Latest news with #StateCongress
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Rahul Gandhi visits Madhya Pradesh, holds meeting with senior Congress leaders
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi arrived in Bhopal on Tuesday (June 3, 2025) to take part in a campaign being started with the aim of strengthening the party at the grassroots level and infusing new enthusiasm among workers for the 2028 Madhya Pradesh polls. Before the campaign launch, Mr. Gandhi addressed a meeting of the Congress' political affairs committee and discussed key issues with the senior party leaders. Earlier, M.P. Congress President Jitu Patwari and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath accorded a warm welcome to Mr. Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as he arrived at the airport in Bhopal. Mr. Gandhi later chaired a meeting at the State Congress office in Bhopal where general secretary in-charge Harish Choudhary, AICC organisation in-charge K.C. Venugopal, Mr. Patwari, Mr. Nath, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, Leader of Opposition in the M.P. Assembly Umang Singhar and other party leaders were present. The State Congress unit later in a statement said, "Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed the meeting of the Political Affairs Committee held at 'Indira Bhawan' in Bhopal today and discussed important issues with all senior leaders." Former State Congress president Arun Yadav and former MP Sajjan Verma, senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha, former LoP Ajay Singh and former Mahila Congress president Shobha Ojha were among those who attended the meeting. Earlier, informing about 'Sangthan Srujan Abhiyan' (Organisation Rejuvenation Campaign), Mr. Yadav said it is being started with the aim of strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level and build enthusiasm among the party workers. "We have not been in power in the state for a long time and under 'Mission 2028', we will work to form our government in the State again," he said. The Congress was in power in the State for a brief period between December 2018 and March 2020 under the leadership of Kamal Nath. Apart from that, the grand old party has been out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. The next State Assembly elections will be due in 2028. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress could not win a single seat in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Chhindwara, the home turf of Kamal Nath.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Chhattisgarh to recruit 5,000 teachers: CM Sai
The Chhattisgarh government has announced the recruitment of 5,000 new teachers, with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, instructing officials to initiate the process soon. This announcement was made during the conclusion of the 'Sushasan Tihar' campaign, a state-wide initiative aimed at bringing governance closer to the people. The Chief Minister shared this decision on social media, emphasising that the recruitment of teachers is just the beginning of a larger effort to improve education in the state. One of the key decisions taken during the campaign was the rationalisation of schools, a move expected to significantly influence the state's educational future. The government has also decided to recruit teachers in phases, with the first phase involving the hiring of 5,000 teachers. However, the announcement has sparked controversy. State Congress has criticised the move, claiming that it will lead to the elimination of over 45,000 teaching positions across the state. On the state government's rationalisation drive, Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo had told IANS, "This is not a new attempt. Even during the BJP regime, around 2,000–2,500 schools were shut down in the name of rationalisation. The same effort is now being repeated." While removing teachers from schools where their numbers exceed sanctioned posts is understandable, the situation is alarming in places where there are no teachers. As per available data, out of over 56,000 government schools in Chhattisgarh, more than 5,500 are single-teacher schools, and some have no teachers at all. If this move is purely aimed at cost-cutting, it is a completely flawed and inhumane approach'. However, the government has clarified that rationalisation of schools is aimed at adjusting student-teacher ratios, increasing the number of students per teacher from 21.48 to 30 in primary schools and from 26.2 to 35 in middle schools. Critics argue that this will result in the elimination of one-third of existing teaching positions, effectively reducing the need for new hires.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistan link: Himanta-Gaurav spat intensifies
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday (May 28, 2025), fired another salvo at MP and newly anointed State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi after the latter said he visited Pakistan once. Also read | 'Startling confession' by Congress leader on Gaurav Gogoi's wife being on Pak govt 'payroll': Himanta Mr. Gogoi said he went to Pakistan in 2013 to meet his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, who worked on an international project on climate change in the neighbouring country. Her work was not related to espionage or intelligence gathering, he insisted. 'They (Bharatiya Janata Party) are making an issue out of it, which is like a script of a C-grade Bollywood movie,' he said, adding that the Assam Chief Minister 'has this old habit of deceiving people'. Asserting the citizenship of his wife and children are 'personal matters', Mr. Gogoi took a jibe at Mr. Sarma by referring to his claim that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used a body double for his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in 2024. 