Young Congress

Talking to mediapersons here, Hooda said the poll results in these states would be repeated in the parliamentary elections.

Claiming that the people of Haryana had rejected the alliance between the Indian National Lok Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress MP said the opposition parties were so scared of the increasing popularity of the Congress that the two parties had forged this alliance in a hurry without caring for the sentiments of their workers.

He said the people of Haryana had tried these parties so many times and would not be taken in by their false promises now.

Hooda said the Haryana Janhit Party (BL) was on the verge of disintegrating and several of its leaders had already crossed over to the Congress. He said the party would be wound up after the parliamentary elections.

addressing public meetings at Bampand and Ahirkheda villages in Khargone district, said people would not be lured by the BJP this time. '''The BJP failed to fulfill promises it made five years back and road, power and water continued to be a problem,'' he alleged.

He said peasants were not getting fertiliser, seed and adequate power. On the other hand, the Congress had provided free power to farmers during its tenure, besides taking several decisions in their welfare.

He also mentioned about public welfare schemes launched by the Congress.

He was addressing a gathering here after unveiling a statue of his father, Rajesh Pilot. Sachin said the Congress government had already waived farmers' loans to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore. Many had expressed apprehension that the loan waiver would seriously hit the national economy but the Congress remained adamant on providing the much-needed relief to the farmers, he said.

The MP said if required the government would waive more loans in the future.

He said it was the farsightedness of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that had propelled the country to safer grounds even during troubled times. Farmers of the country had received huge benefits under the policies framed by the Congress, he said.

While paying tributes to Rajesh Pilot, Rohtak MP Deepinder Hooda congratulated the villagers on having installed the statue of the great political leader of the country.

Former minister Hari Singh Nalwa raised issues related to the opening of a college, the setting up of a bus stand in the village and the construction of a bridge over the Yamuna to connect Samalkha to Uttar Pradesh. Deepinder Hooda promised to take up various issues related the development of the village with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Union minister Sis Ram Ola was successful yet again in managing a ticket for his son Brijendra Singh Ola who had lost twice in the assembly elections from Jhunjhunu. Senior Congress leader Hira Lal Indora has also introduced his son Kuldeep Indora from Annopgarh.

The party has also given tickets to the son of Gujarat governor Nawal Kishore Sharma (Braj Kishore Sharma from Hawa Mahal) while Mahendra Singh, nephew of Pondicherry governor Govind Gingh Gurjar, inherited his home constituency Nasirabad.

Apart from that, the list also included names of relatives of veteran Congress leaders. While former minister Khet Singh Rathore managed a ticket for his nephew Umed Singh Rathore from Shergarh, Ram Narayan Chaudhary has inducted his relative Rita Kumari on Mandawa seat. Vijendra Singh who is a relative of president Pratibha Patil's husband Devi Singh Shekhawat also figures in the first list from the Udaipurwati constituency. However, the name of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot was missing form the list. He was supposed to be accommodated for the assembly elections.

The Congress has given tickets to 36 new faces while reposed trust on 43 of its present MLAs. However, only 12 women candidates have finally made into the list of 116, belittling the tall claims of women's Congress chief Prabha Thakur who had once announced that Congress would have women-representation from each district.

• Rahul Gandhi: Not present. He was in Kanpur where he held an interaction with students.
  
• Sandeep Dikshit: Present. He angrily traded charges with the opposition benches during a short duration discussion on violence against minorities.

• Naveen Jindal, Sachin Pilot, Jitin Prasada, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Deependra Hooda, Priya Dutt: Present.Milind Deora, Manavendra Singh, Dushyant Singh, Shamik Lahiri, Agatha Sangma, Akhilesh Yadav: Not seen. Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Sukhbir Singh Badal: Absent. Not in Delhi.

