Power centers in the corridors of power, Extra Con

[Guest]

Congress and Queen are shameless. What they are doing is very natural to them. This is undeclared emergency. Same players are working and twisting consitution.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Award row: EC decides to issue notice to Sonia </b>
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
The Election Commission on Wednesday made up its mind to issue notice to Sonia Gandhi on a petition to disqualify her membership to Lok Sabha for accepting an order of honour from the Belgian Government.

The poll panel seized of a petition filed by a resident of Kerala was in a quandary over whether or not to issue notice to the Congress president. The controversy arose from the fact that Sonia Gandhi was awarded with the Order of Leopold by the Belgian Government as a mark of honour for her exceptional service in civil life.

<b>The petitioner pointed out one clause in the Order which made the awardee owe allegiance to the Belgian crown and its Constitution. Disturbed by this fact, he sought Gandhi's disqualification under Article 102 of the Constitution, which provides disqualification of MP on the ground that he/she becomes a foreign citizen</b>.

According to sources in the Commission, the three-member Commission deliberated on the issue at length as for the first time a petition was filed seeking disqualification questioning the citizenship of a legislator who owes allegiance to another Constitution.

Considering the unique facts of the case, sources added, the Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami may even seek the assistance of the Ministry of External Affairs to provide details on the clauses contained in the Order of Leopold.

But sources indicated that the decision to issue notice could not be unanimous since one of the Election Commissioners considered the matter to be a frivolous petition. But the CEC is reported to have got support from the other Election Commissioner who agreed to the extent of sending a communication to Gandhi seeking her explanation.

The petitioner, <b>Rajan hails from Kerala and even runs an NGO that seeks to protect the fundamental right of Article 19 pertaining to Freedom of Right to Speech and Expression</b>.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Now we know MEA will sit on this as they did to save Queen's BF.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Young vs old: Is Rahul gunning for Arjun Singh?</b>

Wed, Feb 20 01:00 AM

New Delhi: Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh is the face of the Congress from another era, someone who is one of the senior most ministers in the UPA today. But now, as the Congress prepares to enter an election year, Singh finds himself at the heart of an emerging battle between the party's old guard and its generation next.

It's always been a dilemma within the Congress - should the veterans who are master poll strategists be replaced by the young leaders. After all, it's the youth who the modern India looks upto.

The HRD Minister's brand of politics hasn't gone down well with the young brigade in the Congress. The 'future challenges group' of which Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is a key member believes that HRD is a ministry, which must have a younger and more modern face.

There has even been a suggestion that Singh be appointed the Maharashtra governor when SM Krishna moves to Karnataka next month.

But that is easier said than done. As a self-proclaimed champion of the backward classes and Muslims, there is anxiety within the party that his removal would send a wrong signal and could harm the party electorally.

The contentious areas are apparent - Rahul, who is also a member of the HRD Parliamentary Standing Committee, wants foreign universities to open shop while Singh is against the idea. { So this is the real reason.}

Rahul wants greater focus on higher education institutes of merit. Singh, on the other hand, wants to introduce reservations in IITs and IIMs also.{ Is this arjun singh brain dead or what?}

Congress itself is trying to play down the differences between Singh and the party's younger leadership. "The senior people have experience. But the young have always found place in the organization," Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said.

So, while Rahul may complain of growing distance between the youth and Government, effecting a change in guard may prove far more difficult than he might have imagined.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Sonia grows, party shrinks </b>
Pioneer.com
Kalyani Shankar
<i>The paradox in Sonia Gandhi's leadership is that while she has been growing stronger by the day, the party is getting weaker. The Congress, which was in power in 14 States when she took over, now rules only four States</i>

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was named the third most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2004; she currently ranks sixth on the list. She was also among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world last year. All this she has achieved within a decade. She joined politics to rescue the Congress when the party was disintegrating under Sitaram Kesri's leadership in 1998.

How has the Sonia Gandhi factor worked this past decade? It hasn't been a cakewalk for the Congress president. She has had her ups and downs like any other political leader. After she took over the party on March 14, 1998, Ms Gandhi was elected to the Lok Sabha the next year and became the first woman Leader of Opposition. Before the surprise 2004 general election win, Ms Gandhi's future in Indian politics had looked somewhat uncertain, thanks to the party's pathetic performance in the 1999 Lok Sabha election, coupled with State Assembly elections in 2003.

