MPs will elect prime minister
New Delhi: Anointed the campaign chief, a combative Rahul Gandhi sought to enthuse the demoralised Congress cadre for the Lok Sabha polls and attacked Narendra Modi over his ‘Congress-free India’ pitch and “divisive” politics.
At the day-long AICC session here, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi targeted BJP, with the Congress President saying the country was facing the “biggest threat” from “communal forces and their ideology” which cannot be tolerated.
Rahul accused the BJP of “lighting fires of communal hatred”, pitting people against each other and trying to hand over power structure to one man while the party sought support of all like-minded political and social forces to come together at “this critical juncture”.
In his 45-minute spirited address, which was repeatedly cheered by delegates from across the country, he sought to widen the party’s reach as he asserted that he would fight for the cause of the youth, women, downtrodden sections and a new constituency of people who have risen above the poverty line and are aspiring to be part of the middle class.
He gave indications of changing the style of functioning in the party, which he had promised after the drubbing in Assembly polls, by ensuring larger participation of people, including women in decision-making like candidate selection. He said tickets will not be given to party hoppers but to those who have “Congress in their blood” and candidates for 15 Lok Sabha seats will be chosen on the basis of feedback from local units, an experiment which will be expanded if it works.
Acknowledging that Congress has a “tough battle” ahead, Rahul said, “This is not just another turn in the history of India, another election to be fought, won or lost. This is a turning point in our nation’s journey. Nobody is in the mood to accept less than their full and complete right. No one is ready to compromise anymore….. “Either we wake up to their aspirations, or we have no business to claim that we represent them.
The change that is taking place around us is unstoppable. The imperative before us not whether to change but when and how to change.” (PTI)
Rahul effect: Subsidized LPG cylinder quota to be increased to 12
NEW DELHI: With Congress party vice president Rahul Gandhi making a strong pitch for raising LPG cap, oil minister M Veerappa Moily on Friday said the quota of subsidized cooking cylinders will be hiked to 12 from 9 per household.
“Yes, the cap will be increased,” Moily said soon after Gandhi made a demand to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the AICC session here.
Moily, who till last week had maintained that there was no proposal for raising the quota of subsidised LPG cylinders a household is entitled to in a year, said the decision will be announced after the Cabinet approves of it.
“The Cabinet will take a view (on it) soon,” he said.
Oil ministry officials said they will move a proposal for the consideration of the cabinet committee on economic affairs or cabinet committee on political affairs once Moily instructs them to do so.
Gandhi at the AICC session stated that 9 cylinders were not enough for households and there was a need to increase this quota to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg.