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TRS and MIM supporting Modi’s divisive politics, says Rahul

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TRS and MIM supporting Modi’s divisive politics, says Rahul

Congress National President Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of resorting to the undemocratic, narrow-minded policy of ‘divide and rule’ to provoke communal feelings and take political advantage out of it.

Rahul addressed a public meeting after inaugurating the Rajiv Sadbhavana Yatra rally at the historic Charminar in Old City of Hyderabad this evening. He charged BJP with dividing different sections of society along religious and caste lines for narrow considerations of grabbing political power across the country.

Rahul said that TRS chief KCR and MIM party were supporting Modi regardless of the damage the latter was causing to the secular spirit. It could not be understood why MIM is supporting though Modi is dividing the entire nation for making political gains, Rahul said.

Rahul also addressed another public meeting at Kamareddy when he said Congress would implement Rs. 2 lakh loan waiver scheme for farmers besides taking measures for hiking crop prices after coming to power in Telangana in December.

Meanwhile, Minister KTR hit back at Rahul saying that Congress chief is making baseless allegations against TRS party keeping in mind the coming elections. KTR said that it was Congress which had done nothing to honour and recognise the contributions made by Ambedkar to the country. He recalled that it was VP Singh government which conferred Bharat Ratna on Ambedkar and not Congress.

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Prof K.Nageshwar : KCR allies with MIM , Congress counters with Modi Nexus Narrative

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Prof K.Nageshwar : KCR allies with MIM , Congress counters with Modi Nexus Narrative

Muslims account for over 12 percent of Telangana population and form decisive voting in several constituencies across the state with concentrated presence in old city of Hyderabad. The Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed election eve public meetings in Bhainsa, Kamareddy towns in north Telangana and Charminar in Hyderabad old city. The Congress selection of these places for the first leg of Rahul’s campaign in Telangana elections indicate a clear strategy to woo Muslim vote. Bhainsa and Kamareddy also have a significant Muslim voting. Charminar area of Hyderabad is the heart of MIM bastion. The Congress has already declared that ‘vote for KCR is vote for Modi‘, a strong message to the Muslim electorate.

Several constituencies in Telangana especially, the urban ones have sizable Muslim voting . Such districts include undivided Mahabubnagar , Karimnagar , Nizamabad , Nalgonda, Adilabad etc. The TRS has a better image in the rural areas due to host of welfare schemes. The congress perhaps believes that urban seats are more conducive for them to win. Focus on minority vote would further bolster its chances, a congress leader remarked.

The TRS has an open understanding with MIM. KCR publicly announced that MIM is his ally and there will only be friendly contest against it. These so called ‘friendly’ contests are an attempt to divide non-MIM vote. The TRS is likely to field Hindu candidates in MIM strong hold to effect division in anti-MIM vote . The Congress while in power played a similar trick as it had an undeclared understanding with Owaisis.

The Congress government earlier implemented four percent reservations for Muslim and thus enjoys a positive image to this effect. KCR has also promised 12 percent reservation for Muslims and a request to this effect is pending before the centre. The congress intends to focus on the non implementation of this promise.

KCR has delinked assembly elections from Parliament elections by resorting to premature dissolution of state legislature only to ensure Muslim vote in his favour as anti-Modi narrative shall dominate 2019 polls. There is also intense speculation in the political circles that MIM may even join KCR cabinet if TRS falls short of majority. At the same time the political grapevine also says that TRS may join the BJP led NDA post 2019 if the saffron party falls short of numbers or even otherwise. All this depends on post poll arithmetic both at the centre and the state.

Meanwhile, the BJP has roped in Swamy Paripoornananda in a clear bid to attract Hindu vote through anti-Muslim rhetoric. The BJP president Amit Shah has exhorted the voters of Telangana to elect BJP to ‘liberate’ Telangana from MIM clutches. The BJP is likely to focus its attack on KCR ‘s bonhomie with Owaisis and the Congress alleged Muslim appeasement politics. Barring the city of Hyderabad , the MIM failed to win any seat in Telangana . In fact it never attempted to do so and helped the party in power with which it always has an overt or covert understanding. In fact, the MIM has significant wins in local bodies elections in the past like in Karimanagar , Bhainsa etc. The TRS now and the congress in the past never tried to penetrate into Owaisis strongholds in return for the MIM’s tacit support elsewhere in the state. Thus, in the wake of bifurcation of the state, Muslim vote seems to have become a crucial one in Telangana electoral arena.