When the tables turned in 2004, many senior political leaders from other parties, including Mr Jyoti Basu, Mr M Karunanidhi and Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, endorsed Ms Gandhi's leadership. Beating the NDA at its own game, she cobbled formidable alliances in States that worked magic for the Congress in the 2004 general election to bag 145 seats. On May 16, 2004, she became the leader a 15-party UPA coalition.

Ms Gandhi came close to becoming the Prime Minister not once but twice -- first in 1999 and again in 2004. She made a bid in 1999 after the 13-month-old Vajpayee Government was defeated by a single vote. The second time was in 2004 when the UPA Government was formed. However, both times she failed to become Prime Minister. However, her decision to install Mr Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister has worked well so far, but the party as well as the UPA allies know that the real power flows from 10, Janpath.

<b>What has made Ms Gandhi successfully transform from a mere housewife to a national leader? She has several factors going in her favour. First, bogged by factionalism, she is the only unifying force in the party, thanks to the 'charisma' of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Second, she was lucky to inherit the Congress, which was involved in the freedom movement and had a presence in many parts of the country. Third, she did not face the kind of revolt that Mrs Indira Gandhi had to confront from the 'Syndicate' of Congress veterans, or what Rajiv Gandhi faced when Mr VP Singh challenged his authority. </b>

Except for the rebellion by Mr Sharad Pawar and Mr PA Sangma in 1998 on the foreign origin issue, there has been no challenge to Ms Gandhi's leadership so far. When Jitendra Prasada contested against her for the Congress presidency, he lost miserably. Even the efforts to embarrass her failed many times -- be it her foreign origin or office of profit. She played her masterstroke when she resigned from the Lok Sabha in March 2006 to win for a second time on the office of profit controversy.

But the paradox in Ms Gandhi's leadership is that while she has been growing stronger, the party is getting weaker. The Congress, which was ruling in 14 States when she took over the party, is now in power in just four States. The overall confusion is telling on the organisation. After the recent debacle in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the murmurs from Congressmen have become louder. The charges of favouritism where some people hold more than one position while others are ignored, and the lack of nurturing of grassroots leaders by the leadership, are among the most common complaints.

With the onset of coalition era at the Centre as well as in States, the share of the pie for one party has shrunk. The Congress faces an additional problem - <b>Ms Gandhi has been grooming her son, Mr Rahul Gandhi, to takeover the party. The result is that the second and third-level Congressmen don't see future for themselves in the party.</b>

There are three main challenges for the Congress president. The first is to keep the coalition intact and remain in power. The future of the UPA remains uncertain. The Left parties have started talking about a 'Third Front', while the DMK is upset over the issue of Ram Setu. The RJD and the NCP, too, are keeping their option open.

The second challenge for Ms Gandhi is to rejuvenate the Congress. This is imperative for without a strong party there is no power. With the growth of regional parties, this will require a lot of hard work. The party has lost the northern belt, while regional parties have taken firm roots in the south.

The third challenge is to keep power within the Nehru-Gandhi family. This will be possible only if she focuses on the first two. Moreover, Mr Rahul Gandhi should be seen to be regenerating the Congress. However, things don't look too bright at the moment.

The problem with the Congress is that the link between the top level and the grassroots has withered away. Ms Gandhi, too, needs to take a few tough decisions -- showing doors to some of the coterie members and encouraging mass leaders.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Uproar in LS over Rahul Gandhis night out</b>

March 13, 2008

<b>New Delhi, PTI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's reported 'sneaking out' of his guest house in Orissa during his visit to the state last week created unruly scenes in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

A member in Lok Sabha on Thursday raised the issue of alleged violation of security rules during the visit of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to Orissa last week, triggering several bouts of clashes between UPA and NDA benches.</b>

Members of NDA and Congress clashed repeatedly after Braj Kishore Tripathi, Leader of BJD in the House, raised the matter during Zero Hour, saying the incident had put the Orissa government in a "difficult situation".

<b>Tripathi said that during his "Discover India" visit to Orissa, Gandhi, who has Z-Plus security, had left the NALCO Guest House in naxal-infested Koraput for some "undisclosed destination" for four hours at night on March 7 without informing local police.