• Jay Panda: Present. He sought to know whether the Government planned to introduce a train protection warning system to eliminate human error in train accidents, and whether there was any system to ensure there was parity in the laying of railway tracks in various regions of the country. He also wanted to know about the measures being taken by the Government to prevent organ trade, and about instances of female foeticide in Delhi. He had queries on upgradation of small and medium enterprises and on modernisation of Khurda Road railway junction as well.

• Supriya Sule: Present. She asked the Government about vacancies in government hospitals, the lack of basic healthcare to millions of children and the impact of climatic changes on public health. Rajeev Chandrasekhar: Not seen but had questions pertaining to health hazards caused by contamination in drinking water, and the number of polio cases reported from different parts of the country. He also sought to know about the number of railway projects submitted by Karnataka that were still pending before the Centre, and about the case of a 13year-old boy reported to have been pushed out of a running train in July.

• Kanimozhi: Not seen.

LOK SABHA

• Varkala Radhakrishnan: Present. He had a question on the Mass Rapid Transit Systems.

• Bagun Sambrui: Present

• Jaswant Singh: Present. During zero hour, he sought the response of the Government on the reported transfer of an Indian official from the Indian mission in Beijing on the eve of Prime Minister's visit to China. Ram

• Jethmalani: Present. He had four questions. He wanted to know whether there was any possibility of increasing the capability of milk production from milching cattle and whether there was any programme for evolution of milching cattle under the National Agricultural Development Scheme. His other queries related to the price of sugar in domestic and international markets, and whether it was a fact that estimation of low production of sugar in the current year had been made because of reduced sowing area.

• Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi: Present. His questions related to programmes under the National Rural Health Mission, and about the cultivation of pulses in the country. He also asked about specific works undertaken in the agricultural sector to encourage the production of items other than wheat, rice and cotton. He also wanted to know about the genesis and objectives of National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, and about the estimated production of rice and wheat in the current year.

• Mohsina Kidwai: Present. She had one question on the deaths caused by consumption of alcohol.

• Dara Singh: Not seen.

• Motilal Vora: Present. He wanted to know about the amount of foodgrains rotting in various godowns of Food Corporation of India. His other queries related to the details of the joint venture of NAFED and about the status of heart patients in the country. He also sought to know about the payments to class IV employees of post-mortem houses, and about the incidents of fire and derailment of trains during the last year.

• RAHUL GANDHI, JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA, MEHBOOBA MUFTI, OMAR ABDULLAH, AKHILESH YADAV, SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL, PRIYA DUTT, AGATHA SANGMA:Not seen

• ILIND DEORA: Present. Had questions pertaining to shortage of ATC officers at airports, cancellation of late night flights, a proposal to bring ombudsman for civil aviation industry and on construction of cement porticos at Ajanta caves.

• NAVEEN JINDAL: Present. His queries related to the number of tourism offices run by the Government, and on the number of aircraft maintenance engineering institutes in the country. He also wanted to know whether there was an increase in the instances of aircraft hovering over Delhi and Mumbai airports because of congestion.

• DUSHYANT SINGH: Present. He questioned the Government about the construction of greenfield airports, and on the progress of establishment of budget hotels under the Railway Ministry. He also wanted to know about the expansion plans of refineries and plans to increase steel production capacity in the country.

• DEEPENDER HOODA: Present. He raised a supplementary question to demand an airport in Jhajjar district of Haryana.

• MANVENDRA SINGH: Present. Participated in a discussion on the Bill on inland waterways.

• SANDEEP DIKSHIT, SACHIN PILOT, JITIN PRASADA, SHAMIK LAHIRI: Present

• JAY PANDA: Present. His questions related to the opening of a nuclear power plant in the northeastern states, widening of the national highways in Orissa and the action plan to mitigate water crisis in Orissa.

• SUPRIYA SULE: Present. She inquired about the proposal to set up an integrated space cell under the integrated defence services headquarters. She also wanted to know whether the DoT had asked TRAI to review existing termination charges to bring down mobile tariffs. Setting up of a forest academy in Maharashtra and issues discussed by External Affairs Minister during his recent visit to Pakistan featured in her other queries.

