Young Congress

The young Congress ministers in the UPA government have been sounded that they would be drafted for key role in the exercise to revive the party in West Bengal. "The young Congress ministers like Union ministers of state Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada and Sachin Pilot are being roped in for sustained party work in the state. They will be given certain districts to work with the party workers to build base before the state goes to the poll next year," stated a senior party leader.

Mr Scindia is Union minister of state for commerce, while Mr Pilot is an MoS in the telecom ministry and Mr Prasada is an MoS in the petroleum ministry.
Along with these three young minister, Mr Gandhi is also roping in young party MPs like Kurukshetra MP Navin Jindal also for West Bengal work. Another young MP, Birendra Singh, is also being drafted as part of the exercise.

As part of a multi-pronged exercise, Mr Gandhi has already deputed 11 senior leaders from within the Youth Congress in various parts of the state to prepare grounds for the young ministers to work on. "Among the 11 Youth Congress leaders who are already camping in the state are Mastan Ali, Anil Thomas, Alok Sharma, Usha Rani, Anand Pandey, Neeta Sharma, Bishwa Ranjan Mohanty, Nadeem Javed (Youth Congress in-charge of West Bengal). Their brief from Mr Gandhi is to prepare a road map on how to rebuild the organisation and how to revamp the party in the state before the Assembly elections," sources said.

Party functionaries said though they have been told the Congress would contest the West Bengal Assembly polls in alliance with the Trinamul Congress, Mr Gandhi wants the party to emerge a serious contender.
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"The clear focus is to bring back the minorities and the backward castes to support the party," added the functionary.

He said to impart training, master coaches would be selected from every assembly constituency and two master coaches would work in a Lok Sabha constituency for 5 years. During this period, they would not get a ticket to contest elections. The first training camp would be held in Haryana, he said.

Jawahar Lal Nehru Institute of Leadership will organise a five-day training camp where master coaches will play an important role in imparting training to campers.

The schedule for holding district-wise screening camps has been given. On June 24, screening would be held at Gurgaon for Gurgaon, Faridabad and Mewat, on June 25, it would be done at Hisar for Hisar, Bhiwani and Sirsa and on June 26 the venue would be at Kurukshetra covering Kuruksehra, Karnal, Ambala and Sonepat.

The two along with 29 other ffice bearers were elected in a lose contest on Wednesday.

The organisational elections in the state Youth Congress were held for the first time.

arlier the office bearers used to be nominated.

It was in September 2008 hat Congress general secretary rahul Gandhi decided to bring bout complete internal democarcy in the party's youth wing by holding organisational elections across the country.

The Youth Congress membership drive in Haryana had rawn an encouraging response.

uring a month-long drive from ecember 2 last year, as many s 4.10 lakh youth applied but nly 3.75 lakh were enrolled.

"The democratisation process has enthused tens and housands of youths and the Haryana elections stands testimony to that," said a state Youth ongress leader.

Following Gandhi's recommendation, the party has nominated Avinash Pande, a former legislator and staunch supporter of the Gandhi-Nehru family, for the Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled for June 17.

A senior office-bearer of the party's state unit told Business Standard on condition of anonymity: "Pande was hand-picked by Rahul as he has been working closely with the latter to rejuvenate the party organisation in Maharashtra."
Pande was defeated by Rahul Bajaj, who was supported by the NCP-Shiv Sena-BJP, in the Rajya Sabha by-polls in 2004. Pande is not the only party leader chosen by Rahul. During the 2009 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the party general secretary played a major role in nominating youths and also campaigned for them. Congress MP from south Mumbai, Milind Deora, has been quite close to Rahul.

The members of the `Rahul Brigade' elected to the state Assembly in 2009 include Raju Satav, who has been appointed as the president of the All India Youth Congress, Nilesh Parvekar, Yashomati Thakur, Prashant Thakur and Raosaheb Shekhawat, son of President Pratibha Patil.

Rahul is also supervising the party's membership drive in Maharashtra. Recently, state leaders were pulled up by the Congress high command for the slow pace of membership.

