Rahul is the front tier Gandhi for Congress now

NEW DELHI: The anointing of Sonia Gandhi’s political successor assumed a public hue with the Congress placing the entire credit of its success in the by-elections at young Rahul Gandhi’s doorstep. The grand old party’s thank you note to the heir apparent could not have been more elaborate, given its geographical stretch — from Assam to Kerala, by their reckoning, every win was an outcome of his “vision’’.

In a grand gesture, the Congress virtually handed over the political initiative and the credit of reviving the party’s footprint across the country to Rahul. “Behind the Congress victories in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh… is the visible and invisible hand of Rahul Gandhi. It is his message, image and work that are being rewarded,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi waxed eloquent. Interestingly, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not mentioned. His political mentor Digvijay Singh too was forgotten.

For, according to the Congress, Rahul dared to “experiment’’ in a political environment where maintaining status quo was the norm. It seems, it is no less than Rahul’s path-breaking “long-term vision’’ of going alone in the Hindi heartland and reviving the Youth Congress/NSUI in other states that is delivering the results.

Singhvi claimed that every single seat — from the three in Kerala, two in Assam, the lone parliamentary and assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, the routing of the CPI-M in West Bengal — was a gift to the party from the general secretary. “Only he could see the benefits of long term planning. When you see the workers’ strengthen in Kerala and West Bengal, you know that the NSUI and the Youth Congress have been energised,’’ Singhvi said, claiming credit for Mamata Banerjee’s good show as well.

Now, does it matter that the Congress lost the Rohru seat in Himachal, a stronghold of its former chief minister Virbhadra Singh or shed one in Rajasthan where it is ruling or that Mamata’s Trinamool Congress is about to gobble its political space in West Bengal.

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Sonia holds court in Rae Bareli village, wins Dalit man freedom

Rae Bareli : On the second day of her three-day visit to Rae Bareli, her constituency, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi inspected the under-construction Rail Coach factory. The facto-ry, said to be one of her dream projects, has been a bone of contention between the Centre and the state government.


During inspection, Gandhi found that only the boundary wall has been constructed and work on a power station and a tubewell was underway.

Since only workers and junior staff were present on the site, Gandhi called senior officials, including D Anand — the Chief Executive Officer of the factory — for a meeting.


As on Monday, when she had gone to as many as 17 villages and listened to the problems of the villagers, Gandhi visited a number of villages on Tuesday as well.


In Sarayen Digonsa village, Gandhi stopped to listen to the complaints of the members of the Pasi community.
An elderly woman, Chanda Pasi, fell on Gandhi’s feet and sought her help to free her husband Chedi Lal, a Dalit. Chanda alleged that the police had picked up her husband in the morning and were torturing him.


Gandhi asked the police officer accompanying her to look into the matter. After speaking to the police station in-charge, the officer reported that Chedi Lal has been picked up by mistake. He was released in the evening.
Gandhi also visited Ahar village where NREGA work was in progress to level the fields for the benefit of the SC/STs.


She personally checked the muster roll and asked the official on site to call those marked as present.
When some of the workers complained about delay in payment, Gandhi demanded an explanation from the engineer.


Earlier on Tuesday, Gandhi inaugurated Rajiv Gandhi Boys Hostel at the premises of Firoze Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology.


Cong chief’s visits an ‘eyewash’: BSP

The BSP on Tuesday described Sonia Gandhi’s visits to Dalit houses as an “eyewash”. “If UPA chairperson Sonia had any concern for the Dalits of her constituency, she would have formulated special schemes for their economic development,” said a party statement.

According to the BSP, Sonia Gandhi was misleading Dalits in Rae Bareli. “After Independence, Rae Bareli has been represented by the members of Gandhi family or its close associates, but it has seen little development,” the statement added.

