Sonia Gandhi at Roorkee, Uttarakhand: Narendra Modi thinks he is already sitting on the throne

Congress President and UPA chairperson attended an election rally at Roorkee, Uttarakhand on Sunday. While speaking on the occasion she lashed out at BJP's main face Narendra Modi. "He thinks as if results have come out and he is already sitting on the throne," said Sonia Gandhi.

Uttarakhand: Sonia Gandhi flags off trucks carrying relief materials for flood-victims

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Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday flagged off trucks carrying relief materials for Uttarakhand flood victims. Trucks left from the party headquarters in New Delhi. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also was present during the occasion.

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi flag off relief material for U'Khand floods victims

Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday has flagged off trucks carrying relief materials for Uttarakhand flood victims from New Delhi. Trucks left from the party headquarters in New Delhi. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also was present during the occasion.

Sonia Gandhi flags off relief material for Uttarakhand floods victims

New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday has flagged off trucks carrying relief materials for Uttarakhand flood victims. Trucks left from the party headquarters in New Delhi. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also was present during the occasion.

Top Congress leaders were present at the AICC headquarters where Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi flagged off 24 truckloads of relief supplies in addition to the 125 trucks already sent to Dehradun. Besides these two, leaders present on the occasion included Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Road Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes and, political secretary to Congress President Ahmed Patel, AICC General Secretaries Ambika Soni and Ajay Maken.

Sonia Gandhi had on June 19 along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conducted an aerial survey of rain-ravaged areas in Uttarkhand where flash floods have claimed over a thousand lives. So far, 80,000 people have been evacuated but more than 15,000 are still stranded across the state.

Congress President had on Friday directed all party MPs and MLAs to donate their one month salary for relief work in the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand as the magnitude of the flash flood tragedy continued to unfold taking the death toll in the rain fury to 1,000.

She  had also directed all party MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to give Rs 10 lakh each from their MPLAD fund for carrying out relief work there," party's communication department in-charge Ajay Maken had told. Congress has currently 203 members in the Lok Sabha and 72 in Rajya Sabha.

The party had also set up a PCC control room at Dehradun to accelerate the relief work. AICC Secretary Sanjay Kapoor and the party's wing Seva Dal's chief Mahendra Joshi have been sent to Dehradun to monitor the work.

Uttarakhand flood: Sonia Gandhi urges Congress MPs, MLAs donate one month’s salary

New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday directed all the party Member of Parliaments (MP) and Member of Legislative Assemblies (MLA) to donate one month’s salary for the victims of the Uttarakhand flash flood.

The death toll in the worst tragedy has gone up to 207 while thousands are still reported missing. According to Ajay Maken, the Congress General Secretary and newly appointed head of Congress’ communication department, Sonia Gandhi has also urged party MPs give Rs 10 lakhs each from their Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund.

The Congress party has 275 MPs including 203 in the Lok Sabha and 72 in the Rajya Sabha. There are also two nominated members in the Lok Sabha and 11 in the Rajya Sabha — all nominated by the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance government.

The members of parliament receive Rs. 50,000 as basic salary per month. This would raise Rs 13.75 million if the nominated members respond to the appeal. Also, Rs275 million will be available through the MLPADS fund for reconstruction of the devastated state.

All MPs are entitled to recommend works worth Rs 50 million per year from MPLADS. While Lok Sabha members are entitled to spend the money in their constituency, Rajya Sabha members can recommend works worth the same amount per year in one or more districts of the state from which they are elected.

Sonia Gandhi, along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had taken an aerial survey of the devastated state of Uttarakhand following which the Union Government initiated several measures to rescue locals and tourists who are believed to be trapped and locate those missing. The army has already launched the rescue mission.

Prime Minister has also appealed to all citizens to liberally donate to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. All such donations are exempted from tax. Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna has also issued a similar appeal for donations to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

According to Maken, a control room has been established at the Dehradun-based headquarters of the Congress party to accelerate the relief work being done on behalf of the party.

