Today in Politics: Rahul Gandhi to launch MP Cong revival campaign; second phase of Ram Mandir consecration
Days after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) appointed district observers to oversee the party's organisational revamp in Madhya Pradesh, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is set to lead a series of meetings in Bhopal as part of the Congress's 'Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan (Organisation Rejuvenation Campaign)' on Tuesday.
The campaign, which had been approved by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at a meeting in Karnataka's Belagavi in December 2024, aims to prepare the party ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh. The move is part of a larger national effort to restructure the party's state units.
On Tuesday, Gandhi will launch the campaign in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress has been diminished since its government collapsed in 2020. The Congress suffered an overwhelming defeat in the 2023 Assembly polls, winning just 66 of the state's 234 seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP swept all 29 of the state's Parliamentary seats.
'The abhiyan is being launched to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level and instill enthusiasm among party workers. We have not been in power in Madhya Pradesh for a long time,' former state party chief Arun Yadav and ex-minister Sajjan Verma said on Monday.
While in Bhopal, Gandhi will attend a meeting of the state Congress's Political Affairs Committee, followed by meetings with all party MPs and MLAs from the state, observers appointed both by the AICC and the state unit. He will also attend a party convention with members of the state committee, district and block presidents, and AICC members.
Gandhi's visit comes just over a week after the state Congress launched a pilot project in the Vidisha district to restructure the party from the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government is set to hold a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in Pachmarhi to honour the legacy of tribal king Raja Bhabhut Singh. According to officials, Pachmarhi holds historical significance due to the contributions of the Gond ruler, who utilised the hilly terrain for governance, security, and the protection of cultural heritage.
The BJP has been making special efforts to commemorate regional icons recently. While the Madhya Pradesh government held a recent Cabinet meeting at the Rajwada Palace in Indore to mark the 300th birth anniversary year of famed queen Ahilyabai Holkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 31 attended a 'Mahila Sashaktikaran Maha Sammelan' in Bhopal that also honoured Ahilyabai Holkar.
Second phase of Ram Mandir consecration
The second phase of the consecration ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya will begin on Tuesday, officials said. As a precursor to the 'pran pratishtha', a grand sacred procession was flagged off from the banks of the Saryu River on Monday.
According to an official statement, the upcoming rituals will include the consecration of idols in the Ram Darbar on the temple's first floor and in six other temples within the complex walls. The main ceremonies will culminate on June 5, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Ganga Dussehra.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to attend four key events, including the main consecration ceremony. No public invitations have been issued for June 3 to 5.
A similar three-day celebration was held on January 11, marking the first anniversary of the original 'pran pratishtha' that was led by PM Modi in January last year.
Speaker Om Birla in Brazil
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is in Brazil to participate in the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, where he is scheduled to present his views on reform of multilateral peace and security architecture.
Birla is leading the Indian parliamentary delegation for the three-day forum, which will be attended by presiding officers of parliaments of BRICS members and invited nations.
The delegation comprises Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Rajya Sabha member Surendra Singh Nagar, Lok Sabha members Vijay Baghel, Vivek Thakur and Shabari Byreddy. Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody are also part of the delegation.
– With PTI inputs
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