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Sonia reaches out to Dalit hamlet

Photo : Sanjay
Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi listens to the woes of the villagers during her three-day visit to Raebareli on Monday. Rae Bareli (UP): Like Kalavati, turned overnight into a mascot of the underprivileged by Rahul Gandhi after he narrated her plight in Lok Sabha, another poor woman Vidyavati on Monday had Sonia Gandhi coming to her aid when the Congress president visited a Dalit hamlet in her constituency.
Clasping Ms. Gandhi’s hand, the middle-aged woman took the Congress chief, who interacted with residents of Aghoura village here on the first day of her three-day stay, to her dilapidated hut which didn’t even have a charpoy.
After the woman narrated her woes, a visibly moved Ms. Gandhi asked her representative to ensure that the woman gets an Indira Awas house and other benefits. All the while Vidyavati held Ms. Gandhi’s hands while cameras clicked on.
Dressed in a striped brown sari with her head covered, Ms. Gandhi, who is affectionately called ‘Bahu’ (daughter-in-law) by elderly women in her constituency, frequently got down from her vehicle to accept their greetings.
“Where is the ADM?” Ms. Gandhi asked when the women pointed to the anomalies in various schemes and complained that they were not getting food grains.
With her party locked in a turf war for Dalit votes, Ms. Gandhi mostly chose to hold the ‘chaupal’ meetings at the houses of Dalits, sitting on a charpoy amid men and women and chatting about their day-to-day problems.
The Congress president also visited the house of Rameshwar Pasi in the same village, where the conditions were no different.

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Sonia re-elected as UPA chairperson

New Delhi: All UPA allies have agreed to work as per the guidelines of ‘Common Minimum Programme' when they met at Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10, Janpath on Wednesday. Manmohan Singh will now stake claim for forming the next government before the President.

All UPA allies met to discuss the formation of the next government here. Partners of United Progressive Alliance unanimously agreed on Sonia Gandhi's name as their chairperson. UPA formally stamped Manmohan Singh for the post of prime minister.

Talking to the reporters, Trinamool Congress Chief Mamta Banerjee said, ‘UPA allies have agreed to work on Common Minimum Programme which will provide a platform for all problems to be discussed'.

According to the sources, UPA decided to work for rural development as its prime target.

If sources are to be believed, UPA will focus on youth while allotting the portfolios as well. More fresh faces are likely to be seen in the new council of members in second successive tenure of UPA government.

Details on allotment of cabinet berths are awaited.

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Sonia blames Mayawati govt for UP's plight

Sonia Gandhi releases the Congress party’s election manifesto.

New Delhi, May 9 : Rejecting BSP's charge that the Centre had discriminated with Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi today blamed Mayawati government for the lack of development in the state and accused the ruling party of being hand-in-glove with communal and mafia elements.

"The BSP government in order to retain power gives a green signal to the communal elements and is encouraging the criminals and the mafia elements in the state," the Congress president said at an election rally here in support of party candidate Salim Sherwani.

She alleged that the BSP in order to retain power was not even hesitant to have a tie-up with the communal elements.

"Congress will not allow the poison of communalism to spread in the country. The country wants development and a strong government, which only the Congress can give under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," Gandhi said.

Reacting to Chief Minister Mayawati's charge that the UPA government had rejected the development package sought by her, she said, "The Congress does not discriminate when it comes to development and the Centre has never allowed shortage of funds to any state.

"But the UP government has not implemented the central schemes in a right manner, as a result of which the state is lagging behind," Gandhi said.

If voted to power, she promised Congress will give 25 kg of rice and wheat each month at Rs 3 per kg to people living below poverty line.

READ MORE - Sonia blames Mayawati govt for UP's plight

Sonia reaches out to the common man

NEW DELHI - Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday followed her children, who have given security a go-by in Election 2009 to reach out to the common man. She was returning home after casting her vote at Nirman Bhawan when she suddenly asked her speeding convoy to stop.


She gingerly stepped out of her bullet-proof vehicle and accepted a a bouquet from a man in a wheelchair.
There was a flurry of activity among the security personnel in Gandhi’s entourage as mediapersons rushed in her direction. The Special Protection Group (SPG) personnel jumped out of their cars and encircled her immediately.

Gandhi stopped after seeing Ashok Nagpal, 42, who waived at her with orange lilies in one hand and a tricolour in other.

‘I have been coming here during all elections and giving a bouquet to Sonia Gandhi. Now, she recognises me. I had been waiting here since early morning. I knew she was coming to vote,’ Nagpal, a resident of Patel Nagar in west Delhi, told IANS.

‘I am not a Congress worker but I have been roaming throughout the city on my wheelchair asking people to vote for the Congress,’ he said.

