In anticipation of the upcoming Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi are set to address a gathering of party workers in Jaipur this Saturday. The Congress’s Rajasthan unit chief, Govind Singh Dotasra, expressed confidence that this workers’ meeting would bolster the party’s strength and contribute to their return to power in the state.
The Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan has been actively promoting a slew of social welfare measures and legislation under the banner of “good governance.” Their efforts have been accompanied by an extensive publicity campaign across various platforms, including social media, with the aim of reinforcing the Gehlot government’s fourth-term slogan, “Chauthi Baar Gehlot Sarkar,” in a state that has seen a two-decade-long alternation between the BJP and the Congress.
On September 10, at a rally in Niwai in Tonk district, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi announced the extension of the Indira Rasoi scheme, offering subsidized meals at Rs 8.
In parallel, tensions have been escalating in Andhra Pradesh, governed by the YSRCP, following the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu earlier this month. Naidu is allegedly involved in a multi-crore scam related to the State Skill Development Corporation during his tenure. A local court recently granted custody of Naidu to the CID for two days for interrogation.
In Delhi, the first meeting of the high-level committee, chaired by ex-President Ram Nath Kovind, tasked with examining the feasibility of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats will be held on Saturday. The panel is expected to discuss stakeholder consultations, research, and the preparation of working papers.
Notable committee members include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh. Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, declined to be part of the panel.
Meanwhile, student politics takes center stage in Delhi, as Delhi University students cast their votes for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls on Friday, with the vote counting scheduled for Saturday.
In Madhya Pradesh, another state gearing up for elections, BJP leader Dinesh Malhar has resigned from the party and will join the Congress on Saturday. The BJP is also grappling with internal turmoil, as senior party leader Uma Bharti intensifies her demand for OBC quota inclusion in the recently passed women’s reservation Bill. Bharti has announced a significant meeting to address this demand.
News Summary:
- Congress leaders Kharge and Rahul Gandhi set to address party workers in Rajasthan as the poll season commences.
- Rajasthan’s Gehlot government promotes social welfare initiatives and “good governance” ahead of the elections.
- Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest in Andhra Pradesh leads to protests; state heads to polls in April-May.
- A high-level committee in Delhi discusses simultaneous elections; Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declines participation.
- Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls see student participation after a three-year gap.
- BJP leader Dinesh Malhar resigns in Madhya Pradesh, while Uma Bharti demands OBC quota inclusion in the women’s reservation Bill.