Rahul Gandhi to be Congress Chief Minister candidate for UP polls 2017?

May 2, 2016

New Delhi, May 2: In what can be considered as a path-breaking decision in the history of the Congress party, and more specifically the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi could well be made the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, something which could possibly be a sort of demotion for Rahul — who was once the prospective prime ministerial candidate.

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The Amethi MP was quick to react on the developments. "Mujhe kya pata, aap hi log chalaate ho, aap hi log jaano (How do I know? you people run these stories, so you people might be knowing)," media quoted him as saying when asked if he or Priyanka Gandhi would be UP CM candidate.

According to a report, the idea has been pitched by Congress' election strategist Prashant Kishore, who believes that only bringing Rahul or his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra can help the party improve its seat tally, which has been reeling in the 20s in recent polls.

Prashant Kishore's election campaigns have generally been around personalities and he believes that projecting a face could help galvanise the party workers, says another.

If the Gandhi scion refuses to be the candidate, then sister Priyanka may be made the face of the party. However, if both back out, former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit may well be made the chief ministerial candidate.

The same report also said that Rahul has seen the proposal and has asked for a few days time to think over the offer. Meanwhile, many state Congress leaders are skeptical about projecting a face in the upcoming elections.

Prashant Kishore was one of the key men who helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He was instrumental in organising the "Chai Pe Charcha" campaigns across India and utilised social media to promote the former Gujarat CM.

This might be in line with the party's attempts to reinvent itself, something which may help the Congress ride back to power in 2019.

Comments

Rashid
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

I think it is very good and tactical move,there is promotion or demotion in politics.. if it succedes, 2019 would be easier for non bjp parties.

Citizen of India
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

Rahul Gandhi slogan for 2017 UP election TOOFAN KE BAD BUNDA BANDI AB KI BAR RAHUL GANDHI

Shivaranjan
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

why rahul? what big work he did, being a sanyasi is not a big deal, everytime why he meets ramya secretly.

Rakesh Rajan
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

congress will lose all the seats this year if they choose this pappu, family politics here will not work, there is no rule that sonia gandhi's son or daughter should be next cm candidate. eligible candidates can take this seat

Rahul
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

Please ma mujhe chodh do me abhi bi seek raha hoon.

Thomar
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

But pappu can't dance saala!

Priyanka
 - 
Monday, 2 May 2016

he he he. Pappu cant dance sala

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News Network
March 25,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 25: Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy on Monday rejoined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Gangavati MLA, who is an accused in an illegal mining case, had formed the 'Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha' (KRPP) ahead of the state assembly polls last year, snapping his two-decade-old association with the BJP.

Reddy today merged his KRPP with the BJP as he, along with wife Aruna Lakshmi and some family members, joined the party in the presence of its veteran leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, state President B Y Vijayendra, and others.

Reddy had recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

However, in the February 27 Rajya Sabha polls he had extended support to the Congress candidate.

Calling it a "home coming", Reddy explained that the move to merge KRPP with the BJP is to "make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister a third time".

"Amit Shah had invited me to Delhi and told me that -- there is no question of extending outside support (KRPP supporting BJP in LS polls) and instead I should join the BJP and work for it, as I took my political birth in the party. Accepting it, I'm joining the party," he said.

Praising Yediyurappa and the leader's contribution in his political growth, Reddy said he is happy that he will be working in the party now with the veteran leader's son Vijayendra.

"I will work as a common party worker along with other leaders under the leadership of Vijayendra. I have not come with any conditions or expectations. Whatever responsibility the party gives me, I will honestly work.

"BJP was always there in my blood, but due to some reasons I had gone out, but today I feel I have come back to my mother's lap. Looking at my brothers here, I don't feel like I'm coming back to the BJP office after 13 years," he added.

Welcoming Reddy back into the party, Vijayendra said his joining will strengthen BJP in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

"Liking Narendra Modi's leadership and accepting BJP's ideology, Reddy has rejoined the party. Reddy has said that Karnataka should have a larger contribution in making Modi PM once again -- to ensure that BJP and JD(S) alliance win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he is merging his KRPP with BJP and is joining the party," he said.

Before the assembly polls last year, Reddy had been largely politically inactive for nearly 12 years since his arrest by the CBI for an alleged role in a mining scam. During this period, he had a brief stint ahead of the 2018 assembly polls when he campaigned for his close friend and former Minister B Sriramulu in Molakalmuru Assembly segment.

In the run up to the 2018 assembly polls, the then BJP national president Amit Shah, in response to a reporter's question, had distanced the party from him and stressed that "the BJP has nothing to do with Janardhana Reddy." Accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case, he has been out on bail since 2015. Several conditions were imposed by the top court in its order which includes prohibiting him from visiting Ballari in Karnataka and Ananthpur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

Because of these restrictions, he had to contest the 2023 Assembly polls from Gangavati in Koppal district.

Expressing his displeasure about the way BJP had ignored him, Reddy had announced a new party last year and also took a dig at his brothers -- Karunakara Reddy and Somashekar Reddy -- and Sriramulu, as they remained with the BJP.

The three of them had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls, with Reddy's new party said to have impacted their performance in the election.

Sriramulu, a ST community leader and former Minister is now the BJP's candidate from the Bellary (Ballari) Lok Sabha constituency.

Reddy had played an instrumental role in strengthening the BJP in the Ballari district and is still believed to enjoy a considerable clout there as well as in adjoining districts like Chitradurga, Koppal and Raichur, which could be useful for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by the CBI on September 5, 2011.

The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari in Karnataka and the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy first came to political limelight during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when he campaigned for BJP leader, the late Sushma Swaraj, who had contested against Congress' Sonia Gandhi from Ballari.

Former Congress Minister T John's son Thomas John also joined the BJP today.

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Hassan: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that his son, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will contest from state's Mandya parliamentary seat as NDA candidate.

Deve Gowda told reporters on Tuesday that the decision to field Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, in Lok Sabha polls from the Mandya seat was taken amid mounting public demand. "People are demanding that Kumaraswamy should contest from Mandya. In the core committee meeting as well, all members suggested that he should contest from Mandya," Deve Gowda said.

The former Chief Minister's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) supremo further said that the name of senior leader Mallesh Babu has been finalised from the Kolar seat.

Deve Gowda's grandson and former Karnataka Minister H. D. Revanna's son sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna will be contesting as the NDA candidate from the Hassan seat.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy in a media briefing indicated that he would contest from Mandya amid mounting public pressure on him.

Congress has fielded Venkatarame Gowda popularly known as ‘Star Chandru’ from the Mandya seat dominated by Vokkaligas. Star Chandru is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

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News Network
March 14,2024

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Udupi: In a freak mishap, a 65-year-old man lost his life after being hit by his own bus which was being repaired at a garage at Athrady in Udupi district on Wednesday, March 13.

The deceased has been identified as Dayanand Shetty, the owner of a private bus.

It is learnt that the bus had been kept for repairs at the garage and Dayanand had gone there to inspect the repair works.

At this time, the mechanic started the engine and the bus moved ahead. Dayanand, who was standing in front of the bus, came under its wheels.

He was immediately rushed to a hospital where he died without responding to the treatment. A case is registered at jurisdictional Manipal police station.

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