It is a trend that has been increasingly witnessed in Election 2009 with the highly protected Gandhi family breaching security cordons to reach out to people.

It started off when Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi threw security to the wind last month by mingling with the crowds at an election rally in Purulia, West Bengal. Later, he admitted to the media that these apparently impromptu interactions were cleared by the security personnel beforehand.

The young Gandhi scion Thursday cast his vote at a polling station at Aurangzeb Lane amid media frenzy. Although tight-lipped in front of the dozens of rolling cameras, Rahul Gandhi took a moment to chat with his fellow voters, who were impressed by his ‘pleasant’ and ’sincere’ ways.

His sister Priyanka Gandhi, on the other hand, has been giving her SPG personnel a tough time, breaking from set campaign routes to reach out to village folk, hugging them or giving a friendly handshake in Uttar Pradesh while campaigning.

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Sonia Gandhi mingles with people, crowds touched by gesture!

Ambala, May 1 : The crowds, waiting patiently in the sultry conditions to listen to their leader Congress president Sonia Gandhi, were touched by her gesture as she mingled with them freely shaking hands and reciprocating when they greeted her.

Sonia instantly struck a chord with the crowds as she thanked them for waiting for hours in the heat to listen to her.

"You have been patiently waiting in this heat. I thank you profusely for that. I have come to seek your support for the Congress," she said amid a thunderous applause from the gathering.

Sonia addressed a rally here in support of party candidate from this reserved constituency and Union Minister Selja, who is locked in a triangular contest with BJP's Rattan Lal Kataria and BSP's Chanderpal.

Despite a fierce dust storm and about 43 degrees Celsius temperature, Sonia went close to the crowds after she had ended her speech.

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Congress committed for development: Sonia

Jetpur, Apr 24 : Asserting that the Congress was committed to allround development of the country, the party president Sonia Gandhi today said no previous governments could match the performance of the UPA Government at the Centre, as it had undertaken a slew of development works during its five-year rule.

Ms Gandhi was on a day-long whirlwind tour of the state, where she addressed rallies at Halol and here.

Addressing a rally in support of the Porbandar Lok Sabha candidate Vithal Radadiya, Ms Gandhi said five years ago before the present government took over, the situation in the country was not that good and unemployment was widespread in rural areas.

The UPA Government has taken the country on the road to development, she pointed out.

Describing the achievements of the Congress government since independence, she said whether it is industrialisation or modernisation of the country, nationalisation of banks, empowerment of women through Panchayat Raj institutions or signing the nuclear agreement, it is the Congress which has always taken the lead.

The Congress has always strived for the welfare of the poor and the common man. The people have to consider all these aspects and then choose the party which would provide strong and stable government. The Congress is the only party which would provide stable and strong government, she maintained.

Rebuking the BJP's 'Ladli' scheme, in which the girl child would get Rs one lakh for her education, the Congress president said the party has already launched such schemes in Haryana and Delhi.

Besides this, the party has also announced the 'Dhanlakshmi' scheme, in which the 18-year-old girls would get Rs two lakh.

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'Sonia is a couple of thousand feet taller than Advani'

Patna Calling Congress President Sonia Gandhi much "taller leader" than NDA's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani, Congress nominee and TV star Sekhar Suman, contesting from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat, has said that RJD chief Lalu Prasad is "non-secular".

"Soniaji is a couple of thousand feet taller than Advaniji. No parallel can be drawn in their statures," Suman, who is locked in a triangular fight with film-star Shatrughan Sinha and RJD'S Vijay Kumar Sahu to make his maiden entry into the Parliament,said in Patna on Monday.

"Sonia Gandhi having majority support could have become Prime Minister way back in 2004. But she sacrificed her candidature and decided to make Manmohan Singh the Prime Minister.

But Advani, despite his age, was harbouring ambitions for becoming Prime Minister and relentlessly canvassing for people's support, Suman said, adding the BJP leader's efforts reflected "selfishness of sorts".

Advani should have left a younger man in the race for the top job, he said

"While Sonia Gandhi has an image of representing people with secular credentials, Advani is leading a party which has a communal background," he said.

Asked why he considered Advani communal, Suman quickly responded saying it was not he but the people of the country who have judged that the saffron leader was heading a party having a communal agenda.

"Sonia Gandhi is a respectable and honest representative of India's secular polity," the film-star turned politician said.

On Sonia's foreign origin issue, he said the issue has been laid to rest. "We are proud that she decided to live in India to serve its interests even after the assassination of her husband Rajiv Gandhi," he said.

In reply to a question, Suman said Rahul Gandhi has started gaining political acumen and "I am sure he will be the leader of India in future".

On Congress projecting Manmohan Singh for a second term, he said "It supplements the points I raised about the Sonia-Rahul family, which is still ready to make sacrifices and is not interested for the top job only."

Criticising RJD chief and Railway minister Lalu Prasad for his outbursts against Congress that it was equally responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid, Suman said "A person like Lalu Prasad who has never been secular doesn't have a right to speak on the issue".

"I claim that Lalu Prasad is casteist from the core of his heart. He cannot claim to be a leader of a secular platform," he said.

"It is unfortunate for Indian politics that a man who enjoyed power with Congress support in Bihar and at the Centre for a long period is showing marked opportunism," he said.

Suman, though, refused to press for Lalu's resignation from the Union Cabinet, as demanded by the state unit of the Congress.

"It speaks volumes about the latter's opportunist character," Suman said about Lalu's continuance in the Cabinet.

To another question as to why he chose Congress, Suman said "My choice has been influenced by the Congress leadership and the qualities it has shown to serve the people of India".

Asked about the preference of Bollywood stars for Congress or parties other than BJP, Suman said ''First of all I will like tell you we are unnecessarily being taken as Bollywood stars.''

''We belong to a Hindustani film-making industry where all of us are secular and will try our best to bolster the country's secular fabric ... We represent all castes and sections of societies and we want that the secular image of the country is maintained,'' he said.

Asked whether he believed Shatrughan Sinha, pitted against him, was a representative of communal forces, Suman's cryptic comment was ''I will only go by the people's decision about a person being secular or communal.''

Suman said the he was in contest with a potential rival but at the same time he respected Sinha a lot for a long time. ''Losing or winning will be decided by the voters but I am in the fight here to serve the people of my home town as it is the only way to justify one's position in a life-time,'' he said.

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PM, Sonia, Rahul to campaign in Assam, UP and MP today

Guwahati, Lucknow, Bhopal, Apr 19: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh respectively today.

During her visit, Sonia Gandhi will address election meetings at Allahabad, Faizabad and Lucknow.

Rahul is scheduled to address a public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Panna district, which will go to poll on April 23. .

Panna district comes under Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat.

He will also address rallies in Sangli and Pandharpur (Solapur Lok Sabha seat).

Prateek Patil, grandson of former Chief Minister late Vasantdada Patil is seeking re-election from Sangli while Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is the candidate from Solapur constituency.

Besides, Rahul will address election meetings in Naxal-hit Balaghat and Pipariya area in Hoshangabad parliamentary constituency on April 21.

Of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state, polling will be held in 13 seats including Khajuraho, Balaghat and Hoshangabad on April 23.

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'Iron man' depends on RSS for decisions: Sonia Gandhi

BJP's Iron Man Eating Iron Ice-cream To Cool Off Too Much Iron Burn-out

Stepping up attack on NDA's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani for his weak PM remarks against Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said the BJP leader himself "cannot take any decision without the approval of Sangh Parivar".

"The leader (Advani) who has targeted our Prime Minister, can he ever take a decision without the approval of Sangh Parivar? He even had to quit his post once. Then you know who is weak," she said.

"Congress does not run on the instruction or order of anybody. It takes its orders from people," she told an election rally in Pangidi.

Gandhi had on April 15 alleged that the BJP leader was a "slave of the RSS", while dismissing his oft-repeated charge of Manmohan Singh being a weak Prime Minister.

She ridiculed BJP's charges of the UPA being "soft on terror", saying her party has never been weak in fighting terrorists.

Highlighting the achievements of Congress governments since Independence, Gandhi said whether it is industrialisation or modernisation of the country, nationalisation of banks, empowerment of women through Panchayat Raj institutions, it is Congress which "has always taken the lead".

"You are aware of the rich history of Congress in securing independence for the country and building a prosperous nation. You know what is the contribution of Congress in nation-building," she said.