• KANIMOZHI: Present, she sat besides Supriya Sule in the afternoon as the House discussed supplementary grants for Railways and the External Affairs Minister gave clarifications on his statement on Sri Lanka.

• RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR: Not seen but had a question seeking records of utilisation certificates received from NGOs under the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry.

 LOK SABHA

* VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN: Present, he objected to the introduction of the Companies Bill on the ground that the Government had given no time to the members to go through the more than 200 pages of the draft Bill. BAGUN SAMBRUI: Present

RAJYA SABHA

• JASWANT SINGH: Present, made an intervention during the Zero Hour and also sought clarifications from the Government on Foreign Minister's statement on the Sri Lankan situation.

• RAM JETHMALANI: Present. Had questions related to the coal reserves in the country and on the implementation of JNURM.

• MOHSINA KIDWAI: Present. Her question was about the Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul.

• MOTILAL VORA: Present. He had questions related to the reported killings of Indians in racial violence in South Africa and on whether the Government had sought assistance from Japan for improving the bus service in Delhi. LALIT

• KISHORE CHATURVEDI: Not seen but had questions related to the production of atomic power in RAPS, the number of atomic energy power plants in India, the number of villages in Rajasthan without telephone connectivity, about the Government's Green India programme, and on the six-laning of Delhi-Jaipur highway.

• DARA SINGH: Not seen but had questions on the harmful effects of mobile phones on human health, and Indian fatalities in UN peacekeeping missions.

Last week, Rahul Gandhi had, in response to a question put to him in Punjab, said Manmohan Singh would remain the party's prime ministerial candidate even after the next general election. Given the sensitivities involved about projecting Rahul at this stage when Manmohan Singh is still Prime Minister, the party has to tread cautiously. The Gandhi-Nehru family has been particularly mindful of not doing anything that might embarrass Manmohan Singh.

Pilot, when asked whether Rahul would be Prime Minister "sooner" or "later", qualified his reply: "That will depend on the party. Ultimately, it is the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) and the MPs who will decide."

However, Rahul, he said, would be the "star campaigner" not just in the Lok Sabha elections but also in the assembly polls in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh due in November. "There is demand for him and on his side there is a commitment. It is now full throttle," the young MP from Dausa disclosed.

Would there not be resistance from the old guard, for the decision not to give the party ticket to those above 70 years of age had already been revoked under pressure?

Pilot, the youngest parliamentarian to be elected in 2004, replied: "It has not been revoked. It was a suggestion given to the party to keep in mind. There will be as many new faces as possible.

The other popular bill which made the headlines during his years of power was change in Adult Franchisee, it was during his tenure that adult franchisee was change to 18 from 21 thus getting a new section of society to benefit from the given.

India, the biggest Democracy in the world where we have seen representation to people from all walks of life. Today we are proud to be a young India as 24% of our Total population is between 18-35 which comprises of 38% of the total voting population.

Shri Rahul Gandhi who joined politics in year 2004 and his induction got lot of young faces around. Jatin Prasad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, Deepender Singh Hooda are some young faces of young India which are evident in Parliament too. The Congress has given resposibilty of the nation on young, determined shoulders of the new emerging India.

Jitin Prasada, Milind Deora, Deependra Hooda, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot at Parliament House

Sachin Pilot was sitting beside Rahul Gandhi. Both were seen chatting. He was also involved in the floor management.

• Deependra Hooda was sitting beside Karnal MP Arvind Sharma, ensuring that he votes for the party.

• Sandeep Dikshit was present throughout the day.

• Manvendra Singh was present and was very active during the trust vote.

• Milind Deora was present in the House.

• Omar Abdullah mesmerised the House with his speech in which he took on both the BJP and the Left. Several young leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, walked up to him after the speech and shook hands.

• Mehbooba Mufti spoke in favour of the Government and attacked L K Advani for his references to the Amarnath land controversy.

• Jitin Prasada was making constant interventions during the debate.

• Agatha K Sangma, the youngest member in the House, observed her second day in Parliament in silence. She was seated next to Priya Dutt.

• Dushyant Singh was present during the debate.

• Shamik Lahiri was seen in hectic discussions with senior members before the trust vote.

• Akhilesh Yadav walked up to Omar Abdullah after his speech and shook hands with him. He spoke to Rahul Gandhi for a long time before the voting.

• Sukhbir Singh Badal was seen talking to Vijay Malhotra before the voting started.

"If we want to lighten every house hold in the country specially in villages then nuclear deal with the U S is absolutely necessary," Scindia told reporters while expressing confidence that the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will win the trust vote without any problem on July 22-23.

"Those opposing it have their own personal interests behind it, while for the Congress the development of the country and its future energy needs is of paramount importance," he said.

"When Rajiv Gandhi talked of reforms in telecom sector, at that time also people have made fun of him. But today one can see the result of telecom revolution in the country as now mobile phones are being used by people even in villages," he said.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress spokesperson said that Rahul Gandhi was Congress's Mahendra Singh Dhoni. His comments came soon after India won the T20 World Cup and on the same day Rahul was inducted as the general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC). Congress, which is now preparing for an early polls is hoping that the charisma of 'Gandhian Genes' will work in its favour. Congress hopes that Rahul and his team comprising of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ajay Maken, Priya Dutt, Milind Deora, Sachin Pilot, Jitin Prasad and Sandeep Dikshit would galvanise the Congress Twenty20 for a victory in 2009. Whether that will be the case or not is for all of us to see. But this comparison made me to bring my point of view on this statement.

The two teams ie the Indian cricket team and Congress' team represent contemporary team members. Rahul is riding high on his family's 'surname' and he himself has said that being Gandhi definitely helps'. He belongs to the political party, which has been blamed of playing a dynastic politics and is averse of inducting new faces. Most of the team members in Rahul's team are in the side because they have a legacy behind them and all have connection from Nehru-Gandhi family for many years. Coming to Indian cricket team, this team features the young, dynamic and meritocratic members who have fought their way to the top. They don't have any legacy in the cricket and are in the side on the basis of their sheer talent and ability. They are street smart and are aware of their strengths and weakness right from the days they started their careers.

This is the story perhaps of the modern India. Sociologist Ashis Nandy once said that there were four areas in Indian society where family and privilege did not matter and sheer talent was always rewarded. These areas were Bollywood, the stock market, organised crime and sports. The person who is ruling the various spheres belong to this meritocratic section of the people. You can take the case of Shahrukh Khan, Sunil Mittal, Narendra Modi, or the latest sensation in cricket Praveen Kumar. Indian cricket system has unearthed the talent from the interiors of the country and the players that are making their way on to the top belong to the middle class ,which is driving the economy of our nation. I fully believe that unless we give space to the youth in our politics, we will not achieve the success which Dhoni and his teamate has. Whenever their has been a revolution in any part of the world the torch bearer has always arrived from the dusty alleyways far from the comfort of having everything and getting everything very easily. The same thing has yet not arrived in the Indian politics, which needs a face change. The politics is becoming the monopoly of the particular families and the position of 'captain' is always inherited.

Rahul is definitely trying to change few things within the Congress, but will he be successful in that is a big question. Arjun Singh might have predicted Rahul as a candidate for Prime Minister, but till date, Rahul has shown nothing 'special' that makes him a viable option for the top post, but he can still inherit that post! Whatever I have seen of Rahul during the various assembly elections and as a star campaigner of the party, he has centred mostly around his family. It is very true that the brand 'Gandhi' still sells among the voters, but the new India should be more meritocratic and there should be space for all and the power must not rest in the few hands itself. If Rahul and Congress wants to change their fortune then it is very essential that the overall system and administration of Congress should be changed. There should be long sightedness in their vision, an end to parochial politics and must be the party with whom today's youth can associate with. They must be able to take some strong decisions on the issues of the national importance and must refrain from casteism, which has become synonymous with the politics of the nation.