( Prof.K. Nageshwar is India’s noted political analyst. He is a former member of the Telangana Legislative Council and professor in the Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India )

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Rahul’s call to voters to oust KCR and Modi

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Rahul’s call to voters to oust KCR and Modi

Congress National President Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting at Bhainsa in Nirmal area in Adilabad district today as part of his election campaign for December elections in Telangana.

He made a scathing attack on both the KCR government in the state and at the Modi government at the Centre. He made a fervent appeal to voters cutting across all sections of society to oust KCR and Modi from power in the coming 2018 early polls and later 2019 general elections.

Strongly criticising KCR in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi said that TRS chief has promised to place authority in the hands of a dalit but later he brought ‘family rule’ in the state by deceiving the poorer sections. It is KCR’s family that is responsible for unchecked corruption in Telangana now which is causing lot of problems to ordinary people, he said.

Rahul said KCR had failed to fulfil his promise of giving one job per household, three acres land to the poor families, 12 per cent reservation to muslims minorities, 2 crore jobs per year in the state and double bedroom flats for poor.

Rahul accused PM Modi of taking a U-turn in his well-known assurance to work like a watchdog for the people but instead the prime minister is acting as a watchdog to serve corporate heads. The Congress President said Modi has passed benefits worth Rs. 30,000 crore to his friend Anil Ambani. Modi would have to bear the entire blame for purchasing each jet fighter at Rs. 1,600 cr as against its original cost of Rs. 548 that reflected lack of responsibility to people’s money, Rahul said.

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Kodandaram refuses to share dais with Rahul Gandhi

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Kodandaram refuses to share dais with Rahul Gandhi

Bigger challenges have cropped up in front of AICC President Rahul Gandhi ahead of his tour to address three public meetings at Bhainsa, Kamareddy and Hyderabad in Telangana today afternoon.

Congress State leaders could not convince their Grand Alliance partner Kodandaram of Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) to share dais with Rahul. The issue has already sent a wrong signal to the cadres and leaders down the line with suspense still continuing on the finalisation of seat-sharing talks between these allies.

Congress State President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has requested Kodandaram to take part in Rahul’s meetings saying that this will be needed to leave a feel-good factor among the alliance partners. But Kodandaram had simply rejected the proposal saying that he would be ready to share dai only when the seat sharing talks reached a logical conclusion.

Kodandaram has been demanding 15 to 17 seats for his TJS party while Congress is willing to allot just nine seats. Congress leaders say that they cannot give so many seats because of the compulsions to accommodate other alliance partners including TDP.

The deadlock in seat sharing has come as a big embarrassment to Kodandaram whose TJS party is contesting the elections for the first time and its real strength among masses is untested. The professor is in a huge dilemma as to compromise and accept whatever is given by Congress or to go ahead to contest alone outside of Grand Alliance. He also clarified strongly that TJS will not use Congress symbol in this election as Central Election Commission will soon issue a separate symbol for their party soon.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders are preparing to make Rahul’s meets a grand success. Congress president will address meetings at Bhainsa at 1 p.m., Kamareddy at 2.30 p.m., and Hyderabad at 5 p.m. He is going to highlight Congress stand on double bedroom houses, 12 per cent reservations for tribals, issues of minority community and land distribution to the poor.

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Gaddar to meet Rahul Gandhi today

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Gaddar to meet Rahul Gandhi today

Telangana folk singer Gaddar will be meeting Congress party supremo Rahul Gandhi today. The meeting is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. in the morning today.

Gaddar has been evincing interest to join active politics. Recently he gave a statement that he is ready to contest against Telangana CM KCR from Gajwel constituency. He also told, if any party Is keen on contesting in from some other constituency, he is open for that too.

Earlier, even before the formation of Telangana, he along with Vimalakka floated a political party but that could never take off. But now it seems he is all set to join Congress Party. We have to wait and see what kind of position he gets in the party. Also if he is going to contest on KCR, probably he will be given assurance of some other offer like MLC for MP Rajya Sabha as whoever contests against KCR will be definitely losing in elections.

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Kareena wanted to date Rahul Gandhi?

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Kareena wanted to date Rahul Gandhi?

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor has not altogether dismissed rumours of her desire to date Rahul. She simply said that that was a long time ago in the past and that she no longer has any such fascination now.

Her once upon-a-time desire came to the surface following media reports on the close relationship between the country’s top political family of the Gandhis and their counterparts in the film industry, the Kapoors. At that time, Kareena told her friends that she wanted a date from Rahul.

Later, she became busy with films and went on to taste great success in Bollywood. Eventually, she settled down in life with actor Saif Ali Khan and gave birth to a boy, Timur.

