Sunanda Pushkar found dead in Delhi hotel, suicide suspected

Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Shashi Tharoor was found dead in a hotel room in New Delhi.

She was staying at the Hotel Leela in the capital. Reports suggest she has committed suicide.

Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor. AFP

A scandal erupted Wednesday after tweets posted on the verified account of Tharoor, the minister of state for human resource development, got twitterati all abuzz due to the very personal nature of the posts.

The tweets on Tharoor's timeline were purportedly those he received from Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar. Some of them, which have been since deleted but are still on twitter, read: "@mehrtarar I love you, Shashi Tharoor. And I go while in love with you, irrevocably, irreversibly, hamesha. Bleeding, but always your Mehr."

However, the minister and his wife issued a joint statement saying they are distressed by an "unseemly controversy" over some "unauthorised tweets" posted from their Twitter accounts and that both are "happily married and intend to remain that way".

In a statement, they said that "distorted accounts" of comments "allegedly made by Sunanda" have appeared in the press. "It appears that some personal and private comments responding to these unauthorised tweets -- comments that were not intended for publication -- have been misrepresented and led to some erroneous conclusions."

With inputs from IANS

AICC meet: Congress cadre exult in Rahul’s ‘warrior spirit’

An unusually assertive and spirited speech by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi seems to have had the desired effect on the party's cadre. For the cheering crowds at the AICC meet in Delhi on Friday, the unveiling of a combative Rahul who will lead the party's Lok Sabha election campaign has also come to signify his elevation as the party's new top leader.

Reactions to Rahul calling on party workers to go to "battle with their heads held high, with passion in their heart and faith in the future," suggested that he had succeeded in energising the cadre that was in desperate need of a morale boost, especially after the drubbing the party received at the recent assembly elections.

Rahul Gandhi at the meet. PTI

Said AICC secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra,"There has been a tremendous response (to Rahul's speech). People wanted Rahulji to lead the party. And this was a necessity. The party, particularly, needed the enthusiasm, the energy and the fighting spirit. What Rahulji referred to as the warrior spirit, this is what the Congress party worker needed to hear."

Reacting to Rahul's attack on the campaign by the Opposition led by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Nagra said, "Rahulji has given a fitting response to the slogan that the Opposition has raised of ridding the country of the Congress. What is the Congress, after all? It is a philosophy that represents the idea of India."
The reason Rahul's speech was such a hit with the party workers, Nagra said, was because, "he spoke from the heart and with sincerity."

Asked what touched him as a Congress worker about Rahul's speech the most, the AICC secretary said, "It was he said about Congress being an idea, a philosophy enshrined in the Gita, in teachings of the Guru Nanak, in rulers like Ashoka and Akbar."

Rahul's challenge to the Opposition was lapped up the youth congress leaders present at the AICC meet.

"What he said in response to the Opposition's slogan about a Congress-free India touched us a lot. He described it in a way that resonates with each and every Indian. You cannot separate India from the Congress: that is the theme Rahulji has given every Congress worker. It was very inspiring. He is the real leader of the youth. Today he has said what the youth wants and he has delivered it. It was a memorable and a touching speech for the youth," said Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Rajeev Satav.

Rahul's speech, said Satav, had dispelled the notions that the party was going into this election from a position of weakness. "There was talk that the Congress party was on the back-foot. After this speech, no one can say that."

Asked what the take-away for young Congress workers, who Rahul repeatedly addressed during his speech, was Satav said, "Most of the youth leaders spoke today. The message the party gave today was: young nation, young leaders, young India. I feel youth workers and youth leaders present today were very happy to see the changes that are taking place in the party. The new presidents of PCCs (state congress committee) are all young leaders, (referring to the recent appointments of Arvinder Singh Lovely and Sachin Pilot as the presidents of Delhi and Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committees). And the party is now promoting Rahulji as the next leader. I feel there is a lot of hope and aspiration among the Youth Congress today…Congress is an old party but now it is also a young party."

Satav insists there is no disappointment among the cadre that Rahul was not named as the party's prime ministerial candidate. "There is no tradition in Congress of naming a PM candidate. It is important that the party should fight under the leadership Rahulji and everybody has spoken in one voice. I am happy that all leaders are united and that they are pushing for young leaders."

AICC meet: Congress cadre exult in Rahul’s ‘warrior spirit’

An unusually assertive and spirited speech by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi seems to have had the desired effect on the party's cadre. For the cheering crowds at the AICC meet in Delhi on Friday, the unveiling of a combative Rahul who will lead the party's Lok Sabha election campaign has also come to signify his elevation as the party's new top leader.

Reactions to Rahul calling on party workers to go to "battle with their heads held high, with passion in their heart and faith in the future," suggested that he had succeeded in energising the cadre that was in desperate need of a morale boost, especially after the drubbing the party received at the recent assembly elections.

Rahul Gandhi at the meet. PTI

Said AICC secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra,"There has been a tremendous response (to Rahul's speech). People wanted Rahulji to lead the party. And this was a necessity. The party, particularly, needed the enthusiasm, the energy and the fighting spirit. What Rahulji referred to as the warrior spirit, this is what the Congress party worker needed to hear."

Reacting to Rahul's attack on the campaign by the Opposition led by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Nagra said, "Rahulji has given a fitting response to the slogan that the Opposition has raised of ridding the country of the Congress. What is the Congress, after all? It is a philosophy that represents the idea of India."
The reason Rahul's speech was such a hit with the party workers, Nagra said, was because, "he spoke from the heart and with sincerity."

Asked what touched him as a Congress worker about Rahul's speech the most, the AICC secretary said, "It was he said about Congress being an idea, a philosophy enshrined in the Gita, in teachings of the Guru Nanak, in rulers like Ashoka and Akbar."

Rahul's challenge to the Opposition was lapped up the youth congress leaders present at the AICC meet.

"What he said in response to the Opposition's slogan about a Congress-free India touched us a lot. He described it in a way that resonates with each and every Indian. You cannot separate India from the Congress: that is the theme Rahulji has given every Congress worker. It was very inspiring. He is the real leader of the youth. Today he has said what the youth wants and he has delivered it. It was a memorable and a touching speech for the youth," said Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Rajeev Satav.

Rahul's speech, said Satav, had dispelled the notions that the party was going into this election from a position of weakness. "There was talk that the Congress party was on the back-foot. After this speech, no one can say that."

Asked what the take-away for young Congress workers, who Rahul repeatedly addressed during his speech, was Satav said, "Most of the youth leaders spoke today. The message the party gave today was: young nation, young leaders, young India. I feel youth workers and youth leaders present today were very happy to see the changes that are taking place in the party. The new presidents of PCCs (state congress committee) are all young leaders, (referring to the recent appointments of Arvinder Singh Lovely and Sachin Pilot as the presidents of Delhi and Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committees). And the party is now promoting Rahulji as the next leader. I feel there is a lot of hope and aspiration among the Youth Congress today…Congress is an old party but now it is also a young party."

Satav insists there is no disappointment among the cadre that Rahul was not named as the party's prime ministerial candidate. "There is no tradition in Congress of naming a PM candidate. It is important that the party should fight under the leadership Rahulji and everybody has spoken in one voice. I am happy that all leaders are united and that they are pushing for young leaders."

Rahul’s AICC speech: Did it have any takeaways for party workers?

Rahul Gandhi outdid himself today, but he still failed to measure up. The party workers and functionaries, particularly the demoralized lot at the grassroots level, were desperate for a shot of adrenaline before the big election a few months away, what Rahul served them was a dampener in the form of a Congress vision statement. The morale booster they were looking for was largely missing in his speech at Talkatora stadium. If they were looking for quick fixes for the short term, he, like most of his speeches earlier, spoke in the long term.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. PTI

It was not a bad performance at all and the content of his 45-minute speech was appreciable, yet it certainly wasn't what the doctor would have prescribed for party workers overwhelmed by defeatism. Why? Well, the talk of deepening of democracy, of the expanding scope of citizen's rights and of turning access to information into a weapon against corruption etc, is all good. Such subjects would be highly appreciated in seminar circles and elitist forums of similar nature, but how does an ordinary party worker explain these to the voters in rural and tribal areas?

The voters are not stupid, but one cannot expect people trapped in everyday miseries and looking for clear assurances from their leaders on these to be respectful to abstract concepts. The Congress think-tank has made no effort so far to simplify its achievements in the areas of RTI and legislations creating rights for people to the party worker down the rungs. Rahul's speeches reflect the lack of understanding in the party to reduce big concepts into messages which are uncomplicated, consumable and deliverable. If many of the participants left the AICC session with heads a bit heavy and confused, the party has no reason to blame them.

One of the biggest talking points for the Congress should be the NREGA. It has transformed the economy in the rural areas in interesting ways by bringing more money into poor households and proving to be a potent weapon against vagaries of nature and uncertainties on the job front. The party has been slammed in the elite circles for being populist and the scheme has been called a crude vote-buying proposition often enough, yet we have not seen it defending itself with much enthusiasm. None of the Congress leaders has explained it to the masses as a safety network mechanism, aimed at protecting the poor and the jobless.

It has also failed magnificently in countering the well-orchestrated attack on its economic policies. It does not matter much now whether these are good or bad, but the party could easily provide a moral spin to its policies by emphasising on fair distribution of wealth and talk of economic conscience. It would certainly appeal to a wide section of the masses which does not see any great virtue in the trickle-down economics. The Congress has made simple for its workers neither its welfare policies nor its other economic measures. How do they carry these to the voters? None of the speeches offered by senior leaders today addressed this problem. The disconnect between the top and the bottom rungs of the party was never this distinct.

Rahul's speeches – the language, ideas and tone aspects of these in particular - come straight out of the book of civil society activists. While there's nothing wrong in it, these serve little purpose if the party workers are left with no clarity in the end. Modi, by contrast, knows the pulse of his audience. He makes matters lucid, simple and digestible for them. That he can be crude and offensive is an added advantage. He, put in Rahul's words, may be selling combs to bald people, but to his credit he knows how to do it. If the Congress is not able to explain the virtues of a comb to its people, then it needs to introspect hard.

Rahul, who would be leading the Congress campaign in the general election, must rethink his speeches. He needs to bring these down to the level of the common man if he wants to make any impact. And yes, he must remember talking long term does not work with voters at all.

Forget grand speeches at AICC meet: Cong needs to lose to win

What does a party do when it faces a certain rout in an imminent election? It puts on a brave face. The face of the usually passive Manmohan Singh actively stating that Rahul Gandhi will lead the Congress to victory in 2014. The stern face of Sonia Gandhi calling the main opposition communal and violent. The face of Rahul Gandhi, the great young hope of the Grand Old Party, not as Prime Ministerial candidate but in his avatar as leader of a most loyal opposition.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh. PTI

Rahul Gandhi would like us to believe that he wants to reinvent the Congress. He spent a considerable part of his address to the All India Congress Committee talking about corruption and how he is determined to combat it. But where were his conscience and determination when the 2G scam was revealed in 2010, when the CWG and Adarsh scams were exposed the same year and when Coalgate blackened the UPA in 2011? His claims circa December 2013/January 2014 have to be read for what they are: a desperate attempt to salvage some pride in the April general election. Rahul has risen only when Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal have torn through the Congress, exposing it as corrupt to the core, leaderless and in drift.

Grand speeches at an AICC session at the fag end of a disastrous rein in government will do nothing to change the Congress. The only thing which can aid a reinvention of Congress is a humiliating election defeat. Actually make that two election defeats that keeps them out of power for 10 years. Congress's great success has been that the longest it has stayed out of power at the Centre is an eight year period between 1996 and 2004 (the next longest is just three years between 1977 and 1980), and even in that eight year long hiatus, for two years (between 1996 and 1998) it was effectively wielding power from the backseat. It has never, therefore, felt the need to do anything radically different. It simply accepts a brief stint out of power as an electoral reality, but assumes that an unchanged party will eventually be voted back to power in quick time. That is the way it has happened for almost seventy years.

The party's frequent victories in the Lok Sabha polls have had a devastating effect on its long term health. In certain important states, beginning in Tamil Nadu in the 1960s and 1970s, but continuing to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the 1990s, West Bengal in the 2000s and Andhra Pradesh in the 2010s (Delhi may be next), the Congress has more or less been wiped out of electoral contention. The party never thought of a serious reinvention in these states and eventually its tired politics simply faded away and ceded space to other newer and more nimble parties.

The reality is that the Congress has for long been living off the legacy of its past. It remains the only party which has all India footprint even if it is getting lighter every year. This year, 2014, may be the year that the Congress realizes that that legacy has exhausted its electoral purpose.

Perhaps then when faced with political oblivion the Congress will get its act together. It will genuinely think about corruption. It may start to view governance as something more than populism - incredibly, Rahul Gandhi hailed every populist Congress policy including bank nationalization in his AICC speech. And it may start to effect the kind of structural change that will halt the rise of mini-dynasties and allow merit to take precedence in key part positions.

Elsewhere in the world, parties have reinvented after long years in opposition. In the UK, the Labour Party spent 18 years in opposition between 1979 and 1997 before it eschewed it's out of date socialist and populist policies. The Conservative Party spent 13 years out of power between 1997 and 2010 before it shed some of its extremist policies which had forced it into the political sidelines.

The Congress may yet have a future. Or it may not. It can reinvent when out of power but if it doesn't it will stay out of power for a generation (or longer) like it already does in several parts of India.

Modi a person of great prominence, want to know his views: EU

New Delhi: The European Union today termed Narendra Modi as a "person of great prominence" on India's political landscape and said it respects the judicial verdict that has given clean chit to the Gujarat chief minister for 2002 riots, on which there were "enormous" concerns around the world.

EU Ambassador to India Joao Cravinho said the views of the 28-member bloc on the Gujarat riots have been based on India's judicial and political process and it engages with Modi like with any other leader.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. AP

"He is a person of great prominence in the political scene. So, of course, we are interested in knowing his views, seeing what plans he has if he comes to power," Cravinho said.

"Our position is to respect what the judicial and political processes are. We have no issue whatsoever with the competence and capacity of the Indian judicial system," he said.

A magistrate's court last month had upheld a clean chit given to Modi by a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel in the massacre of 68 people in Gulberg Housing Society during the riots.

The ambassador said the EU was following the "political developments" in India in a "non-active manner" and that it has been engaged with all important "political actors" including Modi.

He said EU never adopted any official position on the Gujarat riots issue but maintained that there was enormous concerns for the "tragedy of 2002" around the world.

"Firstly we interact with different parts of India. We interact with many chief ministers. We have had lunch with different chief ministers. So this should not be seen as something unusual or strange," he said referring to lunch hosted by the EU for Modi last year.

He said there was no impact in business between European countries and Gujarat as the companies have been active in the BJP-ruled state for many years.

"Business-wise, there has never been any issue. European companies are very much present and active in Gujarat and have been there for many years. There has been no impact of any sort on their activities.

"Whoever is the Indian prime minister, we will certainly respect the democratic legitimacy of that position. So we will work with him as we will work with anybody else," he said.

PTI

YSR Cong says it wont participate in Telangana debate

Hyderabad: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Friday made it clear that it will not participate in the debate in Andhra Pradesh assembly on the bill for formation of separate Telangana state.

As the assembly resumed the debate after Sankranti holidays, the party staged a walkout. It earlier stalled the house leading to adjournment for half-an-hour. YSRCP leader YS Vijayamma said since there was no response to their demands for passing a resolution to keep the state united and to first take up voting on the bill, they were staging a walkout.

Representational image. AFP

She said her party would not participate in the debate as this would amount to accepting the bifurcation of the state. Her allegation that ruling Congress party and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) colluded under a conspiracy to split the state, led to an uproar in the house.

The TDP responded strongly to Vijaymma's remarks saying it was her late husband YS Rajasekhara Reddy who initiated the efforts for formation of Telangana state. TDP member P Keshav alleged that it was YSRCP which was helping in bifurcation of the state by not participating in the debate.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislator K Tarakarama Rao also targeted YSRCP for frequently changing its stand on the issue. He pointed out that YSRCP had even reminded the central government that it can bifurcate the state by invoking Article 3 of the Constitution.

However, Legislative Affairs Minister S Sailajanath, who is strongly opposed to bifurcation, took everyone by surprise by launching a bitter attack on TRS. While clarifying that YS Rajasekhara Reddy had only sought second states' reorganization commission to look into demand for Telangana state, he termed TRS an 'opportunist' and alleged that it is cheating people of Telangana.

The minister's remarks evoked strong protest from TRS. Speaker N. Manohar also pulled him up by reminding that he is legislative affairs minister. Demanding that the minister withdraw his 'unparliamentary' remarks, Tarakarama Rao said he was behaving as a legislator from Seemandhra alone.

The TRS member said it was Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who resorted to opportunism. He recalled that the chief minister had always maintained that he would abide by the Congress leadership's decision and when the leadership took a decision, he revolted. Responding to this the chief minister said he would explain in the house why he had to oppose the decision.

"I will explain how the people will suffer and how the interests of even Telangana will be affected. After my speech, the TRS will have to give an answer to people of Telangana," Kiran Reddy said.

IANS

Somnath Bharti and AAP’s vigilante justice problem

After a controversy over an alleged spat with a bureaucrat, Delhi law minister and senior AAP leader Somnath Bharti has courted headlines again this time thanks to his vigilante style of delivering justice.

According to reports in the Indian Express and the Times of India, the minister arrived in Khirki extension late at night, which is a part of the Malviya Nagar constituency which he represents, and led raids against foreign nationals from Uganda and Nigeria.

The charges: residents in the area allege that Africans were running a drugs and prostitution racket in the area.

The reports indicated that the minister quarrelled with the police when they turned up and wanted arrests to be made immediately. Shockingly, two African woman nationals were beaten up, forced to give urine samples and held captive inside a taxi for nearly three hours by AAP members.

One of the victims told the Indian Express, "They took our urine samples, put some machines on our body and also cavity searched us. We felt humiliated. We kept telling them that we have not consumed drugs...We were taken to the police station and kept there for over four hours...The police was, however, very helpful and asked us not to panic. But those other men were after our lives."

 

Bharti arguing with the local police officer. Image courtesy: Ibnlive

AAP leader Manish Sisodia today sought to defend Bharti's actions saying that the police had not been acting on the complaints of the people living in the area. The AAP has also asked the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to suspend the cops in question. Sisodia also denied that reports of the women were beaten up.

Prostitution racket or drug abuse fears aside, questions are being raised about the conduct of AAP minister and his 'volunteers'. While Sisodia has alleged that the police did not listen to the requests of the local citizens for nearly six months and took no action, some point out that what Bharti was in the wrong in this case.

"Indeed if there were complaints made by people for so long, there was enough time to for the police to get a search warrant and then do such a raid. During the day - under the Narcotic Drugs and Prohibited Substances Act- a raid without a warrant can only be carried out only by an authorised officer, only if there is reasonable belief of a drug crime," Karuna Nundy, a Supreme Court advocate, told Firstpost.

"At night this police raids without warrants are only allowed when there is indication that the evidence would be otherwise destroyed. These procedures might seem bureaucratic but they are necessary to protect peoples' life and liberty in this country," she said.

"You can't have ministers and AAP volunteers conducting raids. Mobs do tend to go out of control which is why we have these procedures," Nundy said.

Some have argued that the minister was a little too overenthusiastic in his actions.

Aditya Nigam argues in a piece on Kafila,"Barging into people's homes and arresting them without search/ arrest warrants is one such safeguard that has been fought for and established over centuries. No one can be allowed to violate these under any circumstances."

Nigam further argues, points out that when it came to acting out against the so-called 'criminals' Bharti should have exercised some restraint. He writes:

"Not only did the minister not show the minimum respect that hospitality demands, he in fact gave free expression to his basest prejudices – of racism and xenophobia when he said "they are not like you or me"...Simply because the minister receives complaints from such neighbours – whose attitudes about purity and vice are among other things, structured by their caste position as well – he cannot afford to jump into the act without any thought and reflection."

On the issue of the two African women being attacked, Karuna says that indeed if the allegations were true, it is shocking.

"Why did the police not protect them from the AAP volunteers. At the very least there should be an internal inquiry about this incident. Is AAP going to say that in the name of preventing violence against some women, violence against some other women is justified?" Karuna said.

Kavitha Krishnan, general secretary for the All India Women's Progressive Association, pointed out that this incident sets a dangerous precedent.

"I have no problem with ministers being active and confronting the police, if of course all the facts have been checked. If the police is shielding suspected culprits, then yes please act. But what Bharti did in this particular case was hugely irresponsible. Even if you have the right intelligence, at least follow the procedure," Krishnan said.

Another issue that was Sisodia ducked questions on was that of racial prejudice.

"This kind of vigilantism where he (Bharti) says he will check on every door, will encourage prejudice that all Africans indulge in drugs and prostitution. Not all of them doing this. Most of them are here for medical purposes, some for education, some running businesses," Krishnan said.

Sisodia completely denied the allegations made by the two women and asked the media to provide video footage to prove the incident but questions remain over how the AAP's volunteers treated them.

Incidentally, the law clearly states that no woman can be arrested between 6 pm and 6 am without the presence of a woman police personnel, which seems to have been ignored in this case.

"Bharti should be probed for this incident. The fact that the women were beaten up is a serious act of violence against women. He should be removed until details of this incident are cleared," Krishnan said.

AAP speaking in different voices, unsure of role in LS polls: Narayanasamy

New Delhi: There is a lot of contradictions among Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and it is unsure about its role in upcoming parliamentary elections, Union Minister V Narayanasamy said on Friday.

The Minister also charged that there was widespread corruption in the states ruled by BJP and the Opposition party has no right to speak about scams.

V Narayanasamy. IBNLive

"There is a lot of contradictions within the party. They do not have any ideology. They do not have any policy. They do not know what they (AAP leaders) or their party will be doing for the people in 2014 parliamentary elections," Narayanasamy told reporters in New Delhi.

He said AAP leaders have differences of opinion on major issues.

"They have different opinions on Kashmir. There is a difference of opinion (among them). Their Law Minister (Somnath Bharti) has intimidated a witness. He changed the record...

"Their record is coming out by and by. Their MLA (Binny) said Kejriwal (Delhi Chief Minister) is not working properly. he is a dictator. That is going on," said Narayanasamy, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

He also alleged widespread corruption in BJP-ruled state governments.

"You see what is happening in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In Karnataka, they had changed their Chief Minister because of scams. BJP is deep into corruption. They do not have any right to speak on scams and corruption," the Minister added.

PTI

AAP issues show-cause notice to Vinod Kumar Binny

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party Friday issued notice to legislator Vinod Kumar Binny for indulging in activities aimed at tarnishing the image of the party, an official said.

"Yes, we have issued a show-cause notice to Binny," an official told IANS.

Vindo Kumar Binny. PTI

"This is in violation of ... the party's constitution," the notice further says.

The official said Binny has been asked to respond to the notice by 5 p.m. on Jan 18 before the party's national secretary Pankaj Gupta.

Binny had attacked the party and the government for allegedly backtracking on the promises made in the assembly election manifesto, including on water and power sectors.

IANS

LPG cylinder cap will be increased to 12: Veerappa Moily

New Dehi: Shortly after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi called for raising the cap on subsidised cooking gas cylinders, Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily Friday announced that the yearly quota of LPG cylinders will be hiked to 12 from the current nine per household.

"Yes, the cap will be increased," Moily said after Gandhi made the demand to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session here. We need 12 cylinders, nine cylinders are not sufficient. People of India and its womenfolk want 12 cylinders," Gandhi told party delegates as they chanted "Rahul, Rahul".

Veerappa Moily. PTI

Moily had told reporters recently that a final decision in the matter will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA).

"If that proposal (for hiking the LPG cap) comes, we need to examine pros and cons. Ultimately, the decision will be taken by the CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) or CCPA (Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs)," he said at the Petrotech 2014 international oil and gas conference.

Moily said he had read reports on Rahul Gandhi taking up the issue of increasing the LPG cap with the prime minister.

"I am yet to get comments from the Congress vice president or the prime minister," he added.

Raising the cap to 12 cylinders would result in an additional fuel subsidy burden of between Rs 3,300 crore-Rs 5,800 crore for the government.

If the quota is raised, about 97 percent of LPG consumers would get subsidised LPG, Moily said.

PTI

Foreign calls, SMSes for AAP: Delhi HC asks Centre to file reply

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Centre to file reply on a plea seeking inquiry into alleged telephone calls and SMSes made from the US to Delhiites seeking support for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the assembly polls.

A bench headed by Justice Pradeep Nandrajog asked the Centre to files its reponse on the application seeking direction to the government to inquire and file their report about the role of "a team from America" in the Delhi Assembly elections.

The plea was moved by advocate M L Sharma whose petition against the alleged foreign funding to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also pending before the high court.

The application said that the Kejriwal and his associates were being "fully promoted/supported by a USA group Ford Foundation since long and they are active in India in the name of non-residential Indians".

Citing a media report, the application said "from November to December 2013, during the Assembly polls, more than six lakh telehphone calls billing to Rs 10 crore and 300 SMSes were made from Los Angeles to Delhi voters to support and cast vote in favour of AAP".

It said the telephone calls and SMSes were made without any permission from the Home Ministry or appropriate government authorities and are against national security, amounting to treason.

The plea also seeks to know whether foreign interference in the election process is allowed under the Indian Constitution.

PTI

Lalu backs Congress decision not to name Rahul as PM candidate

Patna: In his efforts to cosy up to the Congress for forming an alliance with it before Lok Sabha elections, RJD President Lalu Prasad on Friday backed the Congress decision of not naming Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, saying it was in tune with the democratic tradition of the country.

RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. AFP

"In democracy, people elect Members of Parliament who together elect a prime minister if a party secures majority... Congress has followed the tradition. So what wrong has it done?" Prasad told reporters.

"Has Congress ever named a prime ministerial candidate in advance that it does this time?" he asked reporters who were questioning him on the matter.

Describing Rahul Gandhi as a "nice man", the RJD chief, who is making efforts to forge an electoral alliance with the Congress for the coming Parliamentary elections, said BJP PM pick Narendra Modi was no where near the young Gandhi in terms of personality.

The RJD supremo came down heavily on Aam Admi Party and said through "absurd actions and utterances" they were taking the country on a "wrong" direction.

"Naya pyaj chilne wala aaya hain" (a new player has come and making tall claims), he said using a hindi proverb.

"He (Kejriwal) could not do a Janata Darbar and talks a lot of big things," he said, taking potshots at him.

Prasad was talking to mediapersons after visiting a new eye hospital opened by AIIMS doctor Yashovardhan Azad here. Prasad also took the opportunity to get his eyes checked up at the facility.

PTI

Modi won’t be PM, but he can distribute tea: Mani Shankar Aiyar

New Delhi: In remarks that are likely to stoke a controversy, Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar today mocked Narendra Modi's Prime Ministerial ambitions and said a place will be identified for the Gujarat Chief Minister to distribute tea here.

"I promise you in 21st Century Narendra Modi will never become the Prime Minister of the country. ...But if he wants to distribute tea here, we will find a place for him," Aiyar said at the venue of the AICC meeting here.

Narendra Modi. AFP image

Aiyar's remarks comes against the backdrop of Modi's reference to his own socio-economic background and humble origins at rallies while targeting the Gandhi-Nehru family.

Modi has said that people who are ruling at the Centre "don't know what poverty is all about, but I know it." The Gujarat Chief Minister has said that he was born in a poor family, and have seen and lived in poverty.

"I have sold tea at the railway station and in running trains ...those selling tea in trains know more about railways than the minister," Modi had said at a rally in Patna.

When he was six years old, Modi helped his father sell tea to passengers whenever an odd train came into the small
Vadnagar station in Gujarat, according to a book titled "The anatomy of Narendra Modi--the man and his politics" authored by Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

Earlier Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal had also made similar remarks against Modi, saying that a person who
used to sell tea cannot have a national perspective.

"Narendra Modi wants to become a PM. Someone rising from a tea shop can never have a national perspective. Like, if you make a 'sipahi' (constable) as 'kaptan' (Superintendent of Police), he can never have SP's approach but will have that of a constable," Agarwal had said in Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh.

PTI

AICC meet Live: Will take up any role party wants, says Rahul

4:45 pm: We are ready to take on any challenge in the future, says Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has the final word and says that Rahul Gandhi's speech is a sign that the campaign of the party is in safe hands.

"It shows we are ready to take on any challenge we face in the future," Sonia Gandhi said.

She said that there are many bills pending in Parliament that they would try and pass.

"The achievements of the UPA government will be a part of our campaign and we will publicise it as much as possible," Sonia said.

If we resolve to we can achieve anything. If we work unitedly there is no power that can stop the Congress, she said.

Even as she's speaking tens of activists have rushed to the stage to shake hands with Rahul Gandhi.

She finally ended her speech but the Congres activists continued to throng the stage trying to shake his hand.

4:40 pm: Will be PM if party chooses me, hints Rahul

The Prime Minister is picked by MPs and after the victory in the 2014 elections the same procedure will be followed, Rahul said.

"I have always said that I am a loyal soldier of this party and will take up any responsibility that you want me to take up," the Congress vice president said. So he doesn't mind being PM basically but won't be the Prime Ministerial candidate.

He also claimed the Congress party were the custodians of the idea of India.

"We will go into this battle as warriors with our heads held high. We will go into battle knowing exactly who we are and what we stand for," he said.

We will not stop till the battle is won, he said.

"I am proud of every single one of you," he said.

4:35 pm: Rahul Gandhi says Congress won't be going anyway, demands 12 LPG cylinders

Vowing to listen to the voice of the people in the country, Rahul Gandhi made the biggest demand of the speech to the Prime Minister.

"we want 12 cylinders. The Congress wants 12 cylinders a year. Mr Prime Minister we want 12 cylinders," the Congress vice president said.

The Prime Minister looked pretty unmoved but we suspect Veerappa Moily will do the needful shortly enough.

He said the opposition was cheating the people of the nation.

"The opposition will try and sell a bald man a comb. Now there is an opposition that will even try and given bald people a haircut," Rahul said.

He also took on the Congress's opponents who he said wanted a Congress free country and said that it was an impossible task.

"It cannot be done because Congress is a philosophy. It a philosophy that is in our hearts. It is philosophy of brotherhood," Rahul said.

You cannot destroy this philosophy because it is 3000 years old and is mentioned in ancient texts across religions, he said.

"Anyone who has attempted to destroy this philosophy has been destroyed themselves," Rahul said.

4:25 pm: The grand reform model a la Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi's promising a lot more changes in the party that he says will be implemented upto the Lok Sabha level.

"There are massive changes taking place in the party," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president said that the party had helped elevate 14 crore people from poverty

"We will put you in the middle class in the next five years," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president vowed to open up the education system so that like PCOs revolutionised the telecom industry the education sector will also be reformed greatly. (go figure)

"If you have a flimsy roof over your head it will be replaced by a strong one," he said.

You know what happens when the Congress puts its mind to anything, he said.

The Congress vice president said that he also wanted to ensure that at least 50 percent of the hall in future should be filled by women.

"At least 50 percent of the states should have women CMs," Rahul said.

He promised to fight for the rights of the aam aadmi and aurat.

"The opposition has not let us pass any of the legislation that we had on the anvil," he said, adding that party should take on the opposition's activists over this.

4:20 pm: Rahul Gandhi goes after the opposition, says only workers with Congress ideology in their blood will go ahead

Rahul Gandhi's on a roll and takes on the opposition by saying that the Congress unlike others they did not promise simple non-solutions (read AAP) and did not block Parliament year after year, day after day (read BJP).

"We do not respond that democratic structures be handed into the hands of one man," Rahul said.

He said that the response of the opposition was always to go in the opposite direction to what the Congress did.

The Congress leader said that many parties have spoken about the Lokpal but hadn't delivered.

"Who gave the country the Lokpal? Who gave it? Who?" he thundered. We imagine a few MPs cringed thinking they were going to be pulled up.

But the Congress leader quickly corrected that it was the Congress party and it was their achievement.

"We have given you the Lokpal and we want to give you something else. There are other bills in Parliament and we want to give the country these bills. These bills will transform the fight against corruption," Gandhi said.

He then switched to Hindi for his pyaare bhai and behen and said that in future only those with Congress in their blood who would be picked in the future.

"The party worker will be heard by the government," Rahul said, promising that it was the beginning of making the Congress a more democratic institution.

4:10 pm: MPs, MLAs should make laws not people in the street, says Rahul

"Today the MP and MLAs voice is not in lawmaking. Laws are being made by media, by judges and by people in the streets. Not the people elected to make laws. We have to bring you back into lawmaking," Gandhi thundered.

It is you who truly represent the people, he said, and questioned what power they have and said they needed to bring the voice of local self governments into lawmaking.

"Democracy is not implemented through one MP...We sit in Parliament and talk about the fact that MPs do not truly make laws. We need to being the voice of the MLA back into the legislature," he said.

The voice of the Congress party worker is the voice that elected representatives should listen to, he said.

Gandhi said that people should be able to walk into the political system but it wasn't happening presently.

"This is a turning point in our nation. No one is less to expect less than their complete right. No one wants to compromise...Frankly they deserve it," Rahul said.

4:00 pm: Biggest achievement is RTI, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said that the biggest achievement of the government was the Right to Information Act.

"Nobody asked us to do this, we decided to do it," Gandhi said.

He also pointed out that the Aadhaar was a revolutionary concept which would allow the government to put money in a bank account of a person.

Strangely enough he singled out Mani Shankar Aiyar who he said had been fighting for the rights of panchayati raj. Evidently he missed Aiyar's barb on Modi, or he's chosen to ignore it in the larger scheme of things.

"No one can stop a common man from asking the government what he needs," Gandhi said. He's a lot more forceful in this meeting and he's got the audience in the palm of his hand.

"Tell me one step that the Congress government has taken that is not to give power to the people of this country," he thundered, adding that it was 'unmatched' in its endeavour.

4:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi starts speaking, thanks Manmohan Singh for his governance

If Rahul Gandhi felt like a rockstar before he definitely would feel better after today's speech. He just walked to the lectern and had to wait while cheering Congress men calmed down.

"Thank you, thank you," he said and paused for some time before giving up and just going on with his speech.

"It is an honour for me to speak to you. It is always an honour to speak to the soldiers of this party," he said. Much cheering again.

"For the last 10 years we have had the privilege of Manmohan Singh's leadership," he said, thanking the Prime Minister for his administration. When the applause seemed a little spartan, he urged the activists to clap harder.

"It is clear to me that Congress has made this democratic upsurge possible," he said.

3:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi to speak shortly

He's promised the assembled leaders that he will address all their queries in his speech and is set to do shortly.

Rahul Gandhi has got a strong endorsement from most of those present at the AICC meet and he's going to speak about why he wasn't made the party's prime ministerial candidate. We're expecting some dramatic statements and mention of Congress tradition but what remains to be seen is how the Congress campaign chief is going to address the issue that perhaps worries the party most: how will it counter the Modi campaign?

2:00 pm: PM says victory in elections will be Rahul Gandhi's victory, admits mistakes were made

PTI

Facing massive anti-incumbency ahead of the upcoming national elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the Congress needed to highlight its achievements properly to people to ensure victory again.

Speaking at the AICC meet, Singh said, "There is no doubt about the fact that if we prepare properly for the 2014 polls and get the message about out achievements to the people we will win and it will be a victory for Rahulji."

The Prime Minister justified the Congress returning to power and said it was the only progressive party for the country.

"Our history is a proud one. Our philosophy is secular. We have always concentrated on uplifting the poor," Singh said.

Singh hit out at opposition parties that threatened the Congress's campaign and said that if their claims were analysed the truth of it being hollow would be revealed.

"We will have to also get the message to the people to analyse the record of the opposition parties when they have been in power. If compared it will become clear exactly how well they have performed as compared to us," he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the schemes of the UPA and said that over the last 9 years average economic growth had been around 7 percent which was higher than any nine-year period in the past.

"We accept that growth has been hit by decisions not being taken on infrastructure projects. Decisions are also not being taken on account of the fact that they fear being accused of corruption," Singh said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the various legislation that had been created for the poor and other socially disadvantaged groups which he said had brought down poverty in the nation.

"The rate at which poverty has reduced has also increased," the Prime Minister said.

"I know there are different views on the poverty line among economists. But no matter how you analyse it, poverty has reduced in the country," Singh said.

He highlighted the benefit of various schemes for people living in rural areas and said that many states that were considered backward at a time were progressing quickly now. He highlighted the government's achicevements in education including the mid-day meal scheme and also spoke of institutions of higher learning that had also been set up during the UPA tenure.

Singh brushed aside criticism of rising prices that the government has been facing and said there had been there had been residual benefits.

"There has been a price rise because of rise in food prices but it has also meant that the wages of those involved in producing it has risen," Singh said.

The Prime Minister thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her support during the UPA tenure.

"The commitment shown by Sonia Gandhi has benefited the government tremendously," he said.

Singh said he believed that the government hadn't got the credit for its achievements because of rising aspirations among the youth who now want more responsive and growing economic systems.

"It is no surprise that there is pressure on the government to deliver services quickly and efficiently to the people," he said.

Singh highlighted the various measures undertaken by the party to combat corruption including the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal.

"I would also like to say here that we have made mistakes but we have always tried to correct them and rectify them," the Prime Minister said.

"Our economy is facing difficulties. just slogans won't solve it...The nation needs a stable political climate," he said. "I have no doubt at all that under Rahul Gandhi's guidance we will achieve complete success," he said.

1:00 pm: Sonia Gandhi asserts that Rahul Gandhi won't be PM candidate

When it came to the crunch, Congress president Sonia Gandhi delivered, making a powerful pitch at the AICC session in Delhi's Talkatora stadium on Friday morning.

Victory and defeat are inevitable in politics, but every major change in the country has been at the behest of the Congress party, she told her forces, "do not forget that for even a moment".

Just when it was appearing that the Congress was preparing the ground for a better-timed launch for Rahul in 2016 or 2019 -- perhaps if the AAP denies the NDA an outright win as it did the BJP in the Delhi Assembly election, and a Third Front of some manner is cobbled together -- the Congress president's speech suggested that the party has not given up just yet.

The focus on the Congress's secular credentials was telling -- with the AAP government in Delhi looking to be in agonising chaos, that anybody-but-Modi vote may be worth a fighting chance.

"What is the way adopted by our chief political rival?" Sonia asked, having switched to Hindi midway through her speech. "Their way is to divide communities, to spread disharmony. There is a hidden face behind that mask of empathy."

No electoral exigencies, she continued, would hamper the Congress party's commitment to secularism. She also addressed the fact that morale of party men is perhaps at one of its lowest ebbs.

"The Congress has faced tougher times than today, we have never lost heart, we have remained resilient. We have stayed committed to our vision, our values, our beliefs."

On the clamour to end corruption, she had this to say: "The Congress is the party that enacted the Right to Information law, the "single most important reason for citizens to feel empowered to fight corruption".

The Congress president didn't attempt to deny the wave of discontent with the UPA.

"A hopeful new generation wants to be heard... be humble with those seeking change," she said. "But do not forget for a second that all major changes in the country have come through the Congress party."

She seemed to candidly tackle the prospect of another defeat too, possibly the most demoralising for Congress workers.

"Whether we win or lose, our party is the only one present in every village, every street. We have seen ups and downs, victory and defeat -- these are inevitable in politics. But I hope that in coming days our resolve to meet these challenges grows. We will win this struggle," she said.

AICC meet Live: Will take any responsibility party wants, says Rahul

4:45 pm: We are ready to take on any challenge in the future, says Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has the final word and says that Rahul Gandhi's speech is a sign that the campaign of the party is in safe hands.

"It shows we are ready to take on any challenge we face in the future," Sonia Gandhi said.

She said that there are many bills pending in Parliament that they would try and pass.

"The achievements of the UPA government will be a part of our campaign and we will publicise it as much as possible," Sonia said.

If we resolve to we can achieve anything. If we work unitedly there is no power that can stop the Congress, she said.

Even as she's speaking tens of activists have rushed to the stage to shake hands with Rahul Gandhi.

She finally ended her speech but the Congres activists continued to throng the stage trying to shake his hand.

4:40 pm: Will be PM if party chooses me, hints Rahul

The Prime Minister is picked by MPs and after the victory in the 2014 elections the same procedure will be followed, Rahul said.

"I have always said that I am a loyal soldier of this party and will take up any responsibility that you want me to take up," the Congress vice president said. So he doesn't mind being PM basically but won't be the Prime Ministerial candidate.

He also claimed the Congress party were the custodians of the idea of India.

"We will go into this battle as warriors with our heads held high. We will go into battle knowing exactly who we are and what we stand for," he said.

We will not stop till the battle is won, he said.

"I am proud of every single one of you," he said.

4:35 pm: Rahul Gandhi says Congress won't be going anyway, demands 12 LPG cylinders

Vowing to listen to the voice of the people in the country, Rahul Gandhi made the biggest demand of the speech to the Prime Minister.

"we want 12 cylinders. The Congress wants 12 cylinders a year. Mr Prime Minister we want 12 cylinders," the Congress vice president said.

The Prime Minister looked pretty unmoved but we suspect Veerappa Moily will do the needful shortly enough.

He said the opposition was cheating the people of the nation.

"The opposition will try and sell a bald man a comb. Now there is an opposition that will even try and given bald people a haircut," Rahul said.

He also took on the Congress's opponents who he said wanted a Congress free country and said that it was an impossible task.

"It cannot be done because Congress is a philosophy. It a philosophy that is in our hearts. It is philosophy of brotherhood," Rahul said.

You cannot destroy this philosophy because it is 3000 years old and is mentioned in ancient texts across religions, he said.

"Anyone who has attempted to destroy this philosophy has been destroyed themselves," Rahul said.

4:25 pm: The grand reform model a la Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi's promising a lot more changes in the party that he says will be implemented upto the Lok Sabha level.

"There are massive changes taking place in the party," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president said that the party had helped elevate 14 crore people from poverty

"We will put you in the middle class in the next five years," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president vowed to open up the education system so that like PCOs revolutionised the telecom industry the education sector will also be reformed greatly. (go figure)

"If you have a flimsy roof over your head it will be replaced by a strong one," he said.

You know what happens when the Congress puts its mind to anything, he said.

The Congress vice president said that he also wanted to ensure that at least 50 percent of the hall in future should be filled by women.

"At least 50 percent of the states should have women CMs," Rahul said.

He promised to fight for the rights of the aam aadmi and aurat.

"The opposition has not let us pass any of the legislation that we had on the anvil," he said, adding that party should take on the opposition's activists over this.

4:20 pm: Rahul Gandhi goes after the opposition, says only workers with Congress ideology in their blood will go ahead

Rahul Gandhi's on a roll and takes on the opposition by saying that the Congress unlike others they did not promise simple non-solutions (read AAP) and did not block Parliament year after year, day after day (read BJP).

"We do not respond that democratic structures be handed into the hands of one man," Rahul said.

He said that the response of the opposition was always to go in the opposite direction to what the Congress did.

The Congress leader said that many parties have spoken about the Lokpal but hadn't delivered.

"Who gave the country the Lokpal? Who gave it? Who?" he thundered. We imagine a few MPs cringed thinking they were going to be pulled up.

But the Congress leader quickly corrected that it was the Congress party and it was their achievement.

"We have given you the Lokpal and we want to give you something else. There are other bills in Parliament and we want to give the country these bills. These bills will transform the fight against corruption," Gandhi said.

He then switched to Hindi for his pyaare bhai and behen and said that in future only those with Congress in their blood who would be picked in the future.

"The party worker will be heard by the government," Rahul said, promising that it was the beginning of making the Congress a more democratic institution.

4:10 pm: MPs, MLAs should make laws not people in the street, says Rahul

"Today the MP and MLAs voice is not in lawmaking. Laws are being made by media, by judges and by people in the streets. Not the people elected to make laws. We have to bring you back into lawmaking," Gandhi thundered.

It is you who truly represent the people, he said, and questioned what power they have and said they needed to bring the voice of local self governments into lawmaking.

"Democracy is not implemented through one MP...We sit in Parliament and talk about the fact that MPs do not truly make laws. We need to being the voice of the MLA back into the legislature," he said.

The voice of the Congress party worker is the voice that elected representatives should listen to, he said.

Gandhi said that people should be able to walk into the political system but it wasn't happening presently.

"This is a turning point in our nation. No one is less to expect less than their complete right. No one wants to compromise...Frankly they deserve it," Rahul said.

4:00 pm: Biggest achievement is RTI, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said that the biggest achievement of the government was the Right to Information Act.

"Nobody asked us to do this, we decided to do it," Gandhi said.

He also pointed out that the Aadhaar was a revolutionary concept which would allow the government to put money in a bank account of a person.

Strangely enough he singled out Mani Shankar Aiyar who he said had been fighting for the rights of panchayati raj. Evidently he missed Aiyar's barb on Modi, or he's chosen to ignore it in the larger scheme of things.

"No one can stop a common man from asking the government what he needs," Gandhi said. He's a lot more forceful in this meeting and he's got the audience in the palm of his hand.

"Tell me one step that the Congress government has taken that is not to give power to the people of this country," he thundered, adding that it was 'unmatched' in its endeavour.

4:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi starts speaking, thanks Manmohan Singh for his governance

If Rahul Gandhi felt like a rockstar before he definitely would feel better after today's speech. He just walked to the lectern and had to wait while cheering Congress men calmed down.

"Thank you, thank you," he said and paused for some time before giving up and just going on with his speech.

"It is an honour for me to speak to you. It is always an honour to speak to the soldiers of this party," he said. Much cheering again.

"For the last 10 years we have had the privilege of Manmohan Singh's leadership," he said, thanking the Prime Minister for his administration. When the applause seemed a little spartan, he urged the activists to clap harder.

"It is clear to me that Congress has made this democratic upsurge possible," he said.

3:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi to speak shortly

He's promised the assembled leaders that he will address all their queries in his speech and is set to do shortly.

Rahul Gandhi has got a strong endorsement from most of those present at the AICC meet and he's going to speak about why he wasn't made the party's prime ministerial candidate. We're expecting some dramatic statements and mention of Congress tradition but what remains to be seen is how the Congress campaign chief is going to address the issue that perhaps worries the party most: how will it counter the Modi campaign?

2:00 pm: PM says victory in elections will be Rahul Gandhi's victory, admits mistakes were made

PTI

Facing massive anti-incumbency ahead of the upcoming national elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the Congress needed to highlight its achievements properly to people to ensure victory again.

Speaking at the AICC meet, Singh said, "There is no doubt about the fact that if we prepare properly for the 2014 polls and get the message about out achievements to the people we will win and it will be a victory for Rahulji."

The Prime Minister justified the Congress returning to power and said it was the only progressive party for the country.

"Our history is a proud one. Our philosophy is secular. We have always concentrated on uplifting the poor," Singh said.

Singh hit out at opposition parties that threatened the Congress's campaign and said that if their claims were analysed the truth of it being hollow would be revealed.

"We will have to also get the message to the people to analyse the record of the opposition parties when they have been in power. If compared it will become clear exactly how well they have performed as compared to us," he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the schemes of the UPA and said that over the last 9 years average economic growth had been around 7 percent which was higher than any nine-year period in the past.

"We accept that growth has been hit by decisions not being taken on infrastructure projects. Decisions are also not being taken on account of the fact that they fear being accused of corruption," Singh said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the various legislation that had been created for the poor and other socially disadvantaged groups which he said had brought down poverty in the nation.

"The rate at which poverty has reduced has also increased," the Prime Minister said.

"I know there are different views on the poverty line among economists. But no matter how you analyse it, poverty has reduced in the country," Singh said.

He highlighted the benefit of various schemes for people living in rural areas and said that many states that were considered backward at a time were progressing quickly now. He highlighted the government's achicevements in education including the mid-day meal scheme and also spoke of institutions of higher learning that had also been set up during the UPA tenure.

Singh brushed aside criticism of rising prices that the government has been facing and said there had been there had been residual benefits.

"There has been a price rise because of rise in food prices but it has also meant that the wages of those involved in producing it has risen," Singh said.

The Prime Minister thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her support during the UPA tenure.

"The commitment shown by Sonia Gandhi has benefited the government tremendously," he said.

Singh said he believed that the government hadn't got the credit for its achievements because of rising aspirations among the youth who now want more responsive and growing economic systems.

"It is no surprise that there is pressure on the government to deliver services quickly and efficiently to the people," he said.

Singh highlighted the various measures undertaken by the party to combat corruption including the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal.

"I would also like to say here that we have made mistakes but we have always tried to correct them and rectify them," the Prime Minister said.

"Our economy is facing difficulties. just slogans won't solve it...The nation needs a stable political climate," he said. "I have no doubt at all that under Rahul Gandhi's guidance we will achieve complete success," he said.

1:00 pm: Sonia Gandhi asserts that Rahul Gandhi won't be PM candidate

When it came to the crunch, Congress president Sonia Gandhi delivered, making a powerful pitch at the AICC session in Delhi's Talkatora stadium on Friday morning.

Victory and defeat are inevitable in politics, but every major change in the country has been at the behest of the Congress party, she told her forces, "do not forget that for even a moment".

Just when it was appearing that the Congress was preparing the ground for a better-timed launch for Rahul in 2016 or 2019 -- perhaps if the AAP denies the NDA an outright win as it did the BJP in the Delhi Assembly election, and a Third Front of some manner is cobbled together -- the Congress president's speech suggested that the party has not given up just yet.

The focus on the Congress's secular credentials was telling -- with the AAP government in Delhi looking to be in agonising chaos, that anybody-but-Modi vote may be worth a fighting chance.

"What is the way adopted by our chief political rival?" Sonia asked, having switched to Hindi midway through her speech. "Their way is to divide communities, to spread disharmony. There is a hidden face behind that mask of empathy."

No electoral exigencies, she continued, would hamper the Congress party's commitment to secularism. She also addressed the fact that morale of party men is perhaps at one of its lowest ebbs.

"The Congress has faced tougher times than today, we have never lost heart, we have remained resilient. We have stayed committed to our vision, our values, our beliefs."

On the clamour to end corruption, she had this to say: "The Congress is the party that enacted the Right to Information law, the "single most important reason for citizens to feel empowered to fight corruption".

The Congress president didn't attempt to deny the wave of discontent with the UPA.

"A hopeful new generation wants to be heard... be humble with those seeking change," she said. "But do not forget for a second that all major changes in the country have come through the Congress party."

She seemed to candidly tackle the prospect of another defeat too, possibly the most demoralising for Congress workers.

"Whether we win or lose, our party is the only one present in every village, every street. We have seen ups and downs, victory and defeat -- these are inevitable in politics. But I hope that in coming days our resolve to meet these challenges grows. We will win this struggle," she said.

Forget grand speeches at AICC meet: Congress needs to lose to win

What does a party do when it faces a certain rout in an imminent election? It puts on a brave face. The face of the usually passive Manmohan Singh actively stating that Rahul Gandhi will lead the Congress to victory in 2014. The stern face of Sonia Gandhi calling the main opposition communal and violent. The face of Rahul Gandhi, the great young hope of the Grand Old Party, not as Prime Ministerial candidate but in his avatar as leader of a most loyal opposition.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh. PTI

Rahul Gandhi would like us to believe that he wants to reinvent the Congress. He spent a considerable part of his address to the All India Congress Committee talking about corruption and how he is determined to combat it. But where were his conscience and determination when the 2G scam was revealed in 2010, when the CWG and Adarsh scams were exposed the same year and when Coalgate blackened the UPA in 2011? His claims circa December 2013/January 2014 have to be read for what they are: a desperate attempt to salvage some pride in the April general election. Rahul has risen only when Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal have torn through the Congress, exposing it as corrupt to the core, leaderless and in drift.

Grand speeches at an AICC session at the fag end of a disastrous rein in government will do nothing to change the Congress. The only thing which can aid a reinvention of Congress is a humiliating election defeat. Actually make that two election defeats that keeps them out of power for 10 years. Congress's great success has been that the longest it has stayed out of power at the Centre is an eight year period between 1996 and 2004 (the next longest is just three years between 1977 and 1980), and even in that eight year long hiatus, for two years (between 1996 and 1998) it was effectively wielding power from the backseat. It has never, therefore, felt the need to do anything radically different. It simply accepts a brief stint out of power as an electoral reality, but assumes that an unchanged party will eventually be voted back to power in quick time. That is the way it has happened for almost seventy years.

The party's frequent victories in the Lok Sabha polls have had a devastating effect on its long term health. In certain important states, beginning in Tamil Nadu in the 1960s and 1970s, but continuing to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the 1990s, West Bengal in the 2000s and Andhra Pradesh in the 2010s (Delhi may be next), the Congress has more or less been wiped out of electoral contention. The party never thought of a serious reinvention in these states and eventually its tired politics simply faded away and ceded space to other newer and more nimble parties.

The reality is that the Congress has for long been living off the legacy of its past. It remains the only party which has all India footprint even if it is getting lighter every year. This year, 2014, may be the year that the Congress realizes that that legacy has exhausted its electoral purpose.

Perhaps then when faced with political oblivion the Congress will get its act together. It will genuinely think about corruption. It may start to view governance as something more than populism - incredibly, Rahul Gandhi hailed every populist Congress policy including bank nationalization in his AICC speech. And it may start to effect the kind of structural change that will halt the rise of mini-dynasties and allow merit to take precedence in key part positions.

Elsewhere in the world, parties have reinvented after long years in opposition. In the UK, the Labour Party spent 18 years in opposition between 1979 and 1997 before it eschewed it's out of date socialist and populist policies. The Conservative Party spent 13 years out of power between 1997 and 2010 before it shed some of its extremist policies which had forced it into the political sidelines.

The Congress may yet have a future. Or it may not. It can reinvent when out of power but if it doesn't it will stay out of power for a generation (or longer) like it already does in several parts of India.

AICC meet Live: Give us 12 LPGs cylinders a year, thunders Rahul

4:35 pm: Rahul Gandhi says Congress won't be going anyway, demands 12 LPG cylinders

Vowing to listen to the voice of the people in the country, Rahul Gandhi made the biggest demand of the speech to the Prime Minister.

"we want 12 cylinders. The Congress wants 12 cylinders a year. Mr Prime Minister we want 12 cylinders," the Congress vice president said.

The Prime Minister looked pretty unmoved but we suspect Veerappa Moily will do the needful shortly enough.

He said the opposition was cheating the people of the nation.

"The opposition will try and sell a bald man a comb. Now there is an opposition that will even try and given bald people a haircut," Rahul said.

He also took on the Congress's opponents who he said wanted a Congress free country and said that it was an impossible task.

"It cannot be done because Congress is a philosophy. It a philosophy that is in our hearts. It is philosophy of brotherhood," Rahul said.

You cannot destroy this philosophy because it is 3000 years old and is mentioned in ancient texts across religions, he said.

"Anyone who has attempted to destroy this philosophy has been destroyed themselves," Rahul said.

4:25 pm: The grand reform model a la Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi's promising a lot more changes in the party that he says will be implemented upto the Lok Sabha level.

"There are massive changes taking place in the party," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president said that the party had helped elevate 14 crore people from poverty

"We will put you in the middle class in the next five years," Rahul said.

The Congress vice president vowed to open up the education system so that like PCOs revolutionised the telecom industry the education sector will also be reformed greatly. (go figure)

"If you have a flimsy roof over your head it will be replaced by a strong one," he said.

You know what happens when the Congress puts its mind to anything, he said.

The Congress vice president said that he also wanted to ensure that at least 50 percent of the hall in future should be filled by women.

"At least 50 percent of the states should have women CMs," Rahul said.

He promised to fight for the rights of the aam aadmi and aurat.

"The opposition has not let us pass any of the legislation that we had on the anvil," he said, adding that party should take on the opposition's activists over this.

4:20 pm: Rahul Gandhi goes after the opposition, says only workers with Congress ideology in their blood will go ahead

Rahul Gandhi's on a roll and takes on the opposition by saying that the Congress unlike others they did not promise simple non-solutions (read AAP) and did not block Parliament year after year, day after day (read BJP).

"We do not respond that democratic structures be handed into the hands of one man," Rahul said.

He said that the response of the opposition was always to go in the opposite direction to what the Congress did.

The Congress leader said that many parties have spoken about the Lokpal but hadn't delivered.

"Who gave the country the Lokpal? Who gave it? Who?" he thundered. We imagine a few MPs cringed thinking they were going to be pulled up.

But the Congress leader quickly corrected that it was the Congress party and it was their achievement.

"We have given you the Lokpal and we want to give you something else. There are other bills in Parliament and we want to give the country these bills. These bills will transform the fight against corruption," Gandhi said.

He then switched to Hindi for his pyaare bhai and behen and said that in future only those with Congress in their blood who would be picked in the future.

"The party worker will be heard by the government," Rahul said, promising that it was the beginning of making the Congress a more democratic institution.

4:10 pm: MPs, MLAs should make laws not people in the street, says Rahul

"Today the MP and MLAs voice is not in lawmaking. Laws are being made by media, by judges and by people in the streets. Not the people elected to make laws. We have to bring you back into lawmaking," Gandhi thundered.

It is you who truly represent the people, he said, and questioned what power they have and said they needed to bring the voice of local self governments into lawmaking.

"Democracy is not implemented through one MP...We sit in Parliament and talk about the fact that MPs do not truly make laws. We need to being the voice of the MLA back into the legislature," he said.

The voice of the Congress party worker is the voice that elected representatives should listen to, he said.

Gandhi said that people should be able to walk into the political system but it wasn't happening presently.

"This is a turning point in our nation. No one is less to expect less than their complete right. No one wants to compromise...Frankly they deserve it," Rahul said.

4:00 pm: Biggest achievement is RTI, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said that the biggest achievement of the government was the Right to Information Act.

"Nobody asked us to do this, we decided to do it," Gandhi said.

He also pointed out that the Aadhaar was a revolutionary concept which would allow the government to put money in a bank account of a person.

Strangely enough he singled out Mani Shankar Aiyar who he said had been fighting for the rights of panchayati raj. Evidently he missed Aiyar's barb on Modi, or he's chosen to ignore it in the larger scheme of things.

"No one can stop a common man from asking the government what he needs," Gandhi said. He's a lot more forceful in this meeting and he's got the audience in the palm of his hand.

"Tell me one step that the Congress government has taken that is not to give power to the people of this country," he thundered, adding that it was 'unmatched' in its endeavour.

4:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi starts speaking, thanks Manmohan Singh for his governance

If Rahul Gandhi felt like a rockstar before he definitely would feel better after today's speech. He just walked to the lectern and had to wait while cheering Congress men calmed down.

"Thank you, thank you," he said and paused for some time before giving up and just going on with his speech.

"It is an honour for me to speak to you. It is always an honour to speak to the soldiers of this party," he said. Much cheering again.

"For the last 10 years we have had the privilege of Manmohan Singh's leadership," he said, thanking the Prime Minister for his administration. When the applause seemed a little spartan, he urged the activists to clap harder.

"It is clear to me that Congress has made this democratic upsurge possible," he said.

3:00 pm: Rahul Gandhi to speak shortly

He's promised the assembled leaders that he will address all their queries in his speech and is set to do shortly.

Rahul Gandhi has got a strong endorsement from most of those present at the AICC meet and he's going to speak about why he wasn't made the party's prime ministerial candidate. We're expecting some dramatic statements and mention of Congress tradition but what remains to be seen is how the Congress campaign chief is going to address the issue that perhaps worries the party most: how will it counter the Modi campaign?

2:00 pm: PM says victory in elections will be Rahul Gandhi's victory, admits mistakes were made

PTI

Facing massive anti-incumbency ahead of the upcoming national elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the Congress needed to highlight its achievements properly to people to ensure victory again.

Speaking at the AICC meet, Singh said, "There is no doubt about the fact that if we prepare properly for the 2014 polls and get the message about out achievements to the people we will win and it will be a victory for Rahulji."

The Prime Minister justified the Congress returning to power and said it was the only progressive party for the country.

"Our history is a proud one. Our philosophy is secular. We have always concentrated on uplifting the poor," Singh said.

Singh hit out at opposition parties that threatened the Congress's campaign and said that if their claims were analysed the truth of it being hollow would be revealed.

"We will have to also get the message to the people to analyse the record of the opposition parties when they have been in power. If compared it will become clear exactly how well they have performed as compared to us," he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the schemes of the UPA and said that over the last 9 years average economic growth had been around 7 percent which was higher than any nine-year period in the past.

"We accept that growth has been hit by decisions not being taken on infrastructure projects. Decisions are also not being taken on account of the fact that they fear being accused of corruption," Singh said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the various legislation that had been created for the poor and other socially disadvantaged groups which he said had brought down poverty in the nation.

"The rate at which poverty has reduced has also increased," the Prime Minister said.

"I know there are different views on the poverty line among economists. But no matter how you analyse it, poverty has reduced in the country," Singh said.

He highlighted the benefit of various schemes for people living in rural areas and said that many states that were considered backward at a time were progressing quickly now. He highlighted the government's achicevements in education including the mid-day meal scheme and also spoke of institutions of higher learning that had also been set up during the UPA tenure.

Singh brushed aside criticism of rising prices that the government has been facing and said there had been there had been residual benefits.

"There has been a price rise because of rise in food prices but it has also meant that the wages of those involved in producing it has risen," Singh said.

The Prime Minister thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her support during the UPA tenure.

"The commitment shown by Sonia Gandhi has benefited the government tremendously," he said.

Singh said he believed that the government hadn't got the credit for its achievements because of rising aspirations among the youth who now want more responsive and growing economic systems.

"It is no surprise that there is pressure on the government to deliver services quickly and efficiently to the people," he said.

Singh highlighted the various measures undertaken by the party to combat corruption including the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal.

"I would also like to say here that we have made mistakes but we have always tried to correct them and rectify them," the Prime Minister said.

"Our economy is facing difficulties. just slogans won't solve it...The nation needs a stable political climate," he said. "I have no doubt at all that under Rahul Gandhi's guidance we will achieve complete success," he said.

1:00 pm: Sonia Gandhi asserts that Rahul Gandhi won't be PM candidate

When it came to the crunch, Congress president Sonia Gandhi delivered, making a powerful pitch at the AICC session in Delhi's Talkatora stadium on Friday morning.

Victory and defeat are inevitable in politics, but every major change in the country has been at the behest of the Congress party, she told her forces, "do not forget that for even a moment".

Just when it was appearing that the Congress was preparing the ground for a better-timed launch for Rahul in 2016 or 2019 -- perhaps if the AAP denies the NDA an outright win as it did the BJP in the Delhi Assembly election, and a Third Front of some manner is cobbled together -- the Congress president's speech suggested that the party has not given up just yet.

The focus on the Congress's secular credentials was telling -- with the AAP government in Delhi looking to be in agonising chaos, that anybody-but-Modi vote may be worth a fighting chance.

"What is the way adopted by our chief political rival?" Sonia asked, having switched to Hindi midway through her speech. "Their way is to divide communities, to spread disharmony. There is a hidden face behind that mask of empathy."

No electoral exigencies, she continued, would hamper the Congress party's commitment to secularism. She also addressed the fact that morale of party men is perhaps at one of its lowest ebbs.

"The Congress has faced tougher times than today, we have never lost heart, we have remained resilient. We have stayed committed to our vision, our values, our beliefs."

On the clamour to end corruption, she had this to say: "The Congress is the party that enacted the Right to Information law, the "single most important reason for citizens to feel empowered to fight corruption".

The Congress president didn't attempt to deny the wave of discontent with the UPA.

"A hopeful new generation wants to be heard... be humble with those seeking change," she said. "But do not forget for a second that all major changes in the country have come through the Congress party."

She seemed to candidly tackle the prospect of another defeat too, possibly the most demoralising for Congress workers.

"Whether we win or lose, our party is the only one present in every village, every street. We have seen ups and downs, victory and defeat -- these are inevitable in politics. But I hope that in coming days our resolve to meet these challenges grows. We will win this struggle," she said.