"Congress has undertaken infrastructure development in the country and provided reservations for dalits and tribals and brought green revolution," Sonia said.

"It is the Congress which has ushered in landmark schemes like NREGS, mid-day meal, Rs 72,000 crore loan waiver and technical education by building institutes of repute," she told the rally.

She appealed to the electorate to vote for Congress candidates in the elections "to take forward the development works undertaken by the party governments."

Speaking on the occasion, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy asked people "not to believe" TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu who is "promising to provide everything for free".

The TDP has an alliance with TRS that is opposed to irrigation projects like Pulichintala and Polavaram that are meant for development of the coastal Andhra region and they may not be achieved if the TDP came to power, he charged.

Reddy had earlier kicked up a political row by allegedly stating that people from coastal Andhra and Telangana would have to live like foreigners in Hyderabad if the TDP-led "Grand Alliance came to power".

Reddy, however, clarified that he merely stated the views expressed by TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao who had threatened to close down the educational institutions and businesses run by those from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

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Terrorism greatest challenge to country: Sonia

Terrorism is the greatest challenge that the country is facing and only Congress can provide an effective leadership to people to combat the menace unitedly, party President Sonia Gandhi said today.

“The government and security forces alone cannot tackle the problem - the people have to unite to fight against these forces. To unite the people, it is very important to provide effective leadership and it is the Congress alone who can take the lead in this regard,” Gandhi told an election rally in Silchar.

“Terrorism is not a problem in India alone but is a global phenomena and the main aim of terrorists is to break the sense of security among the people,” she said while campaigning for Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev.
Criticising the BJP’s handling of terrorists during the erstwhile NDA rule, Gandhi said even the Parliament was attacked when L K Advani was in charge of the union home ministry.

“BJP and other communal parties who allege that Congress encourages division should remember this…Congress has never allowed secessionist forces to thrive and will never allow it in future,” she said.
The people of Assam and the rest of the country have seen the performance of many non-Congress governments and they have realised what the conditions would be if such a situation repeats, Gandhi claimed.
Praising Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Sonia Gandhi said it was under him that development was ushered into Assam and this was possible due to Congress governments coming to power both at the Centre and the state.
The Centre, she said, has given “utmost importance” to development of Assam primarily because it is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s home constituency.

“He (Singh) has a special weakness for development of the state … The Congress party, too, gave full support to his initiatives.”

“Rajiv Gandhi, too, had a special interest in Assam and it was he who initiated the signing of the Assam accord,” Gandhi said.

She claimed that Congress has introduced many models to take development to every corner of the society, while the opposition parties have no strong policy for development.

Gandhi’s visit to Barak Valley coincided with a 12-hour bandh called by the All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association (ACKHSA) which failed to evoke any response and nearly 30,000 people attended the Congress rally.

The bandh was called to protest against alleged failure of the Congress government to convert metre gauge railway lines to broad gauge in Barak Valley.

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Sonia Gandhi lashes out at AGP-BJP coalition in Assam

GUWAHATI, Apr 14 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on Monday, lashed out at AGP-BJP coalition in Assam. She termed AGP-BJP as opportunist and alleged that AGP-BJP in indulging in divisive politics.

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani has recently addressed an election rally in Silchar and raised the issue of illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.

Mr Gandhi pointed to the terrorist attack on the Indian parliament and asked, "Do you believe that country under BJP leadership can sleep in peace." She addressed three different rallies in Silchar, Shillong and Itanagar. Mrs Gandhi, while addressing a grand election rally in Silchar in Barak Valley, said that AGP-BJP is showing their concern about infiltration from Bangladesh and security of Assam. "But, they should know that Congress has been guarding Assam from this even before the birth of AGP-BJP."

Mrs Gandhi added that they (AGP-BJP) have the habit of misguiding the people of the state. They always bring false allegations against the congress. Sonia recalled the work of her late husband Rajiv Gandhi for Assam. She assured that the Congress is ready to fight anti-national elements. The Congress government proved the same by its able dealing of the Mumbai terror attack.

Silchar constituency is caught in a tough multi-cornered contest. Perfume baron and Assam United Democratic Front’s (AUDF) president Badaruddin Ajmal is pitted against Congress stalwart and union minister for heavy industries Santosh Mohan Dev in the constituency.

