Rahul earns 10 push-up 'punishment' for late arrival at Cong training camp in MP
Narmadapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's late arrival at a Congress training camp in Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh by two minutes on Sunday earned him a 'punishment' of ten push-ups, a party leader said.
Congress leaders said Gandhi complied with the "ten push-ups punishment rule" set by AICC Training Department head Sachin Rao for participants if they arrived late at the camp underway under the Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan (SSA). The drive will end on November 11.
"This is nothing new or surprising for our leader, Rahulji, to do. In our camp, we follow the discipline strictly. There is a democracy in the party where all members are equal and treated as equals. There is no bossism in our party like in the BJP”, MP Congress media coordinator Abhinav Barolia told PTI while confirming the "push-up punishment".
Gandhi later flew to Bihar for campaigning, Barolia added.
When contacted, Rao said he didn't have the liberty to talk about what happened in the camp.
This was the second visit of the leader of the opposition to Madhya Pradesh in five months as part of an exercise to strengthen the party organisation.
The SSA was announced during the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Belagavi held in December last year. The drive was launched on June 3 this year from Bhopal.
"We have not been in power in Madhya Pradesh for a long time, and under Mission 2028, we are working toward forming the government in the state once again," a Congress leader said.
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Nothing wrong in MLAs aspiring for ministerial position: K'taka HM Parameshwara
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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a group of ruling Congress MLAs camping in Delhi with a cabinet rejig demand for their inclusion, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there was nothing wrong in legislators aspiring for ministerial positions.
He asserted that experienced MLAs were capable of handling such responsibilities.
His remarks came a day after senior and first-time MLAs stepped up lobbying efforts in the national capital with the party high command, seeking a cabinet reshuffle and greater representation.
"There is nothing wrong in them asking for it (ministerial position)," Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, said
He added that the MLAs, some of who have been elected thrice, are capable to take up the ministerial positions.
He maintained that the final call on any cabinet reshuffle rests with the party high command.
"Our Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), the high command, and our party (state) president (DK Shivakumar) decide about reshuffle. These three sit together and take a decision," he said.
The minister also indicated that the established procedure for cabinet formation was likely being followed.
"Earlier too, when I was the (state Congress) president, during cabinet formation, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and our in-charge general secretaries would take decisions that would then be presented before our AICC president, approval would be obtained, and then it would be announced," he said.
He added that even today the same procedure is followed.
Responding to questions on whether senior ministers would make way for newcomers, Parameshwara said they would abide by the party's decision.
"If the high command decides then we have to accept it. There is no question of not accepting it," he said.
Stressing on party discipline, he added, "Whether it is me, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, or Energy Minister K J George, we all are seniors. If they (high command) decide that we should be replaced and make changes, then there is no question of us opposing it."
Clarifying that discussions were limited to a possible cabinet reshuffle, he said decisions on leadership matters were entirely in the hands of the high command.
He said the discussions were limited only to the Cabinet rejig and not changing the party state president, a post being held by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for the past six years.
"Right now we are discussing cabinet reshuffle, not about the party president. All such matters are left to the high command," he said.
Recalling his own appointment as state Congress president in the past, Parameshwara said he had not lobbied for the post. "When I was made president, I did not lobby for it. Our leader Sonia Gandhi took the decision. It came as a surprise to me. I had not asked for it," he said.
On Sunday, several senior MLAs travelled to Delhi to press for a cabinet reshuffle, while first-time legislators renewed their demand for representation, seeking at least five berths in the Siddaramaiah-led ministry.
The push for a rejig comes amid internal rumblings within the ruling party and speculation over leadership issues, even as the high command is yet to take a final call.
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