When Superintendent of Police, Koraput, tried to go after Gandhi's vehicle, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Malik of SPG prevented him</b>, the BJD member alleged amid protests from Congress benches which led to verbal clash between the two sides.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi was also visibly upset as Tripathi raised the matter and said that if some "unfortunate incident" had taken place, it would have shown the Orissa government in poor light as it was the responsibility of the state to ensure security of a VIP as per the Union Home Ministry rules.

Rahul Gandhi was not present in the House when the matter was raised but came in as the uproar was on. Sachin Pilot was seen briefing him on what the issue was about.

While the NDA members were insisting that the matter was serious, Congress members were dismissive about their raising the issue and wondered what their objection was.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

If Rahul had managed to get kidnapped by the naxals then the central gov would been forced to release the naxal thugs currently undergoing their jail sentences.

These so called leaders need to think before they do foolish things like going into naxal infested areas without informing the security guards.

[shamu]

Nah. He was discussing future plans with naxals.

[Guest]

If you check Naxal lovefest blogs, you will find Amit yogi name and his contribution to Naxal movement. Amit yogi is son of Ajit Yogi, Sonia's right hand. Sonia , Naxal all are together. Rahul must have gone there to meet his buddy Amit yogi for drink.

[Guest]

^^^ Mudy are you refering to Ajit Jogi? His son was involved in an attempt to murder case while he was in office.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->^^^ Mudy are you refering to Ajit Jogi? His son was involved in an attempt to murder case while he was in office.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes.

[ramana]

From The Telegraph, 14 March 2008

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sealed with a kick: Chacha’s boot on Madam’s foot
RASHEED KIDWAI
 
March 13: Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of an unusual event in Congress history: Sitaram Kesri so far forgetting himself as to kick his loyal Pomeranian, Ruchi.

The party, however, will be marking 10 years of a different kick — one dealt to Kesri himself a few hours earlier.

<b>March 14, 1998, was the day the Congress had, through a “constitutional coup”, ousted Kesri as its 60th president and anointed Sonia Gandhi, flagging off a new era for the then 113-year-old party.</b>

Both kicks had caught their recipients equally unprepared.

The ailing Kesri, then 79, had arrived at the Congress Working Committee meeting at 24 Akbar Road convinced that a party president could not be forced out.

He did not know that before the 11am meeting, most CWC members had gathered at Pranab Mukherjee’s home to endorse two crucial statements.

The first was an ultimatum asking Kesri to step down; the second a resolution replacing him with Sonia.

As soon as Kesri, party chief since 1996, stepped into the hall he could sense the mood: loyalist Tariq Anwar was the only one who stood up to greet him.

<b>As Kesri sat cross-legged, Pranab began reading out a resolution “thanking” him for his services and invoking clause J of article 19 of the Congress constitution. A dumbstruck Kesri listened to its provisions: the CWC could act beyond its constitutional powers in “special situations” as long as it got the decision ratified by the All India Congress Committee within six months.</b>

“Arre yeh kya kah rahe ho (hey, what are you saying)!” was all Kesri could say when he found his voice. He looked round: his colleagues’ faces were shining with glee.

Kesri railed at the “unconstitutional” meeting and screamed that he was still the Congress chief. But Jitendra Prasada, a party vice-president, was already announcing amid thunderous applause that “madam Sonia Gandhi” was the new leader.

The axed president stormed out, followed by Anwar. He spent over an hour in his office calling up his advisers, but it was already getting difficult to hear them amid the crackers and slogans welcoming Sonia.

When Kesri stepped out of the room, his nameplate was missing, replaced by a computer printout that said: “Congress president Sonia Gandhi”.

Within minutes, the Special Protection Group moved into the party headquarters. By the time Sonia arrived for the day’s second CWC meeting, party leaders who used to drive in had been told to get off their cars on the street and walk in.

When Kesri reached his Purana Qila residence, he was in no mood for Ruchi’s joyous welcome. Eyewitnesses, however, say that the moment he kicked her, he was overwhelmed with remorse.

The finest of biscuits — presented to Kesri during his tenure — were offered to a puzzled Ruchi.

The arriving journalists found the Congress veteran calmer. <b>He began bad-mouthing Pranab, Prasada and Arjun Singh but the ingrained reverence for the Family prevented him from attacking Sonia.</b>

Kesri later told this correspondent he was hoping for “correction” from Sonia after his ouster.

When the new party chief arrived a few hours later to comfort him, Kesri rushed to greet her. Neither mentioned the “coup”.