Senior cabinet ministers A.K. Antony, Arjun Singh, Kamal Nath, Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Vayalar Ravi, Meira Kumar and Ambika Soni also are members of the committee that will finalise the party's political strategy ahead of the general elections.

The 24-member committee also has party general secretaries as its members.

Another star campaigner of the party, MP Rahul Gandhi, will be on the panel that will work on the Congress manifesto for the crucial Lok Sabha elections due early next year.

The 21-member manifesto committee headed by Mukherjee will have senior ministers like P. Chidambaram, Arjun Singh, Mani Shankar Aiyer, Meira Kumar and Jairam Ramesh as its members.

Young Congress leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot have also been included in the panel.

Senior party leaders M. Vererappa Moily, Digvijay Singh, Kishore Chandra Deo, Ajit Jogi, Salman Khurshid and Margaret Alva have also been appointed as its members.

Gandhi also appointed Siddarth Patel, a legislator in the Gujarat state assembly, as the Pradesh Congress Committee president, while MP Tusharbhai Choudhary and legislators Kunwarjibhai Mohanbhai Bavali will function as working presidents.

In Himachal Pradesh, where the party faced a humiliating defeat last year, legislator Kaul Singh Thakur will head the state unit. In the faction-ridden Tamil Nadu unit, K.V. Thangkabalu, a Lok Sabha MP, has been appointed state Congress president.

 At present Congress has over 10 young MPs and the party may field 100 fresh candidates and even those who don't have any organisational background.

As the general elections is round the corner with so much permutation and combination going on between the ruling UPA allies, Rahul Gandhi probably is doing well in his job to cement his party's position. The young Gandhi seems to be candid enough to accept the fact of `no internal party democracy' including his own and hence advocated the need of young imaginative workers to take up the leadership roles to strengthen the present political system.

Congress as a party is suffering the worst in the lack of regional leadership and taking the reason of present rising uncertainty and no absolute majority to the party in the lately conducted state assembly polls. This is probably one of the best strategy to nurture young talent eyeing national elections.

After young leaders like Rajeev Gandhi, Madhavrao Scindia and Rajesh Pilot, there has been a leadership vacuum that the party desperately need to fill up to rebuild its structure again. Though there are not much names emerged in the national front besides Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot and Milind Deora; all three have political background, but at regional level one can spot immense potential to be in the political fray.

However in many cases of the factor of dynasty or family ruled region, the party seems to take up its own traditional stride giving ticket to the influential one. But in the present changing political scenario where over half of voters are below 25 years, the party needs to take count of the local factors along with the vitality of "winability" before fielding its candidate.

The party not only needs to bring a pace of change in terms of encouraging young party workers but also in adoption of the very essence of the "subaltern viewpoint" by giving voice to the oppressed or marginalised group by brining leaders from among the masses so as to strengthen the party as an institution and also as a national party to contest election of its own.

Rashmi Pawar became head of the Madhya Pradesh unit of the National Students Union of India on May 26 after a state-wide exercise to identify the “best and brightest” candidate.

Within days of Rahul clearing the appointment, Rashmi’s colleagues began circulating documents that purport to show she is 28 years old, and had completed her master’s in 2003.

Party guidelines say an NSUI leader must be a student and under 27, and Youth Congress officials should be under 35.

Rahul, the general secretary in charge of the NSUI and the Youth Congress, has been trying to reform the appointment processes in the two organisations, which are teeming with overage officials.

He had thought of the talent hunt, complete with an interview before an All India Congress Committee (AICC) panel, to send the message that an aspiring Congress politician need not bank on patronage or have a party leader as a parent. The only skills required were commitment to the Congress ideology, leadership ability, organisational skills and passion for the party.