Arun Yadav urges Rahul Gandhi to step in as Digvijaya Singh-Jitu Patwari row exposes MP Congress rift
Yadav’s post came a day after reports of infighting surfaced during the Madhya Pradesh Congress Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting at the party headquarters in Bhopal. BHOPAL: Former Madhya Pradesh Congress president and ex-Union minister Arun Yadav has urged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and the party’s central leadership to intervene to strengthen organisational unity in the state unit. “Honorable Shri Rahul Gandhi, the BJP and its government are grappling with internal conflicts, failures, and other problems in Madhya Pradesh. Even in this period, the truly loyal workers of the Congress party organization (in MP) are struggling ideologically. During such times, certain individuals are making futile attempts to break the morale of those workers under a contrived conspiracy; there is no doubt in this. “It is only by combining the enthusiasm of the youth and the wisdom of the party’s experienced leaders that we can confront the fascist ideology. In such a situation, if responsible people try to exploit their personal grievances and animosity at the expense of the party’s workers, it will not be timely. Kindly intervene through the central leadership to prevent the morale of the struggling workers from breaking and graciously strengthen the organizational unity,” Yadav posted on X on Wednesday. Yadav’s post came a day after reports of infighting surfaced during the Madhya Pradesh Congress Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting at the party headquarters in Bhopal. Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma, MLA Arif Masood and former MLA Pravin Pathak reportedly criticised senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh for contradicting state Congress president Jitu Patwari’s stand on allegations relating to the allotment of land worth Rs 500 crore to a trust in Ujjain by the Mohan Yadav government. In a related development, Madhya Pradesh Congress general secretary Nidhi Chaturvedi, daughter of former MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi, launched a sharp attack on Digvijaya Singh in a social media post. “When will Congress be freed from ‘Naagpash’ of Digvijaya Singh. His (Singh’s) restlessness, anger, and indecorous conduct are nothing but a highly inappropriate, distressing, and condemnable step taken out of ‘attachment to his son.’ In his ambition to seat his son, Jaivardhan Singh, in the position of state party president, he has forgotten what party discipline means,” she wrote. The controversy stems from a June 24 press conference in New Delhi, where Patwari and Congress media department chairman Pawan Khera cited a national daily’s investigation into land purchases by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, his relatives and associated real estate firms in Ujjain. Patwari had also alleged that government land worth Rs 500 crore in Ujjain had been allotted to the Veer Bharat Nyas for a token amount of Re 1. “Its trustee is Shriram Tiwari, who is the Chief Minister’s cultural advisor. On what basis was such expensive land given to this trust?” he had asked. Days later, Digvijaya Singh publicly disputed the allegation while speaking to reporters in Ujjain and later in Barwani. “It is being alleged that land worth Rs 500 crore has been rendered to a private trust for Rs 1 only. But I’ve all relevant papers with me, which establish that the concerned land hasn’t been given to any private trust, instead the concerned trust is a government trust. I don’t speak on any issue without proper research… There isn’t a dearth of dalals (brokers), who make false accusations and then earn money,” Singh had said. His remarks, seen as contradicting the state unit’s allegations, were repeatedly highlighted by the BJP to target Patwari while praising Singh’s stand. The reported differences triggered resentment among several Congress leaders during Tuesday’s PAC meeting, prompting Digvijaya Singh and Patwari to jointly address the media later in the day. “Entire Congress party in MP is united in the fight against corruption of Dr Mohan Yadav government. All complaints related to land deals by the state’s CM and his family are being probed at our level. We all will unitedly fight a definite battle on the issue,” the two leaders said. Seeking to end speculation over differences, Digvijaya Singh added: “Confusion is being spread about differences between me and state party chief Jitu Patwari. He (Patwari) is like my son. I’ve spent more than half a century in the Congress party. I can never use the word Dalal for any leader of the party, including the state party chief. I used the word Dalal for a journalist, whose name is Bhupendra Dalal.” With the reports of infighting dominating television coverage, the Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday questioned why electronic media channels had not given similar prominence to the allegations over the chief minister’s land deals. “Instead of covering issues of burning public importance, efforts are being made to divert the public attention to other issues,” the party said. The state Congress has also announced a three-day Maun Satyagraha (silent protest). In an official statement, state Congress general secretary (organisation) Dr Sanjay Kamle said that, barring authorised press conferences and briefings, no Congress leader in the state would participate in television debates or give soundbites to TV channels during the next three days. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala Governor clears Seshadrinathan’s posting as new state election commissioner
The appointment came despite stiff opposition from KPCC general secretary P M Niyas and a section of Congress leaders, as well as the Youth League, the IUML’s youth wing. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Arlekar has approved the cabinet’s proposal to appoint N Seshadrinathan as the new State Election Commissioner. The official notification was issued on Wednesday. Speaking to TNIE, Seshadrinathan expressed happiness over the appointment and said he would assume charge at the earliest. Seshadrinathan has served as Principal District and Sessions Judge in Kavaratti, as CBI Court judge in Ernakulam, and in several other judicial positions. Following his retirement, he has been serving as a judge at the Irinjalakkuda Family Court. The appointment came despite stiff opposition from KPCC general secretary P M Niyas and a section of Congress leaders, as well as the Youth League, the IUML’s youth wing. They had questioned Seshadrinathan’s alleged past links with the CPM and the Sangh Parivar. Niyas had sought the intervention of Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president Sunny Joseph and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, urging them to intervene. However, as he failed to garner enough support, the cabinet went ahead with the appointment. Seshadrinathan’s name was proposed by Local Self Government Minister K M Shaji, the Indian Union Muslim League’s representative in the cabinet. League sources said the decision had triggered differences of opinion within the party, with one section backing Shaji while another opposed the appointment. The decision has also led to discontent within the Youth League. However, those backing Shaji maintained that the allegations against Seshadrinathan remained unsubstantiated and had surfaced only after another aspirant for the post missed out. Meanwhile, the League’s stand has raised eyebrows among sections of the Muslim community. “We cannot dismiss suspicions of an understanding between a section of League leaders and the Sangh Parivar. Everyone knows how the Enforcement Directorate failed to pursue the AR Nagar Cooperative Bank scam after the Income Tax raid unearthed huge quantities of unaccounted money in 2021. Had there been a proper investigation, the League might have had different ministers in this government,” a leader of a Muslim community organisation told TNIE on condition of anonymity. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Pro Sangh approach’: Row over Kerala election commissioner’s appointment deepens rift in Congress
KPCC general secretary P M Niyas seeks Rahul Gandhi’s intervention, also writes to Mallikarjun Kharge. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The row over the appointment of the new State Election Commissioner has taken a political and ideological turn, with the opposition LDF intensifying its attack on the V D Satheesan government over its alleged soft stance towards the Sangh Parivar. The LDF, which has been targeting the government over its support to the PM SHRI scheme, has now sought to link the appointment controversy to its broader charge that the government is accommodating the Sangh Parivar. The opposition has drawn strength from the public opposition of KPCC general secretary P M Niyas to the appointment of N Seshadrinathan as the State Election Commissioner. CPM state secretary M V Govindan alleged that the appointment is yet another example of the government’s pro-Sangh Parivar approach. LDF leaders believe that criticism from within the Congress lends greater credibility to their campaign, particularly among the Muslim minority. Meanwhile, further deepening the unease within the Congress over the appointment, Niyas has sought the intervention of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, urging him to ensure that the cabinet decision to appoint Seshadrinathan is withdrawn. He has also written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge seeking the party leadership’s intervention. On Tuesday, Niyas, who had publicly opposed the appointment of Seshadrinathan as the State Election Commissioner, met Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. “Chennithala told me that the proposal was placed before the cabinet as an out-of-agenda item and that he, therefore, could not verify the facts,” Niyas told TNIE. Niyas reiterated that the cabinet decision should be withdrawn and said he would continue his campaign against the appointment. Apart from Minister K M Shaji, no other minister has publicly defended the chief minister over the issue. Although Niyas is widely regarded as being close to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, no other leaders associated with Venugopal have publicly backed his stand. Party sources said both the Venugopal and Chennithala camps have adopted a strategic approach by refraining from openly criticising either the government or the chief minister. Meanwhile, leaders close to Satheesan maintained that decisions are taken collectively in consultation with the cabinet and the UDF leadership. “Ordinary party workers and the public have high expectations of the government,” a KPCC office-bearer close to Satheesan said. “The government needs time to rectify its mistakes. People will not take lightly an all-out attack against Satheesan at this stage. This is a cooling off period for the government. Niyas has his own agenda,” he added. According to Congress leaders from Kozhikode, Satheesan had reprimanded Niyas during the Chelakkara by-election campaign which in turn created a rift between them. Meanwhile, Kozhikode DCC general secretary Shajir Arfat Karat, in a Facebook post, appealed that no one should, for narrow political interests, drag people of integrity and public standing, including members of the judiciary, into the Sangh Parivar camp. However, many senior KPCC office-bearers and MLAs from Kozhikode, cutting across factional lines, are understood to support Niyas’ allegations. They claimed that similar discrepancies were evident in the appointment of the chief secretary, alleging that the appointment was made despite complaints against the officer. Some leaders also alleged that corporate interests were influencing key appointments. They further claimed that the chief minister’s preferred choice for the post of ADGP (Law and Order) was not P Vijayan. “However, the home minister did not agree with the chief minister’s proposal,” a Congress leader said. K S Sreejith Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Karnataka Cabinet expansion: Brass to decide on their own