A total of seven candidates are in the fray for election of six Rajya Sabha seats in Maharashtra. The list of candidates who have filed their nominations includes Vijay Darda, Avinash Pande (Congress), Tariq Anwar, Ishwar Jain (NCP), Piyush Goyal (BJP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) and the state Congress party spokesman, Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, who has been proposed by 10 independents supporting the Congress-led government. Today was the last date for filing the nominations

But with Rahul Gandhi taking charge of the organisation as AICC general secretary, the election process has become transparent, insist party men.

The office-bearers of the state unit of the Youth Congress will be elected on June 9 at a banquet hall near Panchkula. The party is to elect eight general secretaries, besides one president and one vice-president.

Sons of many senior Congress leaders are in the fray. These include Chiranjeev Rao, son of Irrigation Minister Ajay Singh Yadav; Gaurav Singh, son of former Finance Minister Sampat Singh; and Amit Sihag, son of Dr KV Singh, a former OSD to the Haryana Chief Minister. Among the 31 candidates for the office-bearers are Shahabad MLA Anil Dantori, Rao, Chetan Chauhan, Bhupinder Beniwal and Pramod Sehwag.

Source: The Tribune By Yoginder Gupta Youth Cong poll tomorrow

P K BIJU: Present; participated in the debate on the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Bill. He opposed the Bill and staged a walkout along with AIADMK and other Left members.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present; had unstarred questions on allocation of blocks under NELP , recommendations of Irani Committee, Gram Nyayalayas.

VARUN GANDHI: Not seen.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present; had unstarred questions regarding air services to Lakshdweep.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present; had unstarred questions on oil depots in Orissa, setting up of judicial panels, security beef up in flights, committee on SFIO, foreign assistance for fertiliser companies.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Not seen; had unstarred question on processing of soyabeans and potatoes.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Present; had unstarred question on processing of soyabeans and potatoes.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present.

MILIND DEORA: Present; had unstarred question regarding near miss incident at Mumbai airport.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present; had starred question regarding pending court cases.

NAVEEN JINDAL: Not seen.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, JYOTI MIRDHA, SHRUTI CHAUDHRY, NILESH RANE, ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, DEEPENDER HOODA, ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH: Present.

PRIYA DUTT, RAHUL GANDHI, KAMLESH PASWAN: Not seen.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Not seen; had unstarred question on introduction of new trains in Orissa, setting up of heavy industries in 11th Plan.

KANIMOZHI: Absent; had unstarred question on scholarship for persons with disabilities and on the impact of incredible India campaign.

P K BIJU, MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN: Present.

JYOTI MIRDHA: Present. was seen protesting against Opposition disruption of Question hour by flashing question lists. She had unstarred question on categorisation of groundwater blocks.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present. was seen engaged in discussion with Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur. She had unstarred questions on PPP projects in health, education, electricity transmission, on IndiaChina agreement on higher education, private investment in nuclear power sector, mid-term appraisal of the 11th plan.

VARUN GANDHI: Not seen; had unstarred questions on complaints against POSCO, irrigation projects in rain deficit areas, cleaning of rivers, setting up of mobile schools.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present.

SHRUTI CHAUDHRY: Present. had unstarred question on allocation of water from Bhakra Dam.

NILESH RANE: Present. had starred questions on the procedure of issuance of passports, damage to crops, legal education in schools and colleges.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Not seen; had unstarred questions on research base, Himadri, national mission on bamboo application.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Not seen; had unstarred question on restoration of forts and monuments.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Present. had unstarred questions regarding assessment of groundwater through remote sensing, restoration of forts and monuments.

AKHILESH YADAV, MILIND DEORA: Present.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present. had unstarred question regarding damage to crops.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present. Had starred question regarding rising cost of higher education.

NAVEEN JINDAL: Present; had unstarred question regarding hunting of endangered wild animals.

KAMLESH PASWAN, DEEPENDER HOODA, PRIYA DUTT, ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH: Present.

RAHUL GANDHI: Not seen.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present. Had starred question regarding rising cost of higher education.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Present. had an unstarred question on cleaning of rivers.