'I believe he thinks I have a body double, too,' he said. Hitting back, Mr. Sarma said the Congress MP representing eastern Assam's Jorhat constituency 'has finally admitted' that he visited Pakistan. Also read | Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi met Pakistan Army official, says Assam CM 'But let us be very clear; this is just the beginning, not the end. What lies ahead is far more serious. There exists every reasonable ground, supported by credible inputs and documented information, to suggest that Shri Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment,' he posted on X. He later told journalists that Mr. Gogoi and his wife were 'deeply involved in anti-India activities' and what the Congress MP has revealed 'is only 10%' of what is known and would be disclosed after the Special Investigation Team completes its inquiry by September. 'We will release every document, every proof we have. The people of Assam and India deserve to know the truth,' the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former State party president, Ripun Bora, said he received a notice from the Crime Investigation Department for 'countering the false allegations of the Chief Minister' about Mr. Gogoi's Pakistan links. 'This is an attempt to harass me, intimidate me, and suppress my voice. But as a law-abiding citizen, I have decided to appear before CM's Vigilance. If they send me to jail, I am ready to go to jail,' he said.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress puts up posters highlighting Indira Gandhi's leadership in 1971 war
The State Congress on Tuesday installed flex boards and put up posters with photographs of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, highlighting her leadership during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, at 20 prominent junctions in Bengaluru. They attempted to compare the situation which prevailed in 1971 and today's by saying that despite the bravery of the armed forces, the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was not behind it. During Operation Sindoor, India and Pakistan agreed for a ceasefire at the behest of the U.S. President Donald Trump. Before the military top brass directed the soldiers to stop operations, Mr. Trump announced the ceasefire between the two countries, the Congress said. Taking a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led government, the Congress in one of the flex boards said, 'Indira Gandhi didn't need hashtags… She made history.' Another poster said, 'India remembers Durga.' Former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee described Indira Gandhi as 'Durga' after India's victory against Pakistan in 1971. Another poster said, 'Indira would've ended it before it began.' The Congress further said that 'at that time, the Indian Army, which gave a befitting reply to Pakistan, achieved a historic victory in just 13 days. The Indian Army had penetrated as far as Lahore, Pakistan.' In 1971, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered. Indira Gandhi herself visited the war zone, the Congress pointed out. 'The people are saying that Mr. Modi went to campaign for the Bihar elections instead of attending the all-party meeting,' said the party in a statement. BJP objects to posters Reacting strongly to the banners, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, criticised the timing of the Congress posters. 'This is not the time to put up posters of Indira Gandhi,' he said.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Assam CM's plea: End remaining Bihu functions
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday (May 9, 2025) requested organisers to cancel the remaining Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu functions from May 10 onwards. Rongali Bihu, a spring festival, marks the start of the Assamese New Year. The highly popular Bihu functions are organised from mid-April to mid-May. Follow Operation Sindoor updates on May 9 The Chief Minister did not cite any reason for his call, but the appeal is believed to be related to the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict over the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. 'Over the past month, we have joyfully celebrated Bihu across Assam through numerous cultural events. I sincerely thank everyone for their enthusiastic participation and contributions,' he posted on social media platform X. 'However, the time has now come to conclude this festive season. I humbly appeal that all remaining Bihu functions scheduled from 10th May onwards be kindly cancelled. Let us bring this vibrant celebration to a graceful close, with the same unity and spirit in which it was celebrated,' he further wrote. In ethnic conflict-scarred Manipur, the top leaders of the Opposition Congress took out a 'Jai Hind Yatra' in the State's capital, Imphal, on Friday to express their solidarity with the Indian armed forces engaged in the conflict. Hundreds of party workers participated in the rally led by State Congress president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, and Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam. Meanwhile, the security along the India-Bangladesh border in four northeastern States — Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura — has been heightened. These States share a total of 1,880 km with Bangladesh. Some sensitive stretches of the border remain unfenced. Night curfew along the border is one of the steps taken to thwart attempts by people to infiltrate, a possibility underscored after the detention of at least 30 Bangladeshi nationals in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi area over the past few months. Some of these people had come in illegally, while others were trying to go back. 'State security forces and local village defence parties have also been activated, particularly after some Bangladeshi nationals intimidated our border protectors in a sector in the West Jaintia Hills district,' a Meghalaya official said.