Former union minister of state for communications Kabindra Purkayastha of the BJP and CPI(M)'s Dipak Bhattacharjee are also contesting from this constituency.

Meanwhile, normal life was hit in Meghalaya following a 24-hour general strike called by a militant group in protest against the Congress president’s visit. Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) called the bandh. Hundreds of armed police personnel were deployed in Shillong.

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Sonia Gandhi to address rally in Meghalaya today

Shillong, Apr 13: Congress president Sonia Gandhi will address a public rally at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex here today.

She will address a rally in support of party candidate Vincent H Pala and Deborah C Marak for the Shillong and Tura Parliamentary seats respectively.

The two Lok Sabha constituencies will go to polls in the first phase of election on April 16.

Security has been tightened in view of Sonia's visit.

Around 1,500 armed police personnel have been pressed into service to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

A team of Special Protection Group (SPG) met state police officials to review security arrangements.

Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary also held review meetings with senior state government and police officials.

Meanwhile, patrolling has been intensified and control rooms have been set up for emergency.

READ MORE - Sonia Gandhi to address rally in Meghalaya today

Sonia wish list for Naxalites

- Congress chief in maoist stronghold

Congress president Sonia Gandhi meets villagers in Khunti on Saturday. Picture by Manik Bose Khunti, April 12 : On a day when the men in khaki were busy battling rebels in this Maoist-hit district, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi urged people to facilitate the formation of a stable government at the Centre, enabling the return of the “misguided forces” to social mainstream. At a rally to seek votes for the local Congress candidate, Niel Tirkey, the party president claimed that the Congress alone could form such a government, which would be led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Social justice, she said, could not be administered through violence. “We want those who have deviated from their original path to become partners of progress and prosperity,” she told a crowd of around 5,000. However, Sonia, in her 20-minute address, did not use the term, “Naxalite”, although she chose to elaborate on the issue. “She seemed to have woken up suddenly. While in power, the UPA government not only abolished the anti-terror law, Pota, but also refused to formulate a uniform surrender policy,” said local schoolteacher Meenu Munda. Sonia urged the Tana Bhagats —involved in spreading Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of non-violence on barefoot for decades — to visit villages with the party’s message of harmony and peace. Taking a dig at the “communal BJP and its allied Hindutva forces”, she said that the country now faced bigger threats from such “divisive forces” than terrorist organisations. “Common people want to live peacefully, but certain parties do not like them to do so. Such forces are traitors in our eyes.” Remembering her late husband Rajiv Gandhi, she said that he always dreamt of an India where the youth would be self-sufficient in every sphere. “Over 70 per cent of people in this country are below the age of 35. They alone can bring about positive changes in society. Despite the global economic downturn, our economy is improving steadily under Manmohan Singh’s leadership,” she added. Sonia reminded that over 4 crore employment had been given under the NREGA. This, in turn, checked migration of labourers, particularly women. For the first time, farmers’ loans up to Rs 65,000 crore had been waived. A new law was enacted to ensure agricultural rights of the poor tribals over forestlands. And, apart from different social security schemes, the Centre’s rehabilitation and resettlement policy had cleared decks for setting up new industries, she added. “I promise that in future too, we would continue to steer the nation towards prosperity, where women and children would have greater participation. This is a national election. Exercise your wisdom and widen your vision. Please vote for the Congress and its allies,” she appealed. Sonia reached the meeting venue over an hour behind the scheduled time of 10.30am, though her special plane had landed at Birsa Munda Airport on time. Finally, around 11.45am, Sonia and her entourage arrived in two choppers. State Congress chief Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu and AICC Jharkhand in-charge K. Keshav Rao were accompanying her, while Tirkey waited to greet her. While on way to Chatra, she stepped into the local police superintendent’s office for around 20 minutes to have a word with her party colleagues. This, in turn, provoked state BJP chief Raghubar Das to immediately send a fax message to the Election Commission that the Congress president should be booked for violating the model code of conduct.

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Sonia Gandhi attacks Advani for repeatedly criticising Manmohan Singh

Jamui (Bihar), Apr 11 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday attacked Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani for repeatedly criticizing Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

“Advani should tell me what his contributions as country’s Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are? Indian parliament was attacked. Raghunath Mandir was attacked. Akshardham temple was attacked, but what did Advani do? His government escorted the terrorists arrested by the Congress government to Afghanistan and set them free,” Gandhi alleged.

