Rahul Gandhi kick-starts his campaign in Himachal

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi  joined the Congress campaign in the poll bound state of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday accused the BJP of creating obstructions for the legislations benefiting the people at large.  Rahul Gandhi also argued that only the Congress is serious to fight corruption. He addressed public rallies in Solan, Kangra and Keylong. The Congress leader said while the union government has been sending money through central schemes, the state government has created a situation where a very small portion reaches its intended beneficiaries.

Taking on the BJP for its "anti-tribal" policies, Rahul Gandhi said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was responsible for getting tribal status for the residents of Lahaul and Spiti and the Congress had made every effort to ensure the welfare of the tribal community in the state and the country.

"It was only after this that the tribal sub-plan started. But what is the BJP trying to do? They are trying to bring this down further. They are reducing it from 9 per cent to 8.5 per cent," Rahul Gandhi said attacking the BJP government. "We run a government that works for the welfare of poor, a government that provides schemes like MNREGA while they run a government for the rich," he said, adding, "We talk about joining, while they talk about breaking".

In Kangra, Rahul Gandhi said BJP was opposed to the idea of a government working for welfare of the 'aam admi' and that is why it did not allow Parliament to function. "Disruption of the Parliament did not hurt the BJP. It hurt the common people," he said. Rahul Gandhi urged the voters to support Congress for the benefit of the people and development of the state.

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Rahul Gandhi: BJP opposes all pro-poor policies of Congress-led UPA

Solan: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi  joined the Congress campaign in the poll bound state of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday accused the BJP of creating obstructions for the legislations benefiting the people at large.  Rahul Gandhi also argued that only the Congress is serious to fight corruption.

Launching a scathing attack on the ruling party in the hill state at his first election rally in Salon, the Congress General Secretary said that that BJP was stalling legislations brought by UPA only for the sake of opposing them while the common man continued to suffer. "Whatever bills we bring in Parliament, the BJP opposes them all. They don't talk, they just oppose it.... Their thought is to stop us so that we do not come to power again in 2014, just as we won in 2004 and 2009.... Because they know if UPA government gives the Right to Food and Land Bill they can never win elections," said Rahul Gandhi.

"We brought the Land Acquisition Bill to benefit those whose land is acquired, for them to get the right price for their land, but the BJP stopped the Bill in the Parliamentary Committee. They want to stretch it long. They don't want the Bill," he said.

Charging the BJP with not being interested in welfare of common man, Mr Gandhi said, "They are not bothered..., but who will lose. It is the poor farmer who will lose. Those people will lose whose land is taken away," he said, listing legislations like Right to Food, Land Acquisition, MNREGA, loan waiver and RTI. Lashing out at the BJP for raising the issue of corruption, Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP talks about corruption, but here they are taking away the land of the poor and giving it to the rich." Maintaining that the UPA has taken strict action against corruption, he said, "Wherever we see corruption, we take strict action. Many of our ministers have been jailed."

Urging people to support the Congress and help bring its government back in Himachal Pradesh, he said only a Congress government can ensure the welfare of the aam aadmi, the poor and the downtrodden.

Rahul Gandhi backed the UPA’s policy of allowing FDI in retail and said it would help Himachal's farmer. He blasted BJP for blocking FDI, which would prove a boon for farmers and horticulturists and growers of other cash crops. "This is the mushroom capital of the country. Farmers can benefit from FDI in retail as storage facilities would significantly improve, thereby ensuring that the crop grown by the farmer would not perish in adverse weather...But they (BJP) will oppose it and not think about farmers," he said. Referring to corruption, he said that the government had armed the people with power tool like RTI Act which go a long way in combating corruption.

Rahul Gandhi, who earlier also addressed election rallies in Kangra and Keylong, said the policies of the ruling BJP government in Himachal have hurt the poor and only the Congress can bring inclusive development to the state. He said while the Union Government has brought welfare schemes which were aimed at bringing inclusive growth, the BJP's policies were pro-rich and charged the BJP in the state of giving the land of the poor to builders and indulging in corruption.

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Rahul Gandhi to visit Punjab again

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Punjab again on October 19. This time he will be in Jalandhar to meet all the councilors of various Nagar Councils, corporators of various municipal corporations and the members of the Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.

Rahul Gandhi had promised to visit Punjab again, during his last visit, to elicit the views of all sections of the party for improving it in Punjab. The purpose of meeting all the elected councilors and others is to have a feel of the grassroots situation in Punjab as these representatives have a feel of the ground situation for their day to day interface with the common man.

During his last visit also Rahul Gandhi primarily focused on the block presidents although he met the district presidents and the party legislators at the same time. He is understood to be keen to see the working and support of the party at the grassroots. The councilors and others from across Punjab have been asked to reach Jalandhar on October 19. While in his first leg he was originally scheduled to visit Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala the programme was changed. He went to Amritsar and Chandigarh instead. The councilors and others had not been able to meet him during his first visit.

Rahul’s revisit to Punjab within a span of one week has reconfirmed the reports that his visits have nothing to gauge any opinion about the state leadership as he mainly appears to be keen and concerned to strengthen the party at the grassroots. Rahul is on a nationwide tour and is scheduled to visit all the states and union territories across India. 

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Rahul Gandhi meets PM

NEW DELHI: Amid talks of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Member of Parliament called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday. There have been repeated demands from within the Congress that Gandhi play a "larger role" in the organisation and the government.

The sources in Congress said that the meeting was "purely routine" and on policy issues designed to increase Rahul Gandhi's footprint on major issues. They also made it clear that Rahul Gandhi would not join the government.

On Tuesday Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had separate meetings with President Pranab Mukherjee. There has been speculation about a reshuffle in the Cabinet for quite some time now, especially after the exit of Trinamool Congress ministers both at the levels of Cabinet and ministers of state levels.

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Rahul Gandhi slams BJP for its double standards

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP and NDA for the double standards taken by them in the case of FDI. He also struck an emotional chord with the youth by saying that they are the strength and the future of our country.

“We have given you the strength and a way to enter politics. You can take part in the political process by fighting elections from NSUI, to begin with, and then Youth Congress before you can join the Congress. You can then have a chance to contest elections as MLA or MP so that you can bring in changes in our society. If you are reluctant to do so, no one else can do it” said Rahul Gandhi.

Referring FDI the Congress leader continued, “We have a Congress government in Delhi. We brought in FDI. FDI is to ensure the right of the farmers to get adequate price for their products. BJP and NDA were not against FDI when they were in power at the Centre. But now, when we implemented it, they oppose it. They also had raised objections when we brought in MNREGA and talked about new land acquisition bill. They want to create obstacles because they know very well that if the Congress is allowed to go ahead these welfare policies, the entire system will be changed positively. If we ask them what exactly they are having in mind to do for the country, you will not get any answer. They are opposing it just for the sake of opposition” added Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress MP also urged the girls to be active in politics to take part in the process of development.

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