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Sachin Pilot revives rumours: Rahul to be elevated as party chief post-Diwali

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9 years ago

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Rahul Gandhi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Many in the party feel that the prevailing dissatisfaction with Modi government due to economic slowdown presents a perfect opportunity for Rahul’s elevation

Rajasthan Congress chief and former MP, Sachin Pilot, has once again revived the rumours around the impending elevation of Rahul Gandhi as the party’s national president. Pilot’s indication, on Sunday, that the Congress vice president may take over the party chief’s mantle from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, after Diwali has set the political grapevine in New Delhi abuzz with all sorts of rumours.

In an interview to news agency PTI, Pilot – who is also a close aide of Rahul – said that the Congress vice president’s elevation had “been in the pipeline for long” and that it could now be executed “shortly after Diwali” once the ongoing process of the party’s internal organizational polls for choosing office bearers in the states is over.

Pilot’s views have been shared by another Rahul aide, former south Mumbai MP, Milind Deora who was also part of the party delegation that accompanied the Congress president last month for his much-publicised visit to the United States. Although Deora didn’t give any timeline for the elevation, he has seemed to confirm that Rahul will be made the Congress president “very soon”.

It may be recalled that in August this year, former Union minister and another confidante of the Congress vice president, Jairam Ramesh, had also indicated that “Rahul Gandhi will take charge as the party president before the end of 2017.”

The Amethi MP’s elevation as the Congress’ national president had always been a foregone conclusion and the only question about it has been about the timing. Often dubbed as a “reluctant politician” – though Rahul had during his recent conversation with students at the University of California, Berkeley said that these rumours are spread by BJP trolls – the Congress vice president had himself said during his recent visit that he ready to take on the new role and qualified his remark by asserting that the party would follow a democratic process to do this.

The old guard of the party has been wary of Rahul’s style of functioning – many party veterans who quit the Congress in the past three years, mostly to join the BJP, had blamed their decision on Rahul. However, it is believed that if Rahul takes over as the party president as soon as post-Diwali he wouldn’t step on the toes of the party veterans and instead try to build a scenario where the old guard gets roles in planning the party’s poll strategies, working out manifestoes for provincial and federal elections, firming up the party’s stand on critical political issues, etc. Similarly, Rahul might want to use his aides – the likes of Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Shashi Tharoor, etc to take on more active grassroots roles while also helping the old guard in running the organisation.

The Congress president has not been keeping well for some years now. However, in times of a crisis within the party or when the Congress is trying to keep the Opposition parties united in an effort to take on the formidable BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, Sonia Gandhi has stepped in behind the scenes, and sometimes in public view, to project her party’s stand.

However, Congress sources say, that Sonia also realizes that delaying Rahul’s impending elevation for want of “the best suitable scenario” may no longer be a viable option. The party’s poll prospects have taken a huge beating in recent years and show no signs of reviving given the BJP’s shrewd and shrill poll strategies and rhetoric. Also, sources point out that given the state of her health she can’t devote as much time to the party and any hectic political activity like election campaigns as she did before.

Many in the Congress believe that Rahul’s recent visit to the US where he stridently took on Modi and the BJP on a range of issues, has been well received by leaders within the party, sympathizers on the grassroots and that section of the Indian electorate that has been hit the hardest by issues like demonetisation, economic downturn, lack of jobs and the GST rollout – all of which the Congress vice president red-flagged.

These reviews coupled with unrest within the BJP over the Centre’s inability to revive the Indian economy – as has been evident from the diatribes of BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Subramanian Swamy and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy – provide a “suitable scenario”for Rahul’s elevation, a senior Congress leader said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

11 mins ago

on

August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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