Surjewala knows the ground reality and is aware of whose elevation as ministers will help the Congress in the 2028 Assembly elections in Karnataka, sources said. BENGALURU: The Congress high command, which reportedly asked Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar not to entertain lobbying by party legislators for ministerial posts, is likely to take a decision on cabinet expansion on its own without holding any consultations with state party leaders. “AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge of party affairs Randeep Singh Surjewala has prepared the list after taking suggestions from party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Shivakumar, and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Now, it is only a formality to announce the names after obtaining the approval of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi,” sources told The New Indian Express. Rahul is expected to return to India on July 3 or 4. Surjewala knows the ground reality and is aware of whose elevation as ministers will help the Congress in the 2028 Assembly elections in Karnataka, sources said. “That is why the top brass is unlikely to summon any leader to Delhi to discuss the cabinet expansion,” the sources added. However, Shivakumar, who shares a good rapport with Surjewala, is likely to have an edge in pushing for young and new faces, as Rahul Gandhi is also believed to share the same view. “There are 20 vacancies. At least 15 will be filled by new faces while maintaining a balance in terms of caste and regional representation,” party insiders said. More than 50 ministerial aspirants, who had been openly sponsoring demonstrations by their supporters and lobbying for cabinet berths, have now stopped doing so. However, some of them have continued their efforts by meeting senior leaders of the party high command confidentially in Delhi, an MLA told The New Indian Express. If all goes as planned, the expansion of the Shivakumar cabinet is expected to take place by July 10, ahead of the monsoon session of the legislature, which is likely to begin in the third week of July. Devaraj B Hirehalli Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
We will hit back: New TNCC chief Tagore sets sight on PM Rahul Gandhi for 2029
Chennai: Taking charge as the state president of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore on Monday declared that the party’s singular focus is to install Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing cadres at Sathyamoorthy Bhavan, Tagore issued a stern warning to political rivals, cautioning that Congress would aggressively “hit back” against any criticism directed at the party or its leadership. “We have no personal issues with anyone. We are peace-loving people. But we will not remain silent if anyone criticises our leader. Whoever it may be,” he said. He referred to former ally DMK and its leaders Udhayanidhi Stalin, R S Bharathi, and several others, labeling them “betrayers” and “backstabbers” for criticising Rahul Gandhi following the realignment of post-poll allies. He also cautioned PMK leader Anbumani and NTK chief coordinator Seeman to refrain from criticising the Congress leader. Listing his priorities, the three-time MP urged functionaries to set aside their differences and egos to work as a unified force to achieve their target of winning all 39 seats in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. “We should build a narrative around whether the electorate wants Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi as their PM. Surveys show that 60-65% of people want our leader Rahul Gandhi as the PM. We should work hard to translate the people’s wish into action.” He called TVK a “respectful ally” and credited them with aiding the revival of Congress in Tamil Nadu, as after 59 years, the party has representation in the cabinet. Noting that this is a crucial juncture, Tagore emphasised that party functionaries must work in tandem to take the party to the next level. He confirmed they would continue their alliance in the local body polls and guaranteed that hardworking and loyal functionaries would be given opportunities. He also appreciated his predecessors, comparing the role of the state president to a relay race, and assured to do his part. He appealed to ministers Rajeshkumar and P Viswanathan to meet party cadres and functionaries at Satyamoorthy Bhavan once a week after office hours. He also cautioned them to watch their words and actions, as they could attract criticism. Tagore’s predecessor K Selvaperunthagai earlier said that he had retrieved party property worth around ₹5,000 crore and established village-level committees in more than 17,000 villages during his tenure, which lasted 34 months. “I have created a robust infrastructure and retrieved party property. The new president can deliver with the existing party infra without doing much,” Selvaperunthagai said. He added that he was stepping down from the position with “double happiness” and thanked the party leadership for giving him the opportunity to serve Congress. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Ram temple donations case: All eight accused sent to 14-day judicial custody
