Tag: Smriti Irani

‘Rahul Gandhi Will Contest From Amethi’, Announces UP Congress Chief Ajay Rai, Says ‘Smriti Irani Rattled’

In a significant upset, the former Congress president faced defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Amethi against the BJP’s Smriti Irani.

Rahul Gandhi | PTI

The recently appointed Congress chief for Uttar Pradesh, Ajay Rai, asserted on Friday that Rahul Gandhi is set to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Amethi constituency.

Addressing questions from journalists regarding Gandhi’s potential contest from the previous Congress stronghold in UP, Rai stated, “Without a doubt, Rahul Gandhi will contest the upcoming election from Amethi. The residents of Amethi are keen on this.”

Responding to a query about Priyanka Gandhi’s possible candidacy in Varanasi, Rai remarked, “Should Priyanka Gandhi express her desire to contest from Varanasi, each and every member of our party will put forth their utmost effort to ensure her victory.”

In the context of BJP’s Smriti Irani’s remark about Rahul Gandhi refraining from contesting elections in Amethi and evading the challenge, Ajay Rai dismissed the assertion and labeled Smriti Irani herself as “perturbed.”

“She is evidently rattled. Remember, she promised sugar at ₹13 per kg, but has she been able to fulfill that commitment? The people of Amethi are here today seeking answers. Ask Smriti Irani what happened to her pledge of providing sugar at ₹13 per kg in exchange for votes for the BJP. The public demands accountability,” Ajay Rai declared during his interaction with the press.

Ajay Rai appointed UP Congress chief

On Thursday, the Congress party announced the immediate appointment of Ajay Rai, a former MLA, as the President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

In an official statement, the party conveyed its gratitude for the efforts made by the departing PCC President Brijlal Khabri, a former MP, as well as all the zonal Presidents.

Ajay Rai had contested the Varanasi seat against PM Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Despite his substantial loss to PM Modi by a significant margin, Rai managed to secure only a 14 percent portion of the overall votes.

Notably, Brijlal Khabri will hold the distinction of having the briefest tenure as UPCC President, having served for just 10 months.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/rahul-gandhi-will-contest-2024-lok-sabha-election-from-amethi-says-new-up-congress-chief-ajay-rai

“You Define Corruption In India”: Smriti Irani Hits Out At Congress

The Union Minister said the Congress should remember what was said to the British: Quit India.

No-Trust Debate in parliament: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate on Thursday.

New Delhi: After a flip-flop on when he would speak, Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the BJP during the no-confidence debate today and said the party had killed Bharat Mata in Manipur. His attack was countered by Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story

  1. “I went to Manipur a few days ago. Our Prime Minister didn’t go yet, because, for him, Manipur is not part of India. I am saying Manipur, but the truth today is that there is no Manipur. You have divided Manipur, broken it up. I spoke to women and children in relief camps, which our Prime Minister hasn’t done till date,” Rahul Gandhi said.  “Like I said at the beginning of my speech,  Bharat is the voice of the people, the voice of their hearts. You have killed that voice in Manipur. That means you have killed Bharat Mata in Manipur. You are anti-national, you are not patriots. You are not the protectors of Bharat Mata, you are her killers,” he added.
  2. Hitting out at the Congress, Union Minister Smriti Irani said, “You define corruption in India, you define incompetence in India. You are not India, for India is not corrupt. India believes in merit, and not dynasty. Today, of all days, people like you should remember what was told to the British: Quit India. Corruption quit India, dynasty quit India. Merit now finds place in India.”
  3. Other Union Ministers – Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Jyotiraditya Scindia are expected to speak in Lok Sabha today. Kiren Rijiju, who participated in the debate yesterday, said the Opposition will regret bringing the No-Confidence Motion because it comes at the “wrong time and the wrong manner”, given India’s current stature in the world.
  4. The Prime Minister will reply to the debate on Thursday. He chaired the BJP’s Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday ahead of the big vote. Taking a swipe at the INDIA alliance, the Prime Minister reportedly said that this is not a vote to express distrust in the government, but to see who can trust whom in the opposition. “It’s a test of their own internal trust,” he reportedly said.
  5. In recent weeks, PM Modi has frequently attacked the opposition bloc for calling itself INDIA, accusing the parties, particularly the Congress, of attempting a rebranding to whitewash their past record as the former UPA or United Progressive Alliance.
  6. Gaurav Gogoi said ‘INDIA’ was forced to bring the No-Confidence Motion against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “vow of silence” on Manipur. He alleged that a government which talks about “one India” has created “two Manipurs — one living in the hills and the other in the valley”.
  7. Home Minister Amit Shah, during a discussion on the Delhi Services bill on Monday, accused the Opposition of running away from a debate on Manipur. “The question is Manipur situation and what steps the government is taking there, not a show of strength by voting. If you want voting, I dare you to make this bill fall through voting,” Mr Shah said.
  8. The session, which started on July 20, has been continually disrupted by Opposition protests. The opposition contends that in view of the 170-plus deaths, injuries and displacements of thousands of people since the ethnic violence broke out in May, there is nothing more urgent that can demand the Prime Minister’s attention.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/no-trust-motion-lok-sabha-bjp-congress-india-narendra-modi-rahul-gandhi-manipur-violence-no-confidence-debate-to-resume-in-parliament-today-10-points-4281677

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