Presiding over the meeting of the Congress Working Committee in the absence of party chief Sonia Gandhi, the party vice president charged that, "hiding behind the cloak of national security, civil society is being intimidated for asking questions."
Sonia Gandhi has the record of holding the longest tenure as Congress chief.
'Xi's emphasis on enhancing conventional military deterrence capabilities, joint operations and power projection are likely to increase friction points with India as with other nations,' points out China expert Srikanth Kondapalli.
The Congress is in introspective mood, especially after the Karnataka debacle. The Congress Working Committee which met in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the poll drubbing has decided to form committees to suggest ways to revive the party.
Arjun Singh may have survived yet once again, but this time he may have over-reached himself. So far he had used his `loyalty' to the first family as a political weapon to manouevre the situation to his advantage, but this time he took on the leadership, and that is bound to have its own fallout
Patel's victory, which came against heavy odds, has given the Congress and the rest of the Opposition the confidence that Modi and Shah weren't invincible.
The just-concluded meeting of the Group of Ministers has remained inconclusive and the same team would meet again on Wednesday. The contentious issue was the creation of a Rayal-Telangana and the GoM sought to know if this could be proposed despite it not being part of the Cabinet note.
'I think he had this in his head to go to different places, get some experience and then become the Congress president.'
Party chief Sonia Gandhi has convened the meeting at a time when rising inflation and record international prices of crude oil have created serious concerns before the Congress as also the coalition government
Gandhi on Friday chaired his first CWC meeting after being elected as the party chief.
Rahul Gandhi's advocacy of the need to be practical for the party to keep pace with changes led to various interpretations, including reports that he favoured the Congress not being strict about abstinence, a must for new entrants.
Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, while supporting the decision of the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh demanded that the Central government should come out with immediate plans to build a new capital for Andhra Pradesh by earmarking Rs 10 lakh crore for the purpose.
Even partymen are skeptical of Rahul's chances of changing the party's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh.
'He gave this 'gaali' (abuse) to me or you? Did he abuse me or Gujarat? Did he abuse the cultured society of India or me?' Modi asked the people at a rally in Banaskantha.
Supporters of Kiran Kumar Reddy say that since the Congress has made it clear that the Telangana issue will not be raised at the AICC meet there is no point in the chief minister attending. Vicky Nanjappa reports
The government wants to introduce a nationwide goods and services tax to revive its stalled reform programme.
Murmurs have begun with the Congress polity about the possibility of having a strong leader who can back Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 general elections.
The Vice-Presidential elections are scheduled within a month of that for the President. Incumbent A P J Abdul Kalam is leaving office on July 24 and the schedule for the Presidential elections will be announced 'anytime now'.
The meeting between Dr Singh and Kalam came ahead of the Congress Working Committee session, which discussed the situation in UP.
Dwivedi ducked questions whether any ally or supporting parties had a right to veto any decisionof the coalition. This was significant in the backdrop of the Left opposition to the dismissal of the Yadav government.
A senior Congress leader feels the Gandhis should only offer to resign if they are serious about it and have in mind another leader who can take over the party.
A decision on the vexed issue of Telangana is expected before Monsoon session of Parliament which is likely to start after August 15.
Protesting against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Congress MP from Rayalseema region Rayapati Samba Siwaa Rao resigned from the primary membership of the party on Friday while heaping praise on Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The much talked about report of the AK Antony panel, which went into the reasons of worst-ever poll debacle of Congress, was today submitted to party President Sonia Gandhi.
'Whether she will remain CPP chairperson or not, that she will decide.'
Rahul Gandhi's name does not figure for any organisational post.
He further said that demonetisation 'yagna' is aimed at benefitting the rich.
The Rajya Sabha election was personal so it had to be won and Amit Shah needed to be sent a message.
"Our target was the decimation of the Samajwadi Party and we have succeeded in it," Salman Khursheed said, congratulating Mayawati on her party's performance.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi on Monday made a formal announcement to float a new political outfit.
A festive spirit pervaded the Andhra Pradesh Bhawan premises in New Delhi no sooner the Congress Working Committee formally endorsed the creation of Telangana.
Students, employees and other supporters of united Andhra Pradesh continued protests in the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions on Tuesday, amid indications that the ruling Congress would take a decision in favour of separate Telangana.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kirankumar Reddy on Tuesday dismissed as "rumour" reports that he has threatened to quit if the Congress gives its nod for formation of a separate Telangana.
Will Sonia Gandhi finally take a decision she has put off for so long, asks Rajeev Sharma.
The Congress appears to be veering round to taking a call on the contentious Telangana statehood issue with party leader in charge of Andhra Pradesh saying consultation process is over and time for a decision has come.
War against price rise will remain the "overriding policy priority" of Congress, AICC said on Friday amid a growing feeling in the rank and file that inflation hit the party in the recent Assembly elections where it suffered one of the worst defeats in the recent times.
With the Congress all set to accept the long-pending demand for a separate state of Telangana, the matter is slated for discussion at the party's working committee meeting to be convened before the monsoon session commences on August 5
The Congress is likely to make the Telangana issue a part of its manifesto in the forthcoming elections, reports Vicky Nanjappa
The government said it was doing whatever possible to reduce prices.
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