Sonia to Contest from Rae Bareli in 2019 LS Polls
Sonia Gandhi will be contesting from Rae Bareli in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, a Congress spokesperson said.
Corrupt Ways of Congress Remain the Same
The BJP on 16 December dubbed the Congress as a "corrupt thought process" as it shrugged off Rahul Gandhi's elevation as its president, saying its working style and "corrupt ways" remained the same.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a sharp attack on the Congress after Gandhi attacked the ruling party soon after replacing her mother Sonia Gandhi as its president.
Patra cited the sentencing of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who was supported by the Congress, in a corruption case to hit out at the party, claiming it would remain corrupt despite the change in leadership.
He said it was an irony that despite the Congress not being in power for four years, corruption cases were still tumbling out and people jailed for corruption they did when it was in power.
This speaks volumes about the thought process, the working nature of Congress party. So a new president or an old president, the working style of Congress party, the corrupt ways of Congress party still remain the same.
We Will Never Back Down, Says Rahul Gandhi
Addressing Congress members for the first time as the party president, Rahul Gandhi said that he wants the party to become an instrument of dialogue between all people “from all corners of our great country. And our dialogue will always be led by light and affection.”
Accusing the BJP of spreading violence in the country, he said the Congress “will fight for those who can’t fight alone”. “We consider the BJP as our brothers and sisters, even though we do not agree with them,” he said.
Politics belongs to people and that it is their strongest weapon. But today it is used to crush them, not to lift them up... These regressive forces don’t win because they’re right, they win because they’re powerful. Their power is manipulative and distorted and stains everything it touches. They can only defeat us if we back down.Rahul Gandhi
The new chief claimed that the Congress took India to the 21st century, but “the Prime Minister today is taking it back to medieval times”.
The current vision that is cast upon the nation belongs to the times when people did not have rights.
Reaching out to the youth, he said, “We will now make this a ‘grand old and young party’.”
Crackers Play Spoilsport During Sonia's Final Address as Cong Chief
"Today is the final time I will speak to you as the president of the Congress," Sonia Gandhi told the crowd at the function.
The outgoing chief was forced to halt her speech midway after being repeatedly drowned out by the loud sound of firecrackers being burst. A Congress worker took the mic and appealed to the crowd to refrain from bursting crackers so that Sonia could continue with her address.
Twenty years ago, when I was elected as Congress President, I was nervous about this new role. I was anxious on how to uphold the heritage of the party. I became part of this family during revolutionary times.Sonia Gandhi
Although her party had gone through some difficult times and lost several elections, it would “never bow down,” she said.
Handing over the charge of Congress president to her son Rahul, she said the party should set its house in order and be ready for any sacrifice to stop the communal forces in the country.
Congratulating Rahul on his elevation, she said personal attacks on her son have made him fearless and voiced confidence that the young leadership will infuse new vigour in the party.
“I am sure he will lead the party with courage and dedication,” 71-year-old Sonia Gandhi said
Speaking about her son, she said:
Rahul is my son, so I do not think for me to praise him is right but I would say that since childhood he had to bear the brunt of violence, after joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person.