Sonia sought Kesri’s blessings and guidance and the old man puffed up with pleasure. <b>By 7pm, he was singing paeans to the Nehru-Gandhis while promising to get even with Pranab, Prasada and Arjun.</b>

The Congress had become disillusioned with “chacha” Kesri after the 1998 general election, when it tallied only 142 seats. <b>The party had asked “nephews” Ahmad Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad to persuade the old man to quit but Kesri refused.</b>

Then Manmohan Singh, Pranab and A.K. Antony called on Kesri and got him to meet Sonia. On March 9, Kesri announced he would resign to make way for Sonia but soon changed tack. He said he wanted a meeting of the 1,300-member AICC, which needs over a month to arrange, before quitting.

On March 13, Prasada hosted a lunch where 13 of the 17 CWC members signed a political death warrant for Kesri.

Patel, Prasada, Pranab, R.K. Dhawan, Arjun, Azad, Sharad Pawar, Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, Antony, Manmohan, Meira Kumar, Oscar Fernandes and Madhavsinh Solanki all signed the ultimatum to Kesri. Later, J.B. Patnaik and Lalthanhawla approved it.

The March 14 resolution mentioned Kesri’s March 9 announcement and said the “confusion and state of uncertainty” had brought “organisational work to a standstill”.

During the two more years that he lived, <b>Kesri would often say: “Congress leadership tapte hue suraj ke saman hai. Bahut pas jaoge to jal jaoge aur bahut door rahoge to thand se mar jaoge (the Congress leadership is like the blazing sun. Get too close and you’ll be burnt, stay too far and you’ll freeze to death).”</b>

<b>Kesri died of cardio-respiratory failure on October 24, 2000, aged 81. Ruchi died the same evening.</b>

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

So where are the greats who dethroned Kesri?

I think the fall of Kesri cut off the INC from its tradional sources of funds from Indian businessmen and made it vulnerable ot foreign NRI operatives and uncle. Its now fully int he hands of these types wiht Sonia at the apex.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Mar 14 2008, 09:24 PM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Mar 14 2008, 09:24 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->^^^ Mudy are you refering to Ajit Jogi? His son was involved in an attempt to murder case while he was in office.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes.[right][snapback]79645[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ajit Jogi was the CM of Chattisgarh and not Orissa. Rahul had gone to Orissa and had gone missing for 4 hours without informing anyone. What he did in these 4 hours is not known. Most likely he would have used the time to discuss "Social Justice" and "Liberation Theology" with the EJs who are active in Orissa. EJs are directly supporting the Naxalities/Maoists and congress is seeking their support in the next Lok Sabha elections.

During the last Andhra pradesh elections Congress which won under a christian Rajasekhara Reddy had got the support of the naxals and Ajit Jogi was selected as CM of Chattisgarh because he was a christian.

Now they are hatching a much larger plan of snatching the centre and installing their puppet christian as the PM. Manmohan singh seems to have outlived his utility to the congress and in the coming months maybe made an scapegoat and sacrified for a 'new face'. This 'new face' most likely is rahul. Congress has no political base in the country and are ruling in just 4 states. They need a new votebank and the EJs and the naxals are their new votebank. Rahul meeting naxals is an attempt to cement their ties.

[Guest]

From DC


<b>Arjun: Make Rahul PM nominee</b>


New Delhi, March 31: The human resources development minister, Mr Arjun Singh wants AICC general secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi projected as a prime ministerial candidate at a time when the Congress’ ally, the NCP, has pleaded for Dr Manmohan Singh for the top post while the rest of the UPA constituents have yet to play their cards on this issue. Mr Singh, a senior party leader known for his loyalty to the Gandhi-Nehru family, praised the young Gandhi, saying Rahul’s experiences in various states would benefit the party. When asked if the party was grooming Mr Gandhi as the next prime ministerial candidate, Mr Singh retorted, "Why not?"
Although the Congress has been evasive on straight queries about who would be its candidate for Prime Minister in the next Lok Sabha polls and whether Dr Manmohan Singh would be projected for the top post, its allies privately oppose any move to "impose" a nominee for PM’s post. "The PM candidate would be elected, and not selected," a leader of a UPA ally other than the NCP said.

According to a PTI report from Bhopal, Mr Arjun Singh defended Mr Gandhi’s
"Discovery of India" campaign, saying his experiences in various states would benefit the party. "Rahul has priority in launching the Discovery of India campaign." "He is trying to learn. His experiences in various states would benefit the party," Mr Singh told reporters when asked on Sunday why Mr Gandhi initiated such a campaign. Mr Singh is perhaps the first Union minister to publicly say he wants Mr Gandhi groomed for the post.

The Congress is cautious about taking a stand on this issue because it first has to decide whether it wants to face the next general elections under the banner of the UPA and, if so, it will have to evolve a consensus on Mr Gandhi among the allies.

Any division among them would send out the wrong message to the people ahead of the polls. If UPA insiders are to be believed, the Congress is in no position to come to power on its own. It will have to be a partner of a front against the BJP-led NDA. But a section of the Congress prefers a post-poll alliance because they feel this could help revive the party under Mr Gandhi’s leadership.

[Guest]

Is Rahul, Arjun singh dog's name? <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

Nah! Congress and 10 Janpath household is joke on Indians.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Harshvardan+Apr 1 2008, 06:52 AM-->QUOTE(Harshvardan @ Apr 1 2008, 06:52 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Is Rahul, Arjun singh dog's name? <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
[right][snapback]80217[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No the reverse. But then again, why would Rahul need a dog when a senile old sycophant's been around the family for past 40 years?

[Guest]

<b>Rahul Gandhi takes bath after visiting dalits: Mayawati </b>
Press Trust of India
Azamgarh, April 7, 2008

<http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=2
54&issueid=48&id=6759>

In a new low in the war of words with Congress, Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Mayawati on Monday claimed that Rahul Gandhi takes bath with a
"special" soap after his visits to dalit homes.

"Congress is losing no stone unturned to woo dalits and is sending it's
prince (Rahul Gandhi) to live and eat with dalits in various places just
only to garner their votes," she said.

"I have also come to know that when this prince returns to his home in
Delhi after meeting and eating with dalits, he is given a bath with a
special soap and he goes through purification rituals with incence and
incense sticks," she said addressing a meeting here.

Last week at a Congress convention in Kanpur, Gandhi attacked Mayawati
of only mouthing platitudes for dalits, who, he said, were feeling
"cheated" in Uttar Pradesh as no one seemed to care of them.

On the occasion, he narrated the story of a Dalit who held his hand and
took him to his house during his recent visit to Etawah and showed the
pitiable condition in which he was living with no power and no basic
amenities.

Quoting that Dalit, he said "Indiaraji aur Kanshiram hamare bare mein
sochte the.... Hamare saath dhokha hua hai' (Indiraji and Kanshiram used
to think about us...We have been cheated).

The young Congress MP narrated another story from his experience during
his 4-day tour of Karnataka and said that at a village he found some
youth from UP working in a field there. On being asked why they were
working in Karnataka, they told him that the "future of youths of UP
lies in Karnataka".

"These two stories tell us about the state of affairs in UP," he said
adding these stories need to be re-written if Uttar Pradesh has to moved
ahead.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>DMK for Rahul as PM </b>
 

New Delhi, April 14: The demand to project AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate is gaining momentum within the ruling UPA with DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, NCP chief and Union minister, Mr Sharad Pawar and HRD minister, Mr  Arjun Singh, responding positively to the idea emerging from the Congress Party.

In Chennai, Mr Karunanidhi on Monday welcomed the idea of projecting the young Gandhi as the UPA’s prime ministerial candidate in next year’s Lok Sabha polls. “I will be happy if he is made the prime ministerial candidate,” he told reporters in reply to a question. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said in Nagpur on Monday: “It is the prerogative of the Congress to choose Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate. The NCP has no role in their selection process.” And in New Delhi, Mr Arjun Singh, known for his loyalty to the Gandhi-Nehru family, demanded the young Gandhi be projected as the prime ministerial candidate. He said this after playing the OBC reservation card. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

aiyyyooo raama...

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&:blow--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
BJP CM delivers on Rahul's promise
23 Apr 2008, 0343 hrs IST,Suchandana Gupta,TNN
Print Save EMail Write to Editor

BHOPAL: When Rahul Gandhi promised a tribal widow Rs 20,000 for her daughter's marriage, little did he realise that the promise would be an embarrassment to him. While he forgot about the promise, sensing opportunity, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan stepped in and gave the amount in an apparent bid to steal a march on the Gandhi scion.

On April 15, Rahul, during his visit to village Tapariya Baissa, in north MP, spent the night sleeping on a coarse cot. There, Bhobani Saur, a Gond woman who cooked dinner — sabzi-puris — for Rahul Gandhi and party workers, sought monetary help for her daughter's wedding a week later. Rahul promised her help.

On Tuesday morning, when Bhobani was getting her daughter Kamla ready for the wedding, she was pleasantly surprised when a team of officers from the Tribal Welfare department handed her a packet with Rs 20,000 for Kamla.

Bhobani was told: "CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and the BJP state government have sent the money for Kamla's wedding." Officials told her and village elders that the money was not sent by Rahul.

Tikamgarh collector Vivek Porwal said: "Rs 6,000 was given from the CM's Kanyadaan Yojana and Rs 14,000 CM's discretionary fund... Bhobani is poor. She lost her husband 20 years ago and we were informed by our field staff that she desperately needed money for her daughter's wedding."

After Rahul's stay, Tapariya Baissa came to media's attention and Bhobani was in the headlines. The media interviewed her and she spoke of her conversation with Rahul including his financial promise.

[Guest]

<b>Description of Rahul Gandhi as 'Yuvraj' totally distorted:Cong </b>
Tue, Apr 22 07:28 PM

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Seeking to end the controversy over a party MP describing Rahul Gandhi as a 'Yuvraj', the Congress today said his comments had been totally distorted by the Opposition BJP. "The person who opposed him in the Rajya Sabha has totally distorted and conveyed a false impression.

What was sought to be conveyed was simply the personality of the person who lies in the hearts of the people, who is liked by the masses," AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here. "The first sentence is 'Yuvraj of the people'.

But unfortunately, this has been blown up and distorted," he said. Singhvi reminded that a few days ago, the AICC had stated that the Congress and the senior leadership of the party has never believed in sycophancy and has distanced itself from it.

Description of Gandhi as a "Yuvraj" (prince) of common man by a Congress member sparked off an uproar in the Rajya Sabha yesterday, with the BJP objecting to the use of the term and calling it a blot on democracy. Congress MP E M Sudarsana Natchiappan said by marching to the Divisional Commissioner's office in Jhansi to know why people were being deprived of their right to employment under the NREGS, Gandhi had proved himself to be "Yuvraj of people and the Yuvraj of my party".

"If there is a Yuvraj, there has to be Rajmata and a Maharaja," retorted Balbir Punj of the BJP, who took the floor after Natchiappan, saying Yuvraj was "unacceptable in a democracy". PTI.

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> Stars’ behind Rahul’s Bundelkhand trip: BJP
Suman K JhaPosted online: Friday, May 16, 2008 at 1503 hrs Print Email

NEW DELHI, MAY 15: The BJP has trashed Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Bundelkhand as inspired by “astrological calculations”. “Not many are aware that Rahul Baba had spent three days visiting Bundelkhand not to gauge the extent of poverty in the area, but to meet his astrologer,” writes the opening page editorial in the latest issue of BJP mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh.

While the Congress general secretary regarded his Bundelkhand visit as his most important political intervention till date, where he also spent a night in a Dalit household, the BJP mouthpiece, clearly, thinks otherwise. It says: “He is indulging in all his antics on astrological advice. The astrologer, according to reports, remained with Rahul for three days”. On his intermingling with Dalit families, the BJP organ writes: “Rahul Baba is visiting the poor man’s huts without doing anything tangible to remove their poverty and sufferings (sic)”. In its previous issue, too, the BJP mouthpiece had said that “it is not sure whether he is touring Bundelkhand to meet people or visit his astrologer”.

Asked about the basis of these assertions, magazine editor Prabhat Jha, recently elected to the Rajya Sabha, said it was based on “local media reports”. “I will raise the issue in the House in the coming session,” said Jha, who is also a BJP national secretary, attached to party president Rajnath Singh’s office.

Former party president M Venkaiah Naidu, who heads the Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Trust that brings out the fortnightly, said he had not seen the editorial. “I’ve been busy with the Karnataka elections. If Rahul is going all round to learn more about the country, I have nothing to add to that. I’ve to find out more about this Kamal Sandesh editorial,” he added. When contacted, Rahul’s office refused to react to the editorial.