. / :0 % 8 % 8 8 , -,./0(1 +-4-+45 0+!1 +213 2 #5/4$54/4 /5#"!#554"/4 5 4"0""#6/76/4 057/ &436 73"7 "456"# #"4 7/#"/ # 7"40/"#7 75#"40 5 "#365#""4 5 /42#54 7354 057#"0 4 7@05#""0$/9"@6"0" *!+;<,,& ;<= >" 5 " % $ 20%23/45 /(2 $ # 456057/ than its 2014 tally. The party could not open its account in damant on his resignation 18 States and Union Territories. Afrom the post of the As crisis beset the Congress president, Rahul Opposition party, its chief Gandhi has conveyed to senior spokesperson Randeep party leaders Ahmed Patel and Surjewala on Monday urged KC Venugopal to look for his everyone to respect the sancti- replacement as he has made up ty of the CWC meeting and his mind not to continue as asked the media not to fall into chief of the grand old party. the trap of “conjectures, insin- Patel is a close confidant of uations, gossip and rumour- the Congress’ first family and mongering”. was one of the most powerful Surjewala said it is a demo- politicians during the 10 years cratic forum for exchange of " ()! * $( % ' of the UPA rule. After the dis- ideas and taking corrective + +% ' astrous performance of the action. It was a “closed-door” party in the Lok Sabha polls, meeting and any speculation Rahul has cancelled all meet- about it was unwarranted and ings and appointments and uncalled for. He was reacting to % & has declined to meet even news reports about happenings elected MPs. at the May 25 meeting, the first Taking responsibility for of the CWC after the Congress’s the drubbing at the hands of humiliating defeat in the par- ' ( )* the BJP, Rahul on Saturday liamentary polls. offered to resign as party pres- “The Congress party ident at a meeting of the expects everyone, including logical and illogical analysis to workers are still being beaten Congress Working Committee the media, to respect the sanc- prove their point,” Modi added. up in West Bengal, but shock- (CWC), the highest decision- tity of a closed-door meeting of Earlier, Modi offered ingly a section of the national making body of the party, but the CWC. Various conjectures, prayer at Kashi Vishwanath media had seen a selective it was “unanimously rejected”. speculation, insinuations, temple, seeking the blessings of humanism behind such sacri- “He has conveyed that the assumptions, gossip and the Almighty again as he did fices of our party workers.” party will have to find a new rumour-mongering in a section $"#"4"/ five years ago before assuming “We’d also faced political chief as he won’t change his P ! " of the media is uncalled for and the charge as PM. untouchability,” he said, citing mind. It is believed his moth- ## $%"& ' unwarranted. hemistry has beaten arith- Modi appealed to the party the example of Gujarat when a er Sonia and sister Priyanka, “The CWC held a collec- Cmetic in the recent workers to overlook estab- section of film industry had who were earlier advising back his decision. party. Modi. tive deliberation on the per- Parliamentary election, said lished negativity in politics raised strong voices when his Rahul to continue, too have The Congress has mostly At the CWC meeting, In the midst of the disqui- formance of the party, the Prime-Minister designate and continue to adopt positiv- Government had invited a backed his decision. The future been led by members of the Rahul had accused three senior et, several State Congress chiefs, challenges before it as also the Narendra Modi, who is going ity. “Our success is the result of senior star (Amitabh course will be decided in some Nehru-Gandhi family except leaders — Ashok Gehlot, including Punjab’s Sunil Jakhar, way ahead, instead of casting to assume the charge as the PM our perfect synergy between Bachchan) for tourism pro- time now,” said a top AICC for the period after former Kamal Nath and P Jharkhand’s Ajoy Kumar, and aspersions on the role or con- for second time on May 30. Government policies and motion. leader. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Chidambaram — of placing Assam’s Ripun Bora, too duct of any specific individual. “It was not for the first time organisational politics,” he said, In his marathon address, While majority of the was assassinated in 1991. The their sons above the party. offered to resign from their The gist of the deliberations when this political change was asking the party workers to Modi highlighted how for vote- Congress leaders hoped that party did not do well under Priyanka said the entire top posts following the party’s was made public in the CWC seen in Indian politics when the continue with the same so that bank politics the Opposition Rahul will “not abandon the Sitaram Kesri and then sever- brass of the party left Rahul drubbing in the elections. The resolution of May 25, 2019,” the chemistry of social strength the people of the country can parties never showed courage