Bihar polls would mark beginning of end of Modi govt's 'corrupt rule: Mallikarjun Kharge
Patna(PTI): Launching a frontal attack on the BJP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused it of orchestrating “vote chori” and communal polarisation and asserted that the Bihar Assembly elections would mark the beginning of end of the Modi government's "corrupt rule”.
In his opening remarks at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here, Kharge also made an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump's recent statements and actions and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Our problems at the international level are the result of diplomatic failure of Narendra Modi and his government. The very friends whom the prime minister boasts about as ‘my friends’ are today putting India in numerous troubles,” Kharge said.
“Today, when our voter list is being officially tampered with, it is essential that we hold our extended CWC meeting in Bihar, the mother of democracy, and reaffirm our pledge to protect this country's democracy and Constitution,” the Congress chief said.
Asserting that the foundation of democracy is fair and transparent elections, Kharge said serious questions are being raised today about the fairness and transparency of the Election Commission itself.
Instead of answering questions on the revelations from various states, the EC is demanding affidavits from us, Kharge said.
“Following the example of Bihar, a conspiracy is now being hatched across the country to remove the votes of millions of people,” the Congress president said, referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
“Vote theft means theft of rations, pensions, medicine, children's scholarships, and exam fees belonging to Dalits, tribals, backward classes, extremely backward classes, minorities, the weak, and the poor, he said.
The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' raised awareness among the people of Bihar, and they openly came out in support of Rahul Gandhi, he said.
“Today, our country is grappling with many problems. These problems include economic slowdown, unemployment, social polarisation, and the targeting and weakening of autonomous constitutional institutions,” Kharge said.
“The promise of ‘2 crore jobs’ remains unfulfilled. Youths are wandering without employment. Demonetisation and a flawed GST have derailed the economy. After eight years, the prime minister realised his mistake. Now, the same reforms have been introduced in GST that the Congress party had been demanding from day one,” Kharge said.
He also claimed “internal strife” within the NDA alliance is now out in the open.
“Nitish Kumar has been mentally retired by the BJP. The BJP now considers him a burden,” he alleged.
Noting that 80 per cent of Bihar's population belongs to the OBC, EBC, and SC/ST categories, Kharge said the public wants transparency in caste census and reservation policies.
“The Congress, along with its alliance partners, will provide employment, education, health, social justice, and good governance to the people of Bihar. The people of Bihar have long dreamed of a ‘golden Bihar’, and together we will make it a reality,” he said.
“The 2025 Assembly elections will prove to be a milestone not only for Bihar but for the entire country. This will mark the beginning of the countdown and the end of the corrupt rule of the Modi government,” Kharge said.
The Congress' top brass met here on Wednesday, for the party's first working committee meeting in Bihar in the post-Independence era, to deliberate on the assembly polls strategy and ramp up its attack against the BJP over alleged "vote chori".
It is an extended CWC meeting, with permanent and special invitees, the party's chief ministers, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders participating.
Ahead of the meeting, Kharge unfurled the party flag at the Congress' state headquarters here.
Top Congress leaders, including Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, treasurer Ajay Maken, general secretaries KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Sachin Pilot, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar, among others, participated in the meeting.
The Assembly polls in the state are likely to be held in November.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
