Kerala Congress senior members to meet with Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi today
New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): Senior Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) members are scheduled to meet with Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi and party President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.
The meeting scheduled this afternoon at the Indira Bhavan in the Congress headquarters in New Delhi is being held a day after the new Congress leadership in Kerala took charge, ahead of the upcoming 2026 assembly elections.
On May 12, the Peravoor MLA, Sunny Joseph, took charge as the party's new state President. He succeeds Kannur MP K Sudhakaran.
AP Anilkumar, PC Vishnunadh, and Shafi Parambil took office as the Kerala Pradesh Congress Comittee's (KPCC) working presidents.
Attingal Lok Sabha MP Adoor Prakash took over as the convenor of the Congress-led United Democratic Front.
Congress leaders hoped that the new leadership could bring the party into power in the 2026 Assembly election in the State.
'This is a day filled with pride and joy. K. Sudhakaran led the party with integrity and courage. He fearlessly spearheaded the party's battle against political adversaries. Succeeding him is Sunny Joseph, a calm, composed leader who is deeply committed to the party's ideology and principles. Appointing him as the new KPCC President reflects our intent for a strong, coordinated leadership team,' Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a Congress function at the party's State headquarters held to welcome the new leadership.
'It was this need for a cohesive team package that led to the change in leadership from M.M. Hassan. We have great expectations from Adoor Prakash as the new UDF Convener. The road to winning the upcoming elections starts here. Our goal is serious--we must reclaim governance in Kerala. A structured and united campaign is essential. We now have a team capable of coordinating that effort,' Venugopal said.
Before assuming their office, the new leaders visited former Defence Minister and Senior Congress leader AK Antony at his house on Monday.
'The new KPCC President, who is the son of a high-range farmer from the village of Ulikkal, has grown step-by-step to reach the leadership of the Congress party... It's a journey of dedication and hard work, and it reflects the hopes of Kerala's grassroots,' Antony said.
'I have complete faith that in 2026, under the leadership of the Congress, a UDF government with a Congress Chief Minister will come to power in Kerala. Strengthening both the Congress and the UDF while uniting all sections of society is the path forward,' he said. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Rahul Gandhi's tongue is like Pakistan': Giriraj Singh's fierce attack on LoP
Union Minister Giriraj Singh launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi on Friday, calling him "useless" and accusing him of insulting the army. Singh made these remarks while commenting on Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bihar, saying that Rahul Gandhi's words resemble those of Pakistan and that he doesn't respect the nation. While speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh said, "Rahul Gandhi opposed India's valour, questioned its Army's bravery, and tarnished the army's reputation worldwide. The Bihar public will oppose him, why would they vote for someone who doesn't respect the army or the nation? Rahul Gandhi's tongue is like Pakistan, and he does not respect the nation." Singh also stated, "PM Modi isn't being insulted. Did the army win in 1971, or did Indira ji win? It's the army that won. Atal ji was in the opposition, and he said there's no party now, only Bharat. And this useless person (Rahul Gandhi) is mocking and making fun of the nation's bravery and the army. Such a person should be boycotted." The leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, arrived at Gaya Airport in Bihar on Friday. According to the official Congress account on X, he is scheduled to address the 'Constitution Conference' and participate in multiple programs. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi visited Darbhanga, interacted with students, and discussed issues such as caste census and reservation. The LoP reached Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga in May to deliver an address despite being denied permission by Bihar Police, which also led to a case against him by the district administration. He emphasised the importance of social justice and criticised the government's policies, highlighting the need for a caste census, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to announce it due to public pressure. The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be a multi-cornered contest with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the BJP, facing off against the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the INC, and other parties. The last assembly elections were held in October-November 2020. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has won a simple majority in Bihar, winning 125 seats in a closely contested election. The BJP won 74 seats while the JD(U) secured 43 seats. The Mahagathbandhan, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, managed to secure 110 seats in the state's 243-seat legislative assembly. The Bihar Legislative Assembly election for all 243 constituencies is scheduled to be held in October or November this year.
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Action taken against those visibly responsible': Siddaramaiah defends government's response in Bengaluru stampede case
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for politicising the stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured. The incident occurred during RCB's IPL victory celebrations on June 4. Responding to allegations from the BJP that the Congress-led state government was scapegoating the police, Siddaramaiah told ANI that action had been taken against officials found 'visibly responsible' and 'negligent in their duty.' 'They [BJP] are doing this for politics. I don't do politics. We have taken action against those who were found visibly responsible,' the Chief Minister said. (Also Read: 'Doesn't listen to anyone': Nikhil Kamath recalls what a politician said about suspended Bengaluru top cop B Dayananda) Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra accused the government of acting under pressure, pointing out that key decisions, including the suspension of senior police officers and the registration of FIRs — only came after public outrage. 'The government acted only when pressure mounted. The real accused are Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara. They should be investigated,' Vijayendra said. Following the tragedy, the government suspended multiple senior police officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda. He was replaced by senior IPS officer Seemant Kumar Singh, who officially took charge on Friday. The list of suspended officers includes Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash, DCP (Central) Shekhar HT, ACP Balakrishna, and Cubbon Park Police Inspector Girish AK. In parallel, Karnataka Police registered an FIR against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), event organisers DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), alleging 'irresponsibility' and 'carelessness' in crowd management. In response, the KSCA board, including President Raghuram Bhat, Secretary A. Shankar, and Treasurer E.S. Jairam, filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash the FIRs. The plea will be heard later on Friday by a bench led by Justice Krishna Kumar. (Also Read: Bengaluru stampede: KSCA officials move High Court, seek quashing of FIR)
Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje demands 'Allu Arjun-like' arrests over Chinnaswamy stampede
Bengaluru North MP and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje has launched a scathing attack on the Karnataka government following the tragic stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium that left 11 people dead. She questioned the accountability of top state leaders and drew a sharp comparison with actor Allu Arjun's controversial arrest in a similar incident in Telangana. Also Read - 'Doesn't listen to anyone': Nikhil Kamath recalls what a politician said about suspended Bengaluru top cop B Dayananda Addressing reporters, Karandlaje referred to the December 2024 stampede during a screening of Pushpa 2, where a woman lost her life. "In Telangana, the government arrested Allu Arjun from his home following the incident. Why is the Karnataka government not taking similar action here?" she asked. "Should we arrest Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar for this tragedy?" she added, accusing the state leadership of prioritizing political optics over public safety. She further criticised the government's decision to order an inquiry headed by the Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner, expressing doubts over its impartiality. 'How can a bureaucrat investigate his own political bosses? If the collector finds lapses by Siddaramaiah or DK Shivakumar, will he have the courage to hold them accountable?' Karandlaje asked. She called for an independent investigation, led by retired High Court judges, to ensure transparency and justice. The BJP MP alleged that the Congress-led state government was more focused on "hijacking credit" for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory than ensuring crowd safety. 'The administration was desperate to share the spotlight with RCB players. In the process, they ignored basic precautions,' she said. Also Read - Why was RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale arrested? In the aftermath of the incident, several senior police officials have been suspended, including former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda. On Friday, police arrested Nikhil Sosale, the marketing head of RCB, in connection with the chaos outside the stadium on June 4 during the victory celebrations. The Karnataka government is now facing mounting pressure, with critics demanding not just bureaucratic action, but political accountability as well.