post”, sources close to him said al leaders convinced Sonia alone to fight it out against party won only 52 seats in the Congress leader said in a was clearly visible but shock- get optimum benefits of to look into the pains of the he is determined not to take Gandhi to take charge of the Prime Minister Narendra Lok Sabha polls, just six more statement. ingly, the political pundits were Government schemes. common people. not ready to change their estab- “Work and workers create lished perception,” he said. a wonder,” said Modi, adding Modi was addressing party that “with our work we suc- ( workers in thanksgiving func- ceeded in winning the faith of tion at Deen Dayal Updhyay the people. We have not done Haskala Sankul (Trade any favour to them but it was Facilitation Centre) at Bada their rights.” R Lalpur here on Monday. Modi went on to highlight “We had made a hat-trick the violence let loose against * of victories performing party workers in several States, 456057/ remarkably well in 2014, 2017 and said, “Undoubtedly, in 456057/ !" #! !" # and 2019 but, unfortunately, achieving the same, our party n the wake of deaths of 22 the political pundits were not workers faced crises. Several of eads of BIMSTEC group- $ % Istudents at a coching institute ready to change their estab- our workers sacrificed their Hing which includes $%' blaze in Surat on Friday, Delhi lished perception of the last 70 lives in Kerala, Kashmir, West Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Home Minister Satyender Jain years and sometimes they used Bengal and Tripura and our Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal on Monday issued directions to and Bhutan would be attend- !" & the chief of Delhi Fire Services ing the swearing-in ceremony '&( (DFS) to “take strict action as of Prime Minister Narendra ! per the fire safety standards and + *( , Modi on May 30. The Bay of ! 456057/89"/ # guidelines to prevent recur- Bengal Initiative for Multi- % rence of such accidents” in the Sectoral Technical and n a huge relief for the national Capital. Economic Cooperation (BIM- #$ ICongress in Rajasthan, six The Director (Fire ' ,- ## STEC) is an international % BSP MLAs cancelled their pro- Services) has been asked to organisation of seven nations ")*+ + posed meeting with Governor immediately inspect and shut of South Asia and South East , Kalyan Singh at the last minute and seal coaching centres oper- Kyrgyz President, cur- and downplayed speculation * ating in highrise buildings rently Shanghai Cooperation ! about pulling out of the Gehlot ! " ## ( above the fourth floor. The Organisation (SCO) chair, - Government. $%"& ' Delhi Government further and Mauritius Prime Minister ! However, the Congress issued notice to all the civic are also invited for swearing- % faced trouble from within amid Pradesh, thus the news of its the SP cadre in the just con- authorities to enforce the 456057/ in ceremony, according to the speculation of a Rajasthan MLAs seeking appointment cluded general elections. ‘Unified Building Bylaws’ in Ministry of External Affairs. Minister quitting in the wake of with the Governor sparked Meanwhile, a review meet- coaching centres. ormer Kolkata Police In his 2014 swearing-in- the party’s electoral debacle. wild speculation. ing scheduled in Delhi to eval- “In the first phase, all FCommissioner Rajeev ceremony, Modi had invited &'"! Two State Ministers came out BSP MLA Wajib Ali sought uate reasons for party’s drub- coaching centres operating in Kumar is on official leave to Government heads of SAARC in the open to demand a to downplay the significance of bing in Rajasthan was post- high-rise buildings (more than Varanasi for three days and will which included Pakistan. The detailed assessment by senior the MLAs’ scheduled meeting poned in the wake of unavail- four floors excluding the stilt not be able to appear for ques- to appear before the CBI for then Pakistan Prime Minister + " leaders of the party. with the Governor. “It was ability of Congress president floor) shall be inspected by the tioning in connection with the questioning in the case. Nawaz Sharif had attended the / ! % Sources said the six BSP supposed to be a routine meet- Rahul Gandhi. Director (Fire Service),” the Saradha Ponzi scheme, accord- “The CBI was awaiting oath taking of Modi. MLAs were scheduled to meet ing,” he said. Party sources said the order read. ing the letter by the West Kumar’s presence at the However, Bangladesh () the Governor on Monday in Sources, however, said the meeting would be held on As per the law, Bengal Criminal Investigation agency’s Kolkata office but he Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the evening. However, later BSP MLAs changed their minds Tuesday at Sonia’s residence in kitchen/cooking and storage of Department (CID) to the did not turn up (on Monday).