Various state units of the Congress party have been asked to collect and send relief material to Uttarakhand on a priority basis.

Rahul Gandhi talks about democratic election process in Youth Congress and NSUI

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is interacting with the media in Uttarakhand. We are in the process of implementing democratic measures in the elections in both Youth Congress and NSUI informed Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi said that he could get good knowledge about proper internal democratic elections from Kerala, and he is trying to implement those across the country.

Rahul Gandhi: When we are talking youth, we are talking about 70% of our population

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while interacting with the media in Uttarakhand said that the youth constitutes 70% of the population in the country. He was responding to a question whether Congress would allow more young candidates to contest in the coming elections.

Rahul Gandhi: My goal is to empower the YC and NSUI

My goal is to ensure that more and more youngsters enter politics through Youth Congress and NSUI and I fully concentrate on these jobs. I do not have any other target as of now, said Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while talking to the media persons in Uttarakhand.

Rahul Gandhi: I will try to ensure that enough youngsters get tickets in elections

“I am not a decision maker in distribution of tickets in the Congress. My role is confined to Youth Congress and NSUI”, said Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand. He was responding to a question whether more youngsters would get tickets in the next elections. Rahul Gandhi informed that he would put in efforts to ensure that sufficient youngsters also get tickets in the elections.

Rahul Gandhi: I will try to ensure that enough youngsters get tickets in elections

“I am not a decision maker in distribution of tickets in the Congress. My role is confined to Youth Congress and NSUI”, said Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand. He was responding to a question whether more youngsters would get tickets in the next elections. Rahul Gandhi informed that he would put in efforts to ensure that sufficient youngsters also get tickets in the elections.

Rahul Gandhi: We should promote youth through democratic process

If we promote the youth through democratic processes, automatically he can grow more and can prove his ability for leadership. This is the way to promote more youngsters to leadership, said Rahul Gandhi. The Congress General Secretary was interacting with the media in Uttarakhand.

Rahul Gandhi talks about the Indians who were held captive by Somalian pirates

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is talking to the presspersons in Uttarakhand. He replied to various questions including the democratic process in the Youth Congress and NSUI. He also said that IUndia government is taking measures to get the 18 Indian freed from the captivity of Somalian pirates.

I see myself as a soldier of Congress and not a yuvraj

I do not like some people call me yuvraj of Congress, said Rahul Gandhi categorically while interacting with the press persons in Uttarakhand. I consider myself as a soldier of Youth Congress, NSUI and the Congress party. And I am totally against these term yuvraj, added Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi: My task is to handle the affairs of YC and NSUI only

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is addressing a press conference in Uttarakhand. “I am a General Secretary of the Congress in charge of Youth Congress and NSUI. These two are only coming under my jurisdiction and I am not handling any other role” said Rahul Gandhi. My focus is only these two out fits and nothing beyond that, he added.

Rahul Gandhi talks about the global economic crisis

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is talking to the media in Uttarakhand. “We are passing through a crisis, which is certainly a short term. But the present crisis can be a good challenge to big Asian countries and countries like India and China can be benefited”, added Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi: Political leaders should beyond electoral benefits

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while interacting with the media in Uttarakhand want all the political leaders in India should think more constructively. “If India want to become a super power, all the political leaders should think more constructively and should think beyond electoral gains. This is the feeling of many youngsters in politics in all the parties”, hoped Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi: Some parties are against internal democracy

The surprising fact is that Akalidal’s youth organization in Punjab is against the democratization, informed Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. “Their leaders are calling our Youth Congress leaders and ask what are you doing. Why you are pressing for democracy,” wondered Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi: I am not bothered about elections, I want youth outfits to be strong

I am not bothered about what will happen in assembly or parliament elections. But what I want is to empower the youth, said Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. I want more youngsters enter politics to strengthen democracy. We have a number of Obamas in our country. My efforts are to find out such youngsters and help them to be good leaders through the democratic process, shared Rahul Gandhi in Uttarakhand.