Gandhi said that the saffron party had no issues to talk about.

“The BJP has no issues so they are talking rubbish. Not the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Advani, but the Congress and Manmohan have the guts to fight terror. It was due to the diplomatic pressure from the prime minister that Pakistan acknowledged that the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack belonged to their country,” she added.

The Congress president also targeted the NDA government in Bihar and its predecessor Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) regime, saying what happened to Bihar in the last 10-15 years was no secret.

“The UPA government gave Rs. 2.25 lakh crore to Bihar for execution of ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ for universal education, money for constructing 13,000 school buildings and providing electricity to 20,000 villages under the ‘Bharat Nirman Yojana,” she added.

Gandhi also attacked the RJD and LJP, saying the leaders had formed the ‘Fourth Front’ with “an eye on the chair”.

“These days it has become fashionable to launch fronts. Third Front, Fourth Front, there can be many more coming. All these fronts are formed with an eye on the chair, nothing else. Several such fronts were born in the past and faded away. Do any of these fronts have the guts to fight communalism, poverty and terror?

Have they been able to ever open a front like the Congress against these menaces? These fronts have no vision for running governments,” she added.

Gandhi reiterated that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the only one who could take all sections together to provide stability to the government.

READ MORE - Sonia Gandhi attacks Advani for repeatedly criticising Manmohan Singh

Sonia hits out at BJP accusing it of hate speeches

Sakoli, Apr 10 : Hitting out at BJP, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the country is aware of communal forces and their leaders who spew venom through their speeches but did not take the name of that party's Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi.

"The country is aware of these forces and leaders who spread venom through their speeches," said Ms. Gandhi addressing a joint poll rally in Vidarbha region along with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. 

"Country is alert to parties based on communalism, casteism and regionalism. People do not want such parties which create riots, whose leaders make speeches that lead to hatred and which sends terrorists to Afghanistan like guests," Ms. Gandhi said. 

Sharing the dais with Pawar and NCP leader Praful Patel, Ms. Gandhi hailed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying he had all the abilities, the experience and the capacity to take the appropriate decisions and provide a stable government to the country.

In an obvious reference to the Shiv Sena and the BJP in Maharashtra, Ms. Gandhi said Congress will not allow communal parties to take over the government in the State and Centre.

Ms. Gandhi referred to various schemes of the UPA like loan waiver to farmers, NREGA, Bharat Nirman, laws for the tribals, weaker sections and schemes for women, educational schemes like loan for backward children and midday meal as achievements of the government.

On the plight of the farmers in the Vidarbha region, she said a package of Rs 3000 crore to the farmers of the region has been given.

"Till the farmers get all facilities, the country cannot move forward," she said in the area which saw several farmer suicides in the recent past. 

Ms. Gandhi claimed that only the Congress can take along all sections of society. 

She also recalled the role of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. "The UPA under Manmohan Singh has done work with the same tradition..." she said.

READ MORE - Sonia hits out at BJP accusing it of hate speeches

Terror threat to Sonia: TN police taking all precautions

Chennai, Apr 9  Tamil Nadu police is taking “all security precautions” following a reported terror threat from banned LTTE to Congress President Sonia Gandhi during her election campaign tour, state Director General of Police K P Jain said today.

“We are aware of the threat… We are taking all security precautions,” he told PTI.

According to reports, the southern states had been asked to remain extra vigilant in the wake of the latest threat.

Tamil Nadu goes to polls in the last phase on May 13.

The threat could emanate from LTTE and pro-LTTE elements in view of “discontent” (among pro-Eelam groups over India’s refusal to intervene and enforce a ceasefire in the island where the militant outfit has been confined to a very small stretch of territory), top police sources said adding such alerts had been received for Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Security had been stepped up for Karunanidhi last week following a death threat, suspected to be from LTTE, while Union Home Ministry had issued advisories, among others, to AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, a staunch critic of LTTE.

On Monday, IB officials had held a closed-door meeting with high-ranking state police officials on providing security to top leaders touring the state for electioneering.

