Reacting to Sonia Gandhi’s allegation that the Modi government was “sabotaging” the Winter Session of the Parliament “on flimsy grounds,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that winter session would definitely take place. According to ANI, Jaitley said that during the UPA’s rule as well, the dates were decided in a way that they not clash with elections.
Congress said that NDA is running away from Parliament session, they should know that even during their rule, winter session dates were decided in a way that they didn’t clash with elections. Winter session will definitely take place and the government will announce dates soon.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Monday, 20 November, approved the schedule for election of the next party president starting 1 December, paving the way for the elevation of its Vice President Rahul Gandhi ahead of the crucial Gujarat assembly polls.
The meeting was held at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence on 20 November in presence of Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party general secretaries .
Rahul Gandhi is expected to be the only candidate in the fray, sources told PTI adding that he is expected to take over the reins in the first week of December, ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections starting 9 December.
At the meeting, the Congress Working Committee also approved the schedule for the party presidential elections. The schedule is as follows:
- 1 December: Notification for the party presidential poll
- 4 December: Last date for filing nomination
- 5 December: Publication of list of valid nominees (3:30 pm)
- 11 December: Last date for withdrawal of nomination and final list of contesting candidates (3 pm)
- 16 December: Polling
- 19 December: Counting and results
Party leaders say that though it was not necessary to convene a formal meeting of the CWC to approve the schedule of the presidential election, Sonia Gandhi decided to seek the approval of the party's highest decision-making body.
Govt Sabotaging Winter Session On “Flimsy Grounds”
During the CWC meeting, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said that the “Modi government in arrogance has cast a dark shadow on India’s Parliamentary democracy by sabotaging Winter Session on flimsy grounds.”
It’s mistaken if it thinks by locking temple of democracy, it’ll escape constitutional accountability ahead of elections...The Prime Minister had the audacity to have a midnight celebration in Parliament to launch an ill prepared and flawed GST but today he lacks the courage to face the Parliament.
She further slammed the Prime Minister over demonetisation saying that “it has done nothing but rub salt on the wounds of distressed farmers, small traders, housewives and daily workers.”
“The fortunes of a handful are being built by destroying the future of the poor and the oppressed,” she added.
In 1998, seven years after her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, Sonia took over as the Congress chief. She is now the longest-serving party president.
Rahul, who entered politics in 2004, was appointed as the Vice President of the party in 2013.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
(This is a developing story and will be updated.)
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