The accused were produced before Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Rajat Verma, through video conferencing from the district jail, after the expiry of their three-day judicial custody. LUCKNOW: All eight accused arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donation funds at Ram temple were, on Monday, remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a local court, case officials said. The accused were produced before Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Rajat Verma, through video conferencing from the district jail, after the expiry of their three-day judicial custody, Special Prosecution Officer Umesh Dubey said. Dubey said that the district police did not apply for the custody of the accused. The eight accused — Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Anukalp Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Karunesh Pandey, Manish Yadav, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Mishra and Subhash Srivastava—earlier been remanded to three days’ judicial custody till Monday by a special remand magistrate. The case has been posted for next hearing on July 13. Namita Bajpai Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress claims SBI had sought removal of officials posted at Ram Temple’s donation counting centre three months ago
Congress leader Pawan Khera said the donation theft, for which eight people have been arrested so far by the Uttar Pradesh police, was only a glimpse, and more such cases were yet to come. The Congress on Monday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the alleged irregularities in the handling of donations and offerings made by devotees at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Speaking to reporters in Raipur, Pawan Khera, Chairman (Media and Publicity Department), AICC, claimed that the State Bank of India had recommended the removal of officials posted at the temple’s donation counting centre three months ago, and sought to know who were protecting them. He said the alleged donation theft at the Ram Temple, for which eight people have been arrested so far by the Uttar Pradesh police, was only a glimpse, and more such cases were yet to come. “Ayodhya ki loot jhanki hai, Kashi-Mathura abhi baaki hai (the alleged loot in Ayodhya was only a glimpse, Kashi and Mathura were yet to come),” he said. Khera said the UP CM should be asked whether bulldozer action will be taken against the RSS or the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) over the embezzlement of funds at the temple. “The RSS and PMO were directly looking after the Ram Mandir administration. Ask Adityanath, if there has been wrongdoing there, will bulldozers be sent to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s residence or to PMO? Just ask him this question and he will have no answer,” he said. Khera claimed the State Bank of India (SBI) three months ago recommended the removal of officials posted at the donation counting centre at the shrine. “SBI had recommended three months ago that those posted at the counting centre be removed. Who has been protecting them? Nagpur or Delhi?” the Congress leader asked. In reply to a question, he said the United States was “insulting India every day” while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was maintaining silence. “Modi ji should give us a list of those he is afraid of and those he is not,” he quipped. On the reported move by the new BJP government in West Bengal to bring a bill on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Khera alleged such issues were being raised to divert people’s attention from the Ram Mandir donation theft case. “The purpose (of UCC bill) is only to change the headlines and divert attention from what is happening in the name of Lord Ram in Ayodhya,” he claimed. Khera was in Raipur to address the last day of a ten-day training camp of the Chhattisgarh Congress organised for district unit presidents in the Abhanpur area. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
BJP backs Nitin Nabin’s ‘foreign mindset’ jibe at Congress, intensifies attack on Rahul Gandhi
Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleges Congress works at the behest of foreign powers to undermine India, labels it the “Italian National Congress” and “Islamabad National Congress” The BJP on Monday threw its weight behind party president Nitin Nabin’s remarks targeting the Congress, accusing the opposition of having a “foreign mindset” and alleging that it works at the behest of foreign powers to weaken and divide India. The controversy stems from Nabin’s speech at a public meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday, where he claimed that the Congress leadership’s mindset was “Italian rather than Indian” and asserted that a government guided by such thinking would never get an opportunity to govern the country. Echoing those remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the Congress no longer deserved to be called the “Indian National Congress”, but should instead be described as the “Italian National Congress” or the “Islamabad National Congress”. “Nitin Nabin ji is absolutely right. The Congress family’s bodies are here, but their mindset is abroad. With that foreign mindset, they constantly divide and undermine India at the behest of foreign powers,” Poonawalla said in a video statement. Stepping up his attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Poonawalla alleged that Gandhi routinely criticises India’s economy, democracy and sovereignty during his visits abroad. “Isn’t it true that Rahul Gandhi is abroad even now, perhaps planning some conspiracy against India? He goes to foreign soil and abuses India’s economy, democracy and sovereignty. He goes abroad and says Operation Sindoor did not happen. He attacks our armed forces and says they were beaten. Even the Supreme Court chastised him, saying no Indian speaks like this,” he alleged. Poonawalla further accused Gandhi of attempting to divide the country on caste lines and undermining India’s institutions. “He says he wants to fight the Indian state and divides India on caste lines. It is very clear that the agenda is to take George Soros’ money and contract to divide and attack India and its institutions. He attacked the AI Summit, attacked India’s self-reliant vaccines, defence preparedness and armed forces. In opposing the BJP, he is attacking India and the Indian state itself,” he claimed. Reiterating the BJP’s criticism, Poonawalla alleged that the Congress was functioning against the country’s interests. “That is why it is not the Indian National Congress; it is the anti-India Italian National Congress or the Islamabad National Congress,” he said. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mallikarjun Kharge takes oath as Rajya Sabha member after re-election