They were also briefed on the security threat of major political leaders, besides being sensitised on monitoring and preventing terrorist activities.

READ MORE - Terror threat to Sonia: TN police taking all precautions

Advani was weak in fighting terror: Sonia

Karimnagar (Andhra Pradesh), April 7 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday criticised L.K. Advani for dubbing Manmohan Singh a weak prime minister, saying it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who displayed weakness as home minister and deputy prime Minister.

Gandhi taunted the BJP’s prime ministerial hopeful for handing over dreaded terrorists to hijackers in Afghanistan in December 1999.

Addressing three election meetings in Andhra Pradesh, the Congress president said the party cannot be accused of being soft on terror as its leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had laid down their lives while fighting the menace.

“He (Advani) considers himself to be brave on the issue of terrorism but as the home minister and deputy prime minister he gave a send-off to dreaded terrorists as guests and the same terrorists carried out attacks on our parliament and in various parts of the country. The same person is today accusing us of being soft,” she said addressing a mammoth public meeting in Vijayanagaram in north coastal Andhra.

“The same former home minister has dreams of becoming prime minister. He has every right to dream but our dream is different. The dream of the Congress party is to see faster development of India make all citizens - irrespective of religion, region and caste - partners in this development,” she said.

Defending Manmohan Singh, she said he was a strong leader and a man of integrity.

“You have a choice to make. On one side you have a prime minister who is a man of integrity and on the other side a BJP leader who talks of fighting terror but you know what happened during his rule. He is making baseless allegations against our PM,” she told the first public meeting in Karimnagar in Telangana region.

After listing out the achievement of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, she said some people still see something lacking. “Such people see even a serious problem like terrorism from the glasses of communalism,” she remarked.

“Perhaps for him (Advani) a strong leader is one during whose tenure as home minister and as deputy PM, parliament was attacked and dangerous terrorists were taken out from jails and sent to Afghanistan,” Gandhi said.

“For us a strong leader is one who does not make tall claims but does great work. It is a matter of pride that after the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, our government mounted diplomatic pressure on Pakistan and as a result Pakistan owned up the truth,” she added.

The UPA chairperson also trained her guns on the state’s main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the ‘third front’, saying they cheated people time and again.

“You have to decide for the next five years in which direction the country and Andhra Pradesh should go,” she said, seeking another term for the Congress both in the state and at the centre.

She listed out the achievements of the Congress during its long history and the steps taken by the UPA government, including the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, waiver of farmers’ loans, the mid-day meal scheme, scholarships to students of weaker sections and the India-US nuclear deal.

READ MORE - Advani was weak in fighting terror: Sonia

Sonia Gandhi's assets: Rs 1.38 crore, house in Italy

Rae Bareli, Apr 6 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi owns neither a car nor a house in India but she has an ancestral home in Italy, according to papers she submitted on Monday while filing her Lok Sabha nomination.

She submitted an affidavit to the district magistrate, stating the Italian house was valued at Rs18.02 lakh.

Sonia Gandhi's assets, according to the affidavit, totalled Rs1.38 crore, nearly Rs1 crore less than what her son Rahul Gandhi reportedly has. He is contesting from nearby Amethi constituency.

Sonia Gandhi's affidavit says that she had Rs75,000 in cash and Rs 28.61 lakh in bank deposits.

In addition she had mutual funds worth about Rs 20 lakh and Rs12 lakh in Reserve Bank of India bonds.

A sum of Rs.199,000 was deposited in post offices and Rs 24.88 lakh with the Public Provident Fund.

Sonia Gandhi's jewellery, weighing about 2.5 kg, was valued at Rs11 lakh while 88 kg of silver possessed by her was stated to be worth about Rs18 lakh.


She owns two plots of agricultural land totalling up to about 15 bighas and valued at Rs.219,000. Their location is not mentioned in the affidavit.

Sonia Gandhi paid Rs.558,000 in income tax for the assessment year 2008-09 and Rs 32,512 in wealth tax.

In the section related to educational qualification,Sonia Gandhi mentions two courses: a three-year course in foreign languages (English and French) from an institute in Turin (Italy) and a Certificate in English Language from Lennox Cook School, Cambridge.

READ MORE - Sonia Gandhi's assets: Rs 1.38 crore, house in Italy