udit Misra.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi seems to be taking a great deal of interest in a large number of party and government matters as he shifts to the centre-stage of Congress politics.
With her various overtures and right noises at the right time, Mamata is once again trying to reshape her image from being a regional leader to one with national appeal and acceptability. After all, the charge of building a Federal Front may also bring to the fore Mamata's chances to become prime minister in 2019.
'Congress party's strategy is two fold -- to disturb and delay.'
'For the Congress, the family is the final court of appeal.' 'If there is no family, all leaders are equal.' 'If all leaders are equal, anyone can lead the Congress.' 'So every time the family has stayed in the background, the Congress has split,' points out Aditi Phadnis.
Amid speculation about the Samajwadi Party and the Congress joining hands to bail out UPA government in its stand-off with the Left on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the BJP on Monday put up a brave face, saying this would ultimately benefit it. "If the SP and the Congress come together, that will mark the death knell of the so-called Third Front as the SP is kingpin of this front. This would lead to the Congress versus anti-Congress politics which would benefit the BJP," a sen
"I would also like to tell judges that do not be afraid and keep going on the path of justice," Modi said.
The mood in the party seems to be in favour of not delaying any further the launch of the high-profile first-time parliamentarian into active politics.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Congress over the 'chai-wala' barbs directed at him, saying the ruling party was mocking at the poor whom it has used only as a vote-bank, without doing anything for them.
'He has got all the criteria that are good for running an NGO.' 'He is always doing charitable things.' 'To be a political leader you must have cunning to go for the seal.'
'Why is the entire Cabinet running around in Bangalore?' 'Why are they making arrangements for horse-trading?' 'Is this not the BJP's greed for power?' 'They have won the entire country. Why are they so desperate for Karnataka?'
'BJP has started a very dangerous game of political vendetta. It will pay a costly price. There is deep desire on the part of the BJP to take political advantage of certain legal issues.' Congressmen react to party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul being taken to the court in the National Herald case.
'The Congress wants to eat the cake, but does not want to share it.'
The 71-year-old MP may have time to pursue her other interests, but many believe that she will continue to play the role of a mentor.
Informed sources in the Congress party feel that had Priyanka cared about keeping this meeting a secret, it would have remained so. But the attempt to alert the media, thus setting off wide speculation, is part of the Congress's design to enthuse its workers that Rahul's candidature for the top job would bring in Priyanka as well.
'He was one of us. He was a perfect Indian. He breathed India, he wore India's core values. His faith was India. We will miss you sir.'
Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party for its "politics of India Shining," Rahul Gandhi on Thursday reached out to the poor and rural youths in Bundelkhand, hard-selling the United Progressive Alliance's flagship schemes of food security, land acquisition and job guarantee programme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
'Our priority will be to settle land disputes in Bihar, which I believe is the root cause of almost all crime in the state.'
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign only in Raebareli and Amethi, Congress said on Monday putting at rest speculation about her larger role in electioneering across the country for the Lok Sabha polls.
President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmishtha Mukherjee taking up campaigning for Delhi election has triggered speculations about her contesting the upcoming general elections.
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