From petrol hike to policy freeze,govt faces partys heat

Tewari was said to have also suggested that the government take up the issues of Sir Creek and Siachen seriously with Pakistan given the window of opportunity now available.

West Bengal Congress president Pradeep Bhattacharjee said the government should be run from New Delhi,and not be seen as being administered from state capitals. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda suggested that it was time to re-visit the Kamraj Plan to revamp both the organisation and government.

Even though Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee gave a detailed account of the reasons for the petrol price hike and made a strong case for states to reduce their taxes by 25 per cent to keep prices under check,many speakers criticised the rate increase. They asked the government not to increase prices of diesel and kerosene and to not leave the same in the hands of oil companies.

You first raise the prices of petrol and after the NDAs bandh,bring it down. What kind of a signal does it send! senior leader from Gujarat Shaktisinh Gohil said. Once you take a decision,dont roll it back. It raises questions about your conviction behind the decision, pointed out another leader.

Orissa CLP leader Bhupinder Singh was of the opinion that fertiliser subsidies be transferred directly to farmers.

While Sonia chose to be conservative in her response despite Congress leaders visible disquiet skipping the economic performance aspect altogether she did make it a point to come out strongly in defence of the Prime Minister on at least the slew of corruption allegations against him by Team Anna. She also reminded party leaders about the 2014 Lok Sabha elections,while warning them against factionalism.

In a democracy,it is the job of the Opposition to oppose but the manner in which opposition and some anti-Congress elements are,as part of a conspiracy,levelling baseless allegations against the Prime Minister,the UPA government,the party and some of our colleagues is a matter of regret and has to be fought strongly at the party and government levels, Sonia said in her opening remarks,in an apparent reference to Team Anna and Ramdevs charges against the government.

Urging partymen not to indulge in groupism,she said: If we invest even half of the amount of energy that we spend on factionalism,useless talks and works in strengthening the party,our strength will double.

The PM rejected the charges against him and his ministers as canard and falsehoods by persons opposed to us and asked the party to effectively tackle these allegations.

Everyday one hears of astronomical sums of black money that can be brought back in one stroke. It is alleged that in every area of its activity,our government has swindled unbelievable amounts of money. Nothing can be farther from the truth…. The misinformation being spread by disparate,desperate elements,unified only by their opposition to our government,needs to be tackled effectively, the PM said.

Singh,however,admitted that times were tough. These are difficult times for our country and for our economy,caused to a very large extent by circumstances over which we have little or no control. These are times when our will and determination are being tested, he said.

Admitting pressure on balance of payments,Singh cautioned that the fiscal situation has to be carefully managed.

At the same time,the PM noted that Indias growth rate was one of the highest in the world. He also stressed that poverty had declined faster during the UPA regime than in the NDA government.

Many leaders lamented that the Congress was not getting credit for its flagship schemes,that this was being usurped by states. Madhya Pradesh CLP leader Ajay Singh suggested that the publicity component in the NREGS be retained by the Centre as states used it for their own publicity.

Senior leader from Nagaland S C Jamir said secessionists were calling the shots in Nagaland and neighbouring states and lamented that ministers did not visit north-eastern states.

Many state representatives demanded that Union ministers be given charge of a state each.

Some members spoke of demolishing the Chinese wall between the party and government as the latters performance has a huge impact on the former. One of the members stressed the need to muster up political will to stand up to the Comptroller and Auditor General and to not allow him to behave like a loose canon.

Sonia to decide president candidate

A resolution moved at the CWC meeting Monday unanimously authorised Sonia Gandhi to select candidates for the president and vice-president elections. The resolution was moved by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee,one of the contenders in the race. Asked at a press briefing if his name had been discussed,Mukherjee said: The Congress president is to select the candidate. Neither me nor anybody else. According to him,the Congress never discusses the name of presidential candidates. All the time,so far as my knowledge goes,the Congress president names the candidate… Only once,during the division in the party in 1969,the responsibility was assumed by the Congress Parliamentary Board.

Gadkari invites Sonia for sons reception

BJP president Nitin Gadkari met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday at 10 Janpath to invite her to his sons wedding. Gadkaris son Sarang is getting married in Nagpur on June 24. There will be a reception at Hotel Ashok in Delhi on July 2 for which the invitation has been extended.