KANIMOZHI: Present, Sat through the entire discussion on Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Bill, also had starred question on provision of essential services for refugees and asylum seekers.

P K BIJU: Present; rushed to the well of the House along with other party colleagues flashing newspaper report alleging involvement of a minister in illegal arms deal. He had unstarred questions on licences for electronic goods, staff strength in Inland Waterways Authority of India.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present; was taken by surprise when the House got adjourned for the day by the time she entered and reached her seat in the postlunch session. She had unstarred questions on growth in traffic handling at major ports, IndoChina trade, infiltration from across the border.

VARUN GANDHI: Present; had unstarred questions regarding convergence of water conservation activities and NREGS.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present; had unstarred questions on vigilance and monitoring committees, optical fibre cable network on all gram panchayats.

SHRUTI CHAUDHRY: Present; had an unstarred question regarding progress of rural development programmes.

NILESH RANE: Present; had unstarred questions regarding national social assistance programme, setting up of industrial zones.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present; had starred questions regarding corruption in NREGS, pendency of EPF claims, SEZ projects, restructuring of PURA scheme, development of Kaveri Engine for light combat aircraft.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Present; had an unstarred question regarding new inland waterway.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Present; had an unstarred question on beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana.

MILIND DEORA: Not seen; had unstarred questions on land for passenger water transport project in Maharashtra, development of approach channel through Mumbai Port Trust.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present; had an unstarred question on constitution of committee for scheduled castes.

AKHILESH YADAV, MANICKA TAGORE, MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, JYOTI MIRDHA, NAVEEN JINDAL, DEEPENDER HOODA, RAHUL GANDHI, PRIYA DUTT, ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH, KAMLESH PASWAN: Not seen.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Not seen, had unstarred questions on coal procurement by MMTC, tea and coffee plantation in non-traditional areas.

KANIMOZHI: Present.

P K BIJU: Present; rushed to the well of the House along with other party colleagues flashing newspaper report alleging involvement of a minister in illegal arms deal.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present; Had unstarred questions on growth in traffic handling at major ports, Indo-China trade, infiltration

VARUN GANDHI: Present; had unstarred questions on convergence of water conservation activities and NREGS.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present; had unstarred questions on vigilance and monitoring committees.

SHRUTI CHAUDHRY: Present; had an unstarred question on progress of rural development programmes.

NILESH RANE: Present; had unstarred question regarding the national social assistance programme

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present; had starred questions regarding corruption in NREGS, pendency of EPF claims

DUSHYANT SINGH: Present; had unstarred question on new inland waterway.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Present; had unstarred question on beneficiaries under Indira Awaas Yojana.

MILIND DEORA: Not seen; had unstarred questions on land for passenger water transport project in Maharashtra.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present

AKHILESH YADAV, NAVEEN JINDAL, DEEPENDER HOODA, RAHUL GANDHI, PRIYA DUTT, ASHOK TANWAR, KAMLESH PASWAN: Not seen.

KANIMOZHI: Present.

P K BIJU: Present. Had unstarred questions regarding shortage of doctors, nurses and dentists, National Tobacco Control Programme, bio-fuel production, budget hotels and rest houses.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present. Had a starred question regarding trauma care centres. Also had an unstarred question regarding solar and small hydro power projects, Japan-assisted infrastructure projects.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present. Had an unstarred question regarding wind power generation, cost of wind power.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present. She had a starred question regarding investments in wind power sector, setting up of AIIMS-like institutions, hydro power projects.

VARUN GANDHI: Present. Moved a Private Member's Bill in the afternoon.
Had starred questions regard ing financial inclusion, incen tives for solar and wind power projects, multi-modal transport system, budget hotels and rest houses, bio-medical waste.

NILESH RANE: Present. Had a starred question regarding financial assistance to poor patients, shortage of doctors, nurses and dentists, interest rates on agricultural loans.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Had an unstarred question regarding solar power plants.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Present. Had starred questions regarding trauma care centers, shortage of doctors, nurses and dentists, wildlife tourism projects.

NAVIN JINDAL, DEEPENDER HOODA, RAHUL GANDHI, PRIYA DUTT , ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH, MILIND DEORA, HAMDULLAH SAYEED, JAYANT CHAUDHARY, MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, JYOTI MIRDHA, SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, MANICKA TAGORE, KAMLESH PASWAN, AKHILESH YADAV: Present.

<bKANIMOZHI: </b>Present. Had unstarred questions on recognised private schools and facilities for visually impaired students in government schools.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present.

P K BIJU: Present. Had a starred question regarding Sachar Committee recommendations, distribution of fertilizer.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present. Had unstarred questions regarding operation of private airlines, procurement of rail tracks and cold chains in Orissa.

MILIND DEORA: Present.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Present.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present

SUPRIYA SULE: Present. Had a starred question regarding integrated oil projects in Venezuela. She also had unstarred questions regarding grant of ore lease to companies, judicial reforms, use of transponders by railways, export of textiles.

VARUN GANDHI: Had unstarred questions regarding regulator for PSUs, energy consumption by railways.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN: Present.

JYOTI MIRDHA: Present.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY: Present.

NILESH RANE: Present. Had a starred question regarding litigation on property rights. Also had unstarred questions regarding railway overbridges in Maharashtra.

NAVEEN JINDAL: Present.

DEEPENDER HOODA, RAHUL GANDHI, PRIYA DUTT, ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH: Present.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Had an unstarred question regarding joint venture by SAIL.

KAMLESH PASWAN: Present.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Present.

KANIMOZHI: Present during the discussion on phone-tapping.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present. Left for Lucknow in the afternoon to hold nationwide strike against price rise.

P K BIJU: Present.
Protested along with other Opposition MPs over IPL and phone tapping that forced adjournment of the House.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present. Had unstarred question on Agni-I missile, Brahmos Missile.

MILIND DEORA: Not seen. Had unstarred questions on hacking of classified info by foreign hackers.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present. Had unstarred question on review of the designs of the Eastern side embarkation jetties in Lakshadweep, passenger hall at jetties.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY, ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present. Thakur had unstarred question on EPFO coverage.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present. Had unstarred question on enhancement of pension.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present. Had unstarred question on FDI in defence sector, financial performance of BSNL.

VARUN GANDHI: Not seen. Had unstarred questions on checks against unsolicited calls, FDI in defence sector, Ordnance factories.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, JYOTI MIRDHA: Present.

NILESH RANE: Present. Had unstarred question on violation of labour laws by HINDALCO.

NAVEEN JINDAL: Had unstarred question on phasing out of MIG aircraft, war memorial, war museum.

KANIMOZHI: Absent. Had a starred question on solar energy, unstarred question on seaweed cultivation.

AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh met Gandhi and invited him to address two more rallies before the conclusion of the first phase of the Yatra, a senior party leader said.

The Yatra, to commemorate the 125th year of Congress' foundation, was flagged off by Gandhi from Ambedkar Nagar on April 14, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar. It will culminate on November 10 with a rally of party President Sonia Gandhi at Allahabad.

A review meeting of the Yatra was held in Delhi two days ago in which Digvijay Singh, PCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Secretary in-charge Parvez Hashmi and others participated.

PRADEEP MAJHI, HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Present. Both participated during the discussion on demand for grant of Tribal Affairs Ministry. While Sayeed demanded special attention towards the needs of tribals spread across the several islands of his constituency, Majhi came down heavily on the apathy of state governments towards implementation of development works in tribal regions.

JYOTI MIRDHA: Present. Was seen talking to Rural Development Minister C P Joshi and then to Minister for Social Justice Mukul Wasnik.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN: Present. Sat through the debate on the Tribal Affairs Ministry.

KAMLESH PASWAN: Present.
Was seen protesting against the interruption from treasury benches during the speech of his party colleague Arjun Munda.

SUPRIYA SULE: Present. Chatted with Tribal Affairs Minister Kantilal Bhuria before the House took up the discussion on his ministry. Later, she was seen engaged in a discussion with SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur. She also had unstarred question regarding foreign companies incrementally raising stakes in the India joint ventures through stock market deals.

VARUN GANDHI: Present. Was seen sitting with his senior colleague Yashwant Sinha for a while. He also had unstarred question regarding BSE agroindex, excise duty on petrol and diesel, scheme for promotion of tourism and CAG report on NRHM.

NILESH RANE, NAVIN JINDAL: Present. Rane had unstarred questions regarding new deposit scheme for senior citizens, National family welfare programme, Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY: Present.
She also had unstarred question regarding use of asbestos in the country.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY, ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present. Thakur had unstarred question regarding sustainable livelihood in Himalayas.

MANICKA TAGORE: Present.
Had unstarred question regarding finan cial assistance for setting up of health centres under NRHM.

DEEPENDER HOODA, RAHUL GANDHI, PRIYA DUTT, ASHOK TANWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH: Not seen. Priya Dutt had unstarred question regarding Infant Morta ity Rate in the country.

MILIND DEORA: Had unstarred question regarding assistance to NGOs for control of AIDS and TB.

P K BIJU, KALIKESH N SINGH DEO, DUSHYANT SINGH: Not seen. Dushyant had unstarred questions regarding Rajiv Gandh Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana. Deo had unstarred question regarding double ta ation avoidance agreement and CAG report on NRHM. Biju had unstarred question regarding Infant Mortality Rate.

AKHILESH YADAV: Absent.

KANIMOZHI: Absent. She had starred questions regarding India's position in the Global Hunger Index and food security of BPL persons.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Present. Participated in the discussion on Green Tribunal Bill. Sought permission from the Chair to speak from the front row. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh suggested him to come to front rows of the treasury benches. Deo said, "Will come there in due course of time."

JA NT CHAUDHARY: JAYA UDHARY: UDHARY Present. Participated in the discussion on Green Tribunal Bill.

RAHUL GANDHI: Present. Made it a point to come in the afternoon to hear the discussion on the private members' resolution regarding special package for eastern UP (Poorvanchal). SP member Ramkishun and Congress member Jagdambika Pal sought Rahul's attention towards Poorvanchal during the discussion.

MEENAKSHI NATR NA AJAN: Present. Was seen talking briefly to Rahul Gandhi over some issue.

DEEPENDER HOODA, ASHOK TANWAR,NW NWAR, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH : Present. Were seen sitting and talking in the back rows during afternoon.

P K BIJU: Not Seen. Had unstarred question regarding ST appointments in Forest departments.

UDHARY, UDHARY SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, PRIYA PRIY DUTT, JYOTIJY MIRDHA: Present. Were seen talking to each other at different points of time in the House. Kalikesh went and sat with Shruti and the two were discussing on something.

Priya had an unstarred question regarding Global Calamity Management discus sions in G-20. Shruti had unstarred questions regarding protected monuments in Haryana, education in rural areas, courses offered by deemed universities, and ecosensitive zones.

NILESH RANE: Present. Had unstarred question regarding dilapidated conditions of forts in Maharashtra, utilisation of funds under AIBP , artificial rainfall.

HAMDULLAH SAYEED,SA MANICKA TAGORE: Present.
Tagore also had unstarred question regarding requests of permission to CBI for investigations pending with the government.

MILIND DEORA: Not seen.

Had unstarred questions regarding the Indo-China hotline service, death penalty to Indians by a Sharjah court

SUPRIY SULE: Not seen.  SUPRIYA Had starred question regarding access to higher education, and tightening of visa rules.

NA NAVIN JINDAL: Had an unstarred question regarding review of Youth Parliament Competitions.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present.
Had an unstarred question regarding power supply to Nepal.

AKHILESH YADAV: DA Not seen.

DAV: KAMLESH PASWAN, SWAN, SW DUSHYANT DUSHY SINGH, ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, VARUN GANDHI: Not seen. The BJP members were absent in the afternoon.

KANIMOZHI: Present. Had a starred question regarding the status of National Highway projects in home state Tamil Nadu.