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan administers oath in Parliament House; Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attend ceremony Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was on Monday sworn in as a member of the Rajya Sabha after being re-elected to the Upper House. The oath of office was administered to Kharge by Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in his chamber at Parliament House. He took the oath in Hindi and was seen holding a copy of the Constitution during the ceremony. Vice President Radhakrishnan congratulated Kharge and said the Upper House would benefit from his long parliamentary experience. Following the oath-taking, Kharge said he would continue to raise the concerns, aspirations and voices of the people with sincerity and conviction, while also holding the government accountable. He reiterated that these responsibilities would remain central to his role in Parliament. Senior Congress leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were present during the ceremony. Union ministers J P Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also attended the occasion. In a post on social media platform X, the Vice President’s office confirmed that Kharge had taken oath as a re-elected member of the Council of States from Karnataka, sharing photographs of the ceremony. Kharge also posted on X expressing gratitude for the opportunity to continue serving as Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, calling it a matter of “immense pride and responsibility.” He thanked Vice President Radhakrishnan and Deputy Chairman Harivansh for their support, as well as Congress leadership including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with party colleagues and workers for their continued backing. He also expressed appreciation to leaders across parties, particularly INDIA bloc members, and said he looked forward to stronger coordination during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to ensure greater accountability from the government. Apart from Kharge, BJP leader Tarun Chugh, and six other new members including Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya and Mansingh Meraman Parmar (Gujarat), M Nagaraja (Karnataka), Rajendra Hiralal Jain (Maharashtra), Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi (Manipur) and Alka Singh (Rajasthan), also took oath. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Leader of the House J P Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal were present at the oath-taking, both inside the chairman’s chamber as well as in the House. Kharge took oath in Hindi while holding a copy of the Constitution in his hand. VP Radhakrishnan congratulated and welcome the new members into the House. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Missing’ posters targeting Rahul Gandhi surface in Delhi, BJP calls him ‘Leader of Paryatan’
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday intensified its attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his reported foreign visits, with “missing” posters surfacing across parts of Delhi and party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla dubbing the Leader of Opposition the “Leader of Paryatan.” The posters, put up in several parts of the national capital, described Rahul Gandhi as “missing”, prompting a fresh political attack from the BJP. Reacting to the development, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a swipe at the Congress MP in a post on X, referring to him as “Gumshuda Lapata MIA Rahul Baba” and “Leader of Paryatan.” In another post on X, Poonawalla contrasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work record with Rahul Gandhi’s reported foreign visits. “Prime Minister Modi has been in work mode. He has spent almost 9,000 days as Chief Minister and Prime Minister without taking a holiday. Rahul Gandhi has vacation mode. He spends crores on holidays every year. Rahul is the Leader of Paryatan,” Poonawalla said. In a video message on Friday, Poonawalla alleged that Rahul Gandhi frequently remains away during key political and parlimentary occasions. “Rahul Gandhi should rename LoP as ‘Leader of Paryatan and Partying’ because that’s what he always does. On one hand, Prime Minister Modi has become the longest-serving elected Prime Minister of the country and, during the last 9,000 days as Chief Minister and Prime Minister, has not taken a single day off. This is work mode and seva mode,” he said. “On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi is constantly on vacation. Every time the party and the country need him, he goes on foreign tours. He does not put people first, Parliament first or even the party first; he puts tourism first,” Poonawalla alleged. He further claimed that Gandhi had undertaken several foreign trips and questioned the funding of those visits. “Rahul Gandhi has spent crores on his vacations but has not provided any account of how this money is spent on foreign tours and travels. Once again, Rahul Gandhi has gone abroad. He will be missing when Parliament, the party and the people need him,” Poonawalla alleged. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights