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With Rahul to take over as Congress president tomorrow, Sonia says: My role is to retire

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8 years ago

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With Rahul to take over as Congress president tomorrow, Sonia says: My role is to retire

~By Puneet Nicholas Yadav

Congress sources say Sonia Gandhi will continue to advise her son on crucial party matters, help him reach out to potential allies 

With her son, Rahul Gandhi set to formally take over as Congress president on Saturday, Sonia Gandhi has hinted that she will now retire from politics. 

“My role is to retire”, was Sonia’s cryptic reply to questions by television channel NDTV on Friday, as she reached the Parliament to attend the first day of the winter session. 

It remains to be seen whether Sonia’s remark would actually translate into her retirement from active politics and pave the way for Rahul firmly and comprehensively taking over command of the 131-year-old Congress party. Besides being Congress president – a post that she has held for 19 consecutive years since 1998 – Sonia Gandhi is currently also the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) which includes the party’s members from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. 

In the years before Sonia took over as party president, the CPP leader would be the Congress’ designated Leader of the Lok Sabha (a position held either by the Prime Minister or the leader of Opposition, depending on which position the Congress held in the House). The party would also have a Leader of the Rajya Sabha. After Sonia became the Congress president, the party constitution was amended and the Leader of the Lok Sabha as well as of the Rajya Sabha were made to report to Sonia as the CPP leader – giving her total control of the party leadership. 

Sonia Gandhi is also the current Lok Sabha MP from the Nehru-Gandhi bastion of Rae Bareli. It is unclear whether her decision to retire would mean that she will no longer contest from the seat too. Her health has been a cause of worry for nearly a decade now and while the exact details of what ails her have been closely guarded by the Congress party, she has been increasingly in and out of hospital for the past few years – the reasons for her hospitalisation, as declared by the party on different occasions, ranging from asthma, fever, food poisoning, chest congestion, et al. 

There is some speculation that if Sonia does indeed vacate her claim to Rae Bareli in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul could contest from the constituency while his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, could be finally roped in by the party to contest from Amethi. Both Amethi and Rae Bareli have been pocketboroughs of the Nehru-Gandhi family for decades; sending to parliament the late Feroze Gandhi, the late Sanjay Gandhi, former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. 

Shifting Rahul from Amethi to Rae Bareli could also be a politically savvy decision. Rahul’s popularity in Amethi has diminished in recent years and the constituency is being craftily nurtured by Smriti Irani, Union minister and close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , for the past four years. Irani had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 general election against Rahul from Amethi but managed to substantially reduce his victory margin. In the years since 2014, Smriti has regularly been visiting Amethi while posters have often cropped up in the town declaring Rahul as “missing” and promising an award for information on his whereabouts. 

This is not to say that Rahul could lose Amethi in 2019, especially not after he becomes Congress president. But, the party might feel it prudent to project him as the candidate from his mother’s seat while getting Priyanka to make her much-awaited political debut from Amethi. Priyanka’s entry into active politics has long been speculated though she has remained silent on this issue, confining herself to just campaigning for the party in Amethi and Rae Bareli during Lok Sabha and UP Assembly polls. She is often credited with a much greater public appeal and political acumen than her brother and the sycophancy that Congress leaders have traditionally been prone to will no doubt trigger calls for her entry into electoral politics once Sonia firmly declares her exit. 

However, it is extremely unlikely that Sonia will completely disassociate herself from Congress politics. Highly placed sources in the party told India Legal that she will continue to play a behind-the-scenes role, helping a smooth transition of the party from the Old Guard of party veterans loyal to her to a New Guard of younger leaders who are confidantes of Rahul. The Old Guard v/s New Guard friction has afflicted the Congress for decades – right from the days when the late Indira Gandhi took over the strings of the party after her father, the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru all the way to 2004 when Rahul made his electoral debut. 

Congress media cell chief Randeep Singh Surjewala has already clarified that Sonia was not retiring from politics but only from the post of Congress president and that “her blessing, wisdom and innate commitment to Congress ideology shall always be our guiding light”. 

Senior party leaders told India Legal on condition of anonymity that contrary to earlier speculation of the party amending its constitution to craft a new role for Sonia, no new designation will be carved out for her. The reason for this seems to be the assumption that such a move would give Congress’ political rivals, especially the BJP, a chance to spread rumours of two parallel power centres within the Congress – as was the buzz when Sonia declined the Prime Minister’s chair in 2004 and named Dr Manmohan Singh as her choice for the role. By not formally giving Sonia a specific role, the party will also avoid the possibility of leaders unhappy with Rahul’s style of functioning – and there are quite a few of those – rushing to her at the slightest instance of a disagreement with her son. 

Sonia will, sources say, continue to steer Rahul and the party through crucial political decisions and wield significant power by the sheer enormity of her stature within the Congress – and undoubtedly also in public life. Perhaps more importantly, she is expected to be the go-between for Rahul when he tries to find new political allies and build bridges with existing ones – something that he will now have to do increasingly in the run up to 2019 if the Congress hopes to pose a formidable challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP.

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BJP to launch 5,000-km Parivartan Yatra across West Bengal ahead of Assembly elections

Published

6 hours ago

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February 28, 2026

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BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will begin its large-scale ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in poll-bound West Bengal from Sunday, marking a major political outreach drive ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The party said the campaign is designed to mobilise support across the state and counter what it alleges has been more than a decade of “corrupt, undemocratic, and anti-people governance” under the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Statewide mobilisation across nine divisions

According to party leaders, the Yatra will be conducted simultaneously in all nine organisational divisions of West Bengal. The outreach programme is expected to cover nearly 5,000 kilometres, passing through 38 organisational districts and more than 230 Assembly constituencies.

The BJP estimates the initiative will generate over one crore direct public touchpoints, focusing heavily on face-to-face interactions and grassroots engagement. As part of the campaign plan, the party has scheduled 63 large rallies and 281 welcome meetings at key entry points of Assembly constituencies.

With the slogan “Paltano Dorkar, Chai BJP Sorkar”, the party has framed the Yatra as both an electoral campaign and a broader political movement aimed at strengthening its organisational presence across the state.

Focus on governance, law and order, and corruption

The party’s messaging during the Yatra will centre on governance, accountability, and systemic reforms. BJP leaders plan to raise concerns related to women’s safety, alleged corruption in the education sector, including teacher recruitment issues, and what they describe as threats to national security.

Party sources indicated that demographic changes, illegal infiltration, and the presence of extremist elements in border districts will also be key themes during the campaign.

In rural areas, the outreach will emphasise agricultural infrastructure, implementation of centrally sponsored schemes, and removal of intermediaries. In urban regions, the narrative will focus on industrial development, youth employment, and improvements in urban transport systems.

Senior leaders to participate

More than 100 senior leaders from the central and state units are expected to be involved in the Yatra. The inaugural phase, scheduled for Sunday and Monday, will feature five launch events on the first day and four on the second.

Senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Nitin Nabin are expected to attend various programmes during the campaign.

After a short break for Holi, the Yatra will resume from March 5 to March 10, with each unit operating for approximately nine hours daily. The campaign is set to culminate in a major public meeting at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address supporters.

The BJP is positioning the Parivartan Yatra as a significant step in reshaping the political landscape of West Bengal as the state moves closer to the Assembly elections.

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BJP alliances in Assam likely to be sealed by March 10

Published

7 hours ago

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February 28, 2026

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himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that the alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is expected to be finalised by March 10 ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The AGP, a long-time ally of the BJP in Assam, is also a founding member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Discussions between the partners are progressing, with indications that the formal announcement could come within days.

Sources said there could be “friendly fights” between the BJP and AGP in a few constituencies. Such arrangements may be considered to accommodate local-level aspirations and party workers from both sides.

The BJP is also likely to conclude seat-sharing discussions with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) by March 10. In the previous Assembly election, the BPF had aligned with the Indian National Congress (Congress), but it has now returned to the NDA fold.

However, seat-sharing talks between the BJP and its other Bodoland-region partner, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), are reportedly facing hurdles. Earlier, Mr Sarma had stated that the UPPL would not join hands with the Congress.

On the opposition side, the Congress is dealing with its own alliance challenges. Negotiations with Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal are underway, but sources suggested that discussions have not been progressing smoothly.

Congress sources said seat-sharing arrangements with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Left parties are almost finalised. An official announcement is awaited from the party’s high command.

As political negotiations intensify, both the ruling NDA and the opposition camp are working to conclude alliances and seat-sharing deals in the run-up to the state polls.

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Ajit Pawar’s son seeks detailed probe into Baramati plane crash

Jay Pawar has demanded a comprehensive probe and action against the aviation firm after the Baramati plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others.

Published

1 week ago

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February 19, 2026

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Jay Pawar, the younger son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has called for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the plane crash near Baramati that claimed his father’s life along with four others on January 28.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Jay Pawar raised concerns over what he described as “possible serious lapses” that may have led to the fatal accident. He asserted that the aircraft’s black box is not easily destroyed and stressed that people of Maharashtra deserve to know the complete truth behind the crash.

Demand for action against aviation company

The ill-fated Learjet 45XR aircraft was operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited. Jay Pawar urged authorities to conduct a detailed probe into the firm’s operations and sought a ban on the aviation company pending investigation.

“A detailed investigation of possible serious lapses and irregularities of the aircraft firm should be done in a detailed and impartial manner,” he said.

The crash occurred near the Baramati airstrip, resulting in the deaