Congress President Rahul Gandhi with his mother and former party President Sonia Gandhi, alongside former PM Manmohan Singh at the AICC plenary session. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi in his inaugural speech as part of the Congress party’s plenary session at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday said that only Congress can unite a ‘divided nation’. He added “Only Congress can show the way for this nation. This country belongs to all irrespective of which religion caste community one belongs to. We will work for all.”
Meanwhile, former party president Sonia Gandhi slammed the Modi government calling it a dictatorship and said, “In last 4 years, this arrogant govt has left no stone unturned to destroy Congress. But Congress has never cowered down and it will never cower down.” “Today I am saddened to see that Modi govt is weakening & ignoring the schemes & programs (implemented during UPA),” she added.
During the session, the Congress Working Committee members will be picked by the party president on the concluding day of the meet. The session will ratify Rahul’s appointment as the Congress president on Sunday. Congress’ plenary this weekend comes in the wake of significant political developments, including efforts by regional parties to meet on a common platform and counter the BJP.
Read | Eye on 2019 challenge, Congress meets for plenary session; draft resolutions finalised
Congress is fighting the tyrannical Modi Govt. People have begun to realise that the promises made by the BJP in 2014 were hollow, Sonia Gandhi said at the Congress Plenary session in New Delhi. (Source: twitter/INC)
Pulling no punhces, Sonia Gandhi targetting the Modi government said, "The promises of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' and 'Na khaaoonga na khaane doona' by the current govt is nothing but 'drama' & their tactic to get votes."
We need to take a pledge that under the leadership of President rahul Gandhi we will take the country and the party to newer heights, says Sonia Gandhi. Urges Congress workers to be ready to give any sacrifice for the country.
The opposition's voice is stifled in the Parliament today. The media fails in its duty to show this to the nation and this itself is a failure of democracy.
'Today I am saddened to see that Modi government is weakening and ignoring the schemes and programs implemented during UPA. Congress has never cowered down and it will never cower down.'
Slamming Modi government, Sonia Gandhi said that the BJP government in its arrogance has tried everything to destroy the Congres. Calling Modi a dictator, Sonia said that 'We are exposing their false promises in front of the people.'
During the UPA rule under Manmohan Singh, the country registered its strongest economy and GDP, says Sonia Gandhi.
40 years back Indira's Ji's stunning victory in Chikmagalur turned around Indian politics, once again our party must give a similar performance says Sonia at the AICC Plenary session in Delhi.
Sonia Gandhi congratulated Rahul Gandhi on taking the reins of the party as its President. Sonia is speaking at the Plenary session of the AICC in Delhi.
Today only one things matters, how to strengthen the great party with which we have relations which goes back in time. The party's victory will be the nation's victory, it will be the victory for each one of us. Congress is not a political term, it is a movement, says Sonia gandhi.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter profile seems to have undergone a makeover, with his earlier “@OfficeofRG” being changed to “@RahulGandhi”.
Facing the challenge of defections in the party, with BJP poaching many of its leaders, the Congress party sought debarring defectors from contesting elections for six years to check the “brazen misuse of money power to create political instability”.
It also said that the BJP's move of simultaneous elections is 'misplaced' and is 'incompatible with the Constitution as also impractical'. “It will have serious implications, which must be thoroughly enquired into, and a national consensus built,” the resolution stated.
The political resolution also talked about deteriorating internal and external security environment, youth, women empowerment and social justice. The resolution also called upon the media to restore the balance in national narrative to safeguard democracy.
The party also said the judicial system needed urgent reforms for effective and timely dispensation of justice and said the huge pendency of cases and providing affordable justice remains a big challenge that needs to be addressed.
Nobody can stop Rahul Gandhi from becoming the Prime Minister of the country in 2019: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (ANI)
The party said it was prepared for making sacrifices required to defend the ethos of the Constitution and “we will purge the polity of the aberrations witnessed during the BJP regime, which has failed to honour its commitments to the people of India”.
“The Congress condemns the BJP government for brazen abuse of power and misuse of central agencies for targeted political vendetta to harass, humiliate and persecute its political opponents. The Congress party warns the BJP and its government that its undemocratic methods and acts to curtail liberty, freedom of expression and violation of fundamental rights of its citizens as enshrined in the Constitution will be strongly resisted,” the resolution said.
The Congress launched a scathing attack at the BJP-RSS saying the country's core constitutional values are under attack and freedom of all is in jeopardywith institutions under stress and their independence compromised. The party said that under the BJP regime, the people of the country, be it farmers, labourers, unorganised sector workers, self-employed, dalits, traders, minorities and the poor have been “betrayed”. (PTI)
"Change is necessary and we need to bring the change. Following our leader Rahul Gandhi we are willing to give our sweat and blood to revive the party and estabilish Congress rule in the centre once again," says Congress MP Sachin Pilot.
"Congress party led India to independence and helped establish democracy. It was democracy which brought PM Modi to power but, ironically, his Govt itself has now become a threat to democracy," said Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
"Congress party led India to independence and helped establish democracy. It was democracy which brought PM Modi to power but, ironically, his Govt itself has now become a threat to democracy," said senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in his address.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders at the plenary meet in New Delhi. (Express photo by Praveen Jain)
Earlier visuals of the Congress plenary meet at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. (Express photo by Praveen Jain)
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at the Congress plenary meet in New Delhi. (Express photo by Praveen Jain)
Senior Congress leaders attend the plenary session in New Delhi. (Express photo by Praveen Jain)
Congress leaders at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium during the party's plenary session. (Express photo by Praveen Jain)
"The slogan ‘na mein khaunga, na Khane dunge’ has now become ‘Mein Khaunga, aur apna doston ko khilaunga’," said senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge taking a dig at PM Modi.
"No one else has the strength to defeat us. If Congress party lost it is because of infighting among members. I request everyone to unite and come together as one," said Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
'The difference between our party and the incumbent ruling party is that they follow the ideology of hatred while we follow the ideology of love and fraternity. The tradition of the Congress party is to embrace change without forgetting our past and legacy,' said Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
"Only Congress can show the way for this nation. This country belongs to all irrespective of which religion caste community one belongs to. We will work for all," says Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
"Today anger is spread across the country, nation is getting divided, one is made to fight against other. Congress' job is to keep them together. You have the strength of this Hand symbol in you," says Rahul Gandhi.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi says, "Only our party can unite the nation."
Sonia Gandhi along with other leaders waiting outside to receive new Congress President Rahul Gandhi. (Express photo)
Congress leaders during Congress Steering Committee meeting in New Delhi on Friday. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)