Celebrities have no choice but to confront past incidents in life and move on as if nothing has gone wrong.

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Pallam Raju, Vatti Vasanth and Chiranjeevi among absentees

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Pallam Raju, Vatti Vasanth and Chiranjeevi among absentees

Rahul Gandhi yesterday attended a public meeting at a college ground in Kurnool , the first capital of Andhra Pradesh. The gathering was also impressive. Rahul Gandhi spoke for almost 40 minutes and blamed BJP government and Narendra Modi for all the hardships the state is facing.

The meeting was attended by congress leaders like Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, Kiran Kumar Reddy, byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy etc. However leaders like Pallam Raju, Vatti Vasanth and Chiranjeevi who are still in congress technically chose to absent for the meeting. Pallam Raju served as Union Cabinet Minister in UPA government. Vasanth also is prominent leader in Godavari districts. Chiranjeevi is not attending any Congress party meetings and focusing on his films. Even earlier also, when Rahul Gandhi visited the state he did not attend. There are many other leaders who were once in congress but later moved on to other parties. But these three leaders are still in Congress and yet did not attend the meeting.

Chiranjeevi is anyway focusing on films. We will have to wait and see whether Pallam Raju and Vasant also planning to leave the party officially.

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Professor K.Nageshwar – Rahul Gandhi in Andhra , Congress hopes on special status for revival

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Professor K.Nageshwar – Rahul Gandhi in Andhra , Congress hopes on special status for revival

Rahul Gandhi is in Andhra Pradesh in a frantic bid to revive the congress decimated by its politics of bifurcation. The Modi government’s denial of special status to the beleaguered state has renewed the hopes in congress camp to attempt for a revival in 2019. As expected Rahul Gandhi yet again promised special status if Congress is voted to power. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have been consistent in their support to special status demand. In fact, the Congress has the moral and political authority to reiterate this promise. The Congress Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has announced special status to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. Thus, the bifurcation of the state itself is predicated upon the promise of special status. Though the BJP’s support was instrumental in dividing the state, the people of Andhra Pradesh have punished the congress for effectuating the division of the state against their wishes. In fact, barring the CPI(M) , every political party has voiced the demand for division. Yet, the Congress had to bear the brunt of the bifurcation.

Similarly, though every other party is demanding and promising special status except the BJP, the congress has an additional credibility in assuring such a status to the Andhra Pradesh. The central government alone can deliver such a status to any state. There is indication of a front of regional parties coming to power in the centre in 2019. Even if so, many regional parties like ADMK, BJD , TRS etc. have reservations in according special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, the BJP has already denied such a status and is not even promising it in 2019. Thus, the Congress is the only national party capable of coming to power and according special status to Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh state Congress is , therefore focussing on this promise. The run up to 2019 elections is the perfect opportunity to en-cash on it. Rahul Gandhi is , thus, the perfect choice to promise it in a bid to revive the party in the state.

Besides the special status, the congress hopes for favourable political arithmetic by forging an understanding with TDP after the latters exit from NDA . The TDP is also showing signs of coming closer to its once arch rival as there cannot be permanent friends or foes in politics. The two parties are of course ideologically not averse to coming together. However, the TDP is still indecisive fearing possible negative fallout of allying with a party that divided the state against the wishes of the people of the region that now comprises the state of Andhra Pradesh. The early elections have come in handy for both the parties to perhaps experiment. Given the divided opinion within the party, the TDP leadership seems to inclined towards experimenting with its new and rather strange political alliance in Telangana before extending to Andhra Pradesh. If the Congress wins Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections , it will be much easy for the TDP to convince the electorate on its possible alliance with Congress claiming that the grand old party may come to power in Delhi to enable the state to get special status. Any positive result in Telangana would further embolden TDP to join hands with Congress. However, the political chemistry between Congress and TDP remains a questionable aspect at least in Andhra Pradesh .

Amidst Naidu government’s half hearted implementation of loan waiver, congress also hopes to fuel its revival by promising such a relief to the farmers in a state having record levels of peasant indebtedness . The National Sample Survey data suggests that Andhra Pradesh leads the nation in the farmers indebtedness. Therefore, loan waiver is an emotive issue. The BJP is averse to implementing loan waiver at the national level while the Congress led UPA has done so in which the united Andhra Pradesh was the principal beneficiary. Thus, the Congress President promised loan waiver and targeted Modi stating that the Prime Minister is more interested in waiving the loans of the big corporates instead of helping farmers.

But, the ground situation is such that though people favour Rahul Gandhi as prime minister in 2019, there is no such mood to vote for congress revival. The Congress hopes that it will be the beneficiary of such a pro Rahul mood as the election data reveals that 77 percent of voters usually vote for the same party both at the centre and the state. But , the same logic can be the answer for the Congress hopes. The voters of Andhra Pradesh are in no mood to vote for Congress as they are still angry with the party over bifurcation. Thus, the voters are divided between TDP and the YSR Congress. However , they may prefer Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister as compared to Narendra Modi.

At best the party may improve its strength as compared to its lowest ever performance of 2014.

( Prof.K. Nageshwar is India’s noted political analyst. He is a former member of the Telangana Legislative Council and professor in the Department of Communication & Journalism, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India )

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BJP deceived AP on all fronts: Rahul Gandhi

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BJP deceived AP on all fronts: Rahul Gandhi

During his current tour in Kurnool, All India Congress Committee President Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP government at the centre in a no-holds-barred attack. He said that the BJP leadership had failed to do justice to the AP people on all fronts in the past four years of its rule.

Addressing Satyameva Jayate public meeting in the town, he recalled that when the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised special status for five years, the BJP leaders demanded it for 10 years.
But after coming to power, the BJP did nothing to fulfill that promise while at the same time taking a totally different stand, he said. Rahul emphatically said that the special status should not be seen just as a political promise but it should be regarded as the right of the AP people. He deplored that the BJP had not hesitated to carry out a misinformation campaign to leave an impression that the status couldn’t be possible. Referring to other aspects, Rahul said that the BJP leaders had also failed on promises such as Kadapa steel plant, development of backward regions via special packages, national project status to the lifeline Polavaram project and Vizag railway zone. He also lamented that there was no progress in execution of various central educational institutions in AP. Rahul said that the ruling party at the centre clearly had no respect for the AP Reorganization Act 2014. He promised that he would put his first signature on the special status file after winning the 2019 elections.

United AP’s last chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy asserted that AP would get special status only if Rahul became elected as the Prime Minister of the country in next election. Congress AP Observer Oommen Chandy, Party State President N Raghuveera Reddy, former minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy and others spoke.

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Same old promise from Rahul to AP

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Same old promise from Rahul to AP

As expected, there’s nothing that is unexpected during the ongoing visit of Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Kurnool district here in AP on Tuesday.

He once again promised the same old promise of conferring the special status on AP immediately after coming to power in the 2019 elections.
He also praised a lot the now-friendly TDP government in AP saying that the successful implementation of Self Help Groups activities here would be inspirational for the rest of the country.

Rahul said all this during an interaction with the students and the youth at a programme held at Byreddy Convention Centre.

The present visit comes amidst lot of anticipation and expectations among the existing small number of leaders and cadres for recapturing the past glory.

In the 2014 elections, the Congress suffered severe losses as even big stalwarts lost their deposits.

Clearly, they tasted the wrath and bitterness of the AP population after the hasty state division despite widespread agitation.

The Congress leaders were also hoping to activate the cadres after Rahul’s visit and launch “Intintiki Congress” (door to door) soon all over the state.

Congress AP President N Raghuveera Reddy has revived the slogan that their party would have a tie-up with the people to defeat the rival forces.

Meanwhile, no agreement is reached over seat sharing between Congress and TDP in Telangana so far.

TDP is demanding over 30 seats while the Congress was ready to give less than 15. There are a total 119 seats in Telangana.

G. Ravikiran

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Congress, BJP attack each other over Mallya; Rahul seeks Jaitley’s resignation

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Congress, BJP attack each other over Mallya; Rahul seeks Jaitley’s resignation

A fresh war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress over Vijay Mallya on Thursday with Congress President Rahul Gandhi seeking Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys resignation over “free passage” given to the fugitive businessman and the BJP hitting out by alleging that UPA government gave “sweet deals” to him and that Gandhi family “partially owned the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines through proxy”.

The ruling party rejected the demand for Jailtley’s resignation and instead sought to turn the tables on Congress by asking Rahul Gandhi to quit in view of his involvement in National Herald case.

The day saw two press conferences each by the Congress and BJP with Gandhi coming to party’s central office to attack Jaitley.

It came a day after Mallya said he had met Jaitley and the Union minister rubbished the claim of any formal meeting.

Gandhi accused Jaitely of “colluding” with Mallya who is facing charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore.

He asked why Jaitley did not inform the investigating agencies about Mallya’s plans to leave India.

“There is a clear-cut collusion. He (Jaitley) should have confessed (about the meeting) and he should resign. The Finance Minister talks to an absconder (Mallya) and the absconder tells the Finance Minister that I am going to London. The Finance Minister neither told the CBI, the ED or the police, why?

“He was given a free passage to leave the country by the Finance Minister. There was a lookout notice against Mallya which was diluted to an inform notice. Who changed it? This can be done only by one who controls the CBI,” he alleged.

Gandhi also demanded to know if the decision was taken by Jaitley himself or the “order came from the top”.

“The Finance Minister has colluded with a criminal running away from the country. He was told by the criminal that he is going to run away but the Finance Minister did nothing. The government is lying on Rafale, they are lying on Mallya”.

At the media conference, Congress MP P.L. Punia claimed to give an eyewitness account of the meeting between Jaitley and Mallya in the Central Hall of Parliament before the businessman fled the country on March 2, 2016.

Punia claimed the meeting between Jaitley and Mallya lasted 15-20 minutes and asked if Mallya had taken permission from Jaitley about his planned flight abroad.

Hitting out at the Congress, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that there were documents that show how RBI and UPA under Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh had given sweet deals to Kingfisher Airlines.

“And it appears through these chain of documents that Kingfisher Airlines was owned not by Mallya but by the Gandhi family through proxy,” he alleged showing the letters written by RBI to SBI requesting for the restructuring of the loans of Kingfisher Airline

The accuracy of the documents could not be ascertained. There was no immediate response from Rahul Gandhi’s office.

Patra also alleged that the party has enough evidence which shows that Rahul Gandhi was “using black money” and the Gandhi family was helping Mallya with sweet deals.

He claimed that Rahul Gandhi travelled free in Kingfisher Airlines, which was once owned by Mallya.

“Rahul Gandhi took one crore loan from a shell company, we have the confession of the company director,” Patra alleged.

At another press conference, Congress Communications In-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala posed specific questions to the Modi government.

“Why was no action taken against Vijay Mallya for bank fraud despite registration of an FIR by CBI on July 29, 2015? Who asked CBI to change its look-out notice of October 16, 2015 into a mere ‘inform notice’ on November 23, 2015? Who directed the banks to delay filing of the case in the Supreme Court,” he asked.

Earlier in the day, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that all the allegations against Jaitley were “false”.

“All these remarks are being made after Rahul Gandhi’s London visit. Is there anything common between them (Mallya and Rahul Gandhi)?” he asked.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, who addressed a press conference at the BJP headquarters, said Rahul Gandhi was “facing serious criminal charges” and that he “should first resign.”

“Those who took loans from hawala companies and accumulated wealth by taking government land free of cost or at lower rate from National Herald and whose case was rejected by Delhi High Court, should resign first,” he said.

He also dismissed the claims of Punia about Mallya meeting Jaitley in the Central Hall of Parliament.

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Rahul Gandhi biggest buffoon: KCR

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Rahul Gandhi biggest buffoon: KCR

Telangana caretaker Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday described Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the “biggest buffoon” in the country.

“The whole country has seen how he went and hugged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament and winked,” KCR told a news conference.

When asked about Gandhi’s plans to extensively campaign in Telangana, the TRS chief said: “The more he comes, it will be easier for us (to win elections).”

KCR said Rahul Gandhi inherited the legacy of the Congress Delhi empire and hence he was appealing to the people of Telangana not to become slaves to Delhi. “The decisions of Telangana should be taken in Telangana,” he said.

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Rahul in Europe: Emerging as a tougher opponent

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Rahul in Europe: Emerging as a tougher opponent

Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book, Congress President Rahul Gandhi used his Europe tour to reach out to non-resident Indians, or NRIs — a group largely known to support Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in recent years. Throughout the tour, he targeted Modi for his style and policies, bitterly attacked the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and tried to project him and the Congress party as a better alternative.

Gandhi comes from a family where access is carefully controlled and only a select few are allowed to reach its members. But in London, he gave the impression that he’s accessible to the common man. He even mingled with the guests at his gatherings and shook their hands.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday (August 25), he mocked Modi for not talking to them openly. He accused the Prime Minister of not having the courage to answer reporters’ questions. This was a reminder of Modi’s public event in London in April, where he was accused of taking pre-planned and selected questions from the audience and not addressing even a single press conference. But one has to remember that Modi was also accessible to the media before he became Prime Minister. The question is, will Gandhi attend such open events and answer unscripted questions if he ever becomes the Prime Minister of India?

But still, this was a new Rahul Gandhi in London — more mature, aggressive, confident and ready to challenge his rivals. His sustained attacks on Modi, the BJP and the RSS were deliberate and sounded like part of a well-planned theme. It’s clear that he wanted to provoke the ruling party in India in order to set an agenda for debate. By comparing the RSS with Muslim Brotherhood, he wanted to plant a doubt in the minds of the Hindu right-wing organisation’s new supporters in India. This was also an attempt to drive away some voters from the BJP.

By targeting Modi and raising the issue of the alleged threat to India’s institutions under his government, Gandhi was trying to become the darling of the intelligentsia that supported the BJP in 2014. By praising Sushma Swaraj, who he’s bitterly criticised in the past, and attacking Modi for isolating her, Gandhi sought to create a wedge in the cabinet and was trying to impress upon the audience that he favoured an inclusive government where individual ministers were as important as the Prime Minister.

But we all know that Modi’S style of functioning is very similar to Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi. And it’s a fact that in present-day India, leaders of all political parties act like dictators and once in government they rarely allow individual ministers to have an independent voice.

In Europe, Rahul Gandhi cleverly avoided talking about his own ambitions of becoming Prime Minister. He didn’t want other opposition leaders to stop dreaming about that ambition and thus jeopardise their support for an anti-BJP front during next year’s elections. It also went with his theme of projecting himself as a consensus politician.

He fumbled at the press meet earlier when he seemed to agree with Pakistan’s position that the main problem currently between the two countries was that India didn’t want to talk. But later, in answer to a direct question about Imran Khan’s election, he made it clear that relations with Pakistan couldn’t improve as long as institutions like the ISI continued to export violence to India.

The Congress president rightly focussed on the unemployment issue and was honest in saying that most countries are facing that problem and don’t know how to tackle it. He wanted India to follow China where he said small and medium industries had resulted in large-scale industrialisation and massive job creation. But he should know that a democratic India can’t be compared to a totalitarian China. In India, no government can take a decision without attracting scrutiny by the opposition and the media.

But where Rahul Gandhi didn’t come out really clever and mature is when he said that the Congress party was not responsible for the massacre of Sikhs after the assassination of his grandmother in 1984. For the second day in London, he failed to correct himself that members of his party were not only responsible but some of them led mobs to kill Sikhs. Although later his party didn’t give them tickets for parliament and state assemblies, they were never expelled.

Gandhi’s explanation that he condemned all violence and wanted the guilty to be punished, is similar to Modi and BJP leaders saying that they condemned all violence, including those by cow vigilantes, and wanted the perpetrators to be brought to justice. All of a sudden, just months before the general election, Gandhi, has given the BJP and the Akali Dal a major political issue. As Sikhs are in large numbers among the NRIs, he has only managed to provoke their anger against the Congress party.

Gandhi still has a long way to go. He still appears to lack new ideas and the political acumen required to take on Modi. But his Europe tour suggests Modi and the BJP will have to take him seriously. The man they dismissed as “Pappu” for a long time appears to have emerged as a tough challenger.

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RSS to Invite Rahul Gandhi For Event Next Month?

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RSS to Invite Rahul Gandhi For Event Next Month?

As per sources, The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is likely to invite Rahul Gandhi, to its event next month. It is known how much stir it caused among the party cadre and leaders when Pranab Mukherjerr attended RSS even earlier (https://www.telugu360.com/pranab-mukherjee-could-be-pm-candidate-if-bjp-lacks-majority-in-2019-shiv-sena/). So now, whether RSS will invite Rahul or not and if they invite, will Rahul attend or not is being discussed among political circles.

The RSS event will be a lecture series and will reportedly focus on “India of the future”. It will be held between September 17 and 19 at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will address the lecture series and present the Sangh’s views on “contemporary views of national importance. Apart from Rahul Gandhi, several other opposition leaders, like Sitaram Yechury of the Left, are also likely to be invited. It seems RSS wants to invite people representing different ideologies.

Rahul is sharpest critic of RSS. RSS is a frequent target of attacks from Rahul Gandhi, several times in past. His latest comments made in London provoked a furious response from the BJP, which demanded an immediate apology from Rahul. RSS leaders also made sharp comments on him earlier. When Pranab attended RSS meet in Nagpur, Rahul Gandhi never officially commented but reportedly he was also upset.

We’ll have to wait and see whether RSS will invite him or not and how Rahul responds on this.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

‘Redesigning’ is new name for corruption, says Rahul Gandhi

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‘Redesigning’ is new name for corruption, says Rahul Gandhi

Continuing his attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that they were resorting to corruption in the name of ‘redesigning’.

He said that redesigning was the new name for corruption. “Modiji is an expert in redesigning at the Centre and your Chief Minister is an expert in redesigning here,” Gandhi told a huge public meeting at Saroornagar here.

He said Modi redesigned the Rafael deal to benefit his friend to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore while Rao had redesigned irrigation projects so that his family reaped all the benefits.

“The redesigner here is also clapping for the redesigner in Delhi,” he said, while referring to Rao’s support to Modi on demonetization and GST.

He accused both the leaders of suppressing people’s voice and snatching money and land from the poor to fill the pockets of a few rich industrialists.

Gandhi again challenged Modi for a debate on Rafale deal, saying the Prime Minister revised the price of fighter jet from Rs 526 crore to Rs 1,600 crore to help his friend.

The Congress President said that while he could understand Modi’s silence on Rafale as corruption was involved, he was not speaking a word even on atrocities on Dalits and tribals, killings of minorities and rapes of women and girls across the country.

Gandhi promised that if voted to power, the Congress would implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) with one slab and not five slabs as being done now. He also declared that the items used by poor would be exempt from GST.

He slammed the Modi government for increasing prices of petrol and diesel despite the fall in crude prices in the international market from $140 to $70 per barrel.

“Prices of petrol and diesel are coming down in all other countries but they are going up in India. The money you pay is going to the pockets of a few rich industrialists,” he told the gathering.

Gandhi said the dream which the people of Telangana had during the movement for a separate state had not been fulfilled during the last four years.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Why PM is silent on rapes, asks Rahul Gandhi

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Why PM is silent on rapes, asks Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on incidents of rape across the country.

Addressing a meeting of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) here, he said though Modi gave the slogan of “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”, he is maintaining silence on rape of women and girls in different states.

“A BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh raped a woman but the Prime Minister was silent. In Bihar minor girls were raped but he did not speak a word. Incidents of rape are taking place across the country but he is not opening his mouth,” he said.

Rahul, who arrived here on a two-day visit, kicked off the party’s campaign for the coming elections to Telangana Assembly and Lok Sabha.

He said that Congress strongly believes that the country cannot progress without women and they should get their due in politics, economy and other spheres of life.

Stating that SHGs are key to women empowerment, Rahul said if Congress party comes to power in Telangana and at the Centre, it would extend all help to SHGs like its previous governments had done.

Rahul interacted with the women, who complained that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has stopped bearing interest component for bank loans taken by SHGs. They also spoke about non-implementation of “Abhay Hastam”, a contributory pension scheme for SHG members launched by the previous Congress government in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The Congress president promised that if Congress is voted to power, it will bear interest of SHG loans and revive the pension scheme.

Rahul targeted Narendra Modi government for what he called waiving loans of 15 rich industrialists to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore but not waiving loans of women, farmers, and small and medium enterprises.

He alleged that the demonetization was aimed at taking money from the pockets of poor and waive the huge bank loans of top industrialists and businessmen.

Terming GST (Goods and Services Tax) as “Gabbar Singh Tax”, the Congress President reiterated that if voted to power, his party would implement GST with single slab and there will be no need for people to fill different forms every month.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

RG’s report card on Modi: Campaigning – Pass | Rest all – Failed!

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RG’s report card on Modi: Campaigning – Pass | Rest all – Failed!

Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi has issued his report card on PM Narendra Modi’s performance over the last four years. May 26 commemorates 4 years of BJP and PM Modi rule, after the latter took the reins as Prime Minister of India on May 26th 2014.

Talking to the national media in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi went on to take sarcastic jibes on the PM. ‘Modi has brought many revolutionary reforms in the nation. Especially, the demonetization of HDC (High Denomination Currency) on November 8th, 2016 made the people run after the banks. With GST, the entire nation has been brought under one common taxation system.

Though he spoke about the ‘National Health Protection Scheme’, where approximately 10 crore families, or 50 crore people will be covered up to Rs 5 lakh is yet to be implemented’, said Rahul Gandhi.
Following is the report card tweet posted by Rahul Gandhi on Twitter:


Agriculture
F

Foreign Policy
F

Fuel Prices
F

Job Creation
F

Slogan Creation

A+

Self-Promotions

A+

Yoga

B-

Remarks: Master Communicator; Struggles with complex issues; Short Attention Span

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Naidu’s tap on Rahul’s back, will it be a pat or slap on TDP?

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Naidu’s tap on Rahul’s back, will it be a pat or slap on TDP?

Telugu Desam supremo Chandrababu Naidu had tapped on the back of Congress president Rahul Gandhi the other day in Bengaluru. He shook his hands with Rahul Gandhi first and then pulled him to the front row as all the leaders waved at the crowd. Then as Rahul was leaving the place, Chandrababu Naidu once again shook his hand and gave a pat on the back of the Congress chief.

The TDP chief was not subconscious or unconscious when he did this to Rahul Gandhi. It was neither accidental. Even the sharing of dais was very clear for him and he knew he would have to face the Congress chief. Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao too knew this and had advanced his visit to Bengaluru by one day to avoid meeting Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi. But, Chandrababu Naidu preferred this meeting and acted as he desired.

Interestingly, when Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi reached the venue and were walking towards the dais, Chandrababu Naidu was behind them, though reached Bengaluru several hours before them. It is said that Chandrababu Naidu must have greeted both Rahul and Sonia behind the stage before coming under the focus of the still and video cameras. That is what Chandrababu Naidu is known for. But what he did with the Congress leaders right in front of the cameras is only visible while what had happened behind is for the people to guess.

Even before the dais was cleared by the leaders one after the other, the videos and photographs of the venue starting moving fast in the social media. In Andhra Pradesh, the photographs of Chandrababu Naidu shaking hands with Rahul and patting his back went viral. There is discussion across the State on the possibilities of Chandrababu Naidu going with the Congress in the next elections. While some welcomed this move, there are several others who are against the Congress-TDP alliance in the State.

The hard core loyalists of the two parties have been fighting for the past three decades and they don’t approve of this alliance. It is certainly not a positive development for these loyalists and some of the leaders from both the parties. But, there are some who want and claim that there are no permanent enemies in politics. The TDP leaders are already making positive moves towards building a positive talk in favour of the Congress-TDP alliance for the next elections as the target of the two parties is to defeat BJP and the common enemy for the two parties is Narendra Modi.

“When the target is same for two people and the enemy is strong, there is nothing wrong in the two people joining hands to defeat the strong enemy,” is the new statement that the TDP leaders have started floating in the State after the Bengaluru development.

With the leaders of the two parties differing on the alliance, it is to be seen if Chandrababu Naidu’s tap on Rahul Gandhi’s shoulders would be a pat on TDP’s back or a slap on its face.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Rahul Gandhi will take part in the Bus Yatra – TPCC Chief

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Rahul Gandhi will take part in the Bus Yatra – TPCC Chief

TPCC Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy who went on an important trip to New Delhi has brought some exciting news to the Telangana Congress cadre. Speaking in a press meet, the TPCC Chief confirmed that, INC National President Rahul Gandhi will take part in the Congress Party’s ‘Praja Chaitanya Yatra’ in Telangana.
In a special press meet, Uttam Kumar Reddy went on to share some key information. ‘I met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and discussed on the latest political developments in Telangana, and the current atmosphere. He will also take part in the Praja Chaitanya Yatra.

We briefed Rahul Gandhi about the recent judgment that came in favour of the expelled MLAs; Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Sampath Kumar. In its judgment, the High Court said the expulsion is invalid. In fact, Rahul Gandhi appreciated the MLAs for their fighting spirit’.

This did not leave Uttam Kumar Reddy from not condemning KCR. He demanded that CM KCR and Telangana Assembly Speaker Madhusudhana Chary should resign for their posts.

Political analysts believe that Rahul Gandhi’s presence for the ‘Praja Chaitanya Yatra’ could propel the Congress party to a decent extent in Telangana.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Rahul says he, his sister have ‘completely forgiven’ father’s killers

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Rahul says he, his sister have ‘completely forgiven’ father’s killers

Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi had “completely forgiven” their father Rajiv Gandhi’s killers.

LTTE, a militant organisation from Sri Lanka, led by Prabhakaran was blamed for plotting and executing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

When asked during an interactive session here if he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi had forgiven his father Rajiv Gandhi’s killers, Gandhi said: “We were very upset and hurt and for many years. We were quite angry. But, somehow, completely…in fact, completely (forgiven).

“When one realises that when these events take place, its collision of ideas, forces, confusion. That’s where you get caught. When I saw Prabhakaran lying dead on TV, I got two feelings – first was why they are humiliating this man in this way.

“And second was…I felt really bad for him and for his kids,” said Gandhi during the interactive session.

“We have been through this experience, so we understand. I literally find it difficult to hate people, even my sister does. I don’t like any kind of violence.”

Gandhi also said: “We knew that my father was going to die. We knew that my grandmother was going to die. In politics, when you mess with the wrong forces, and if you stand for something, you will die. That’s pretty clear.

“My grandmother told me she was going to die and my father…I told him he was going to die.”

“In politics, we deal with forces, big forces, which are normally not visible. You are dealing with structures that are powerful. Those are not visible but they can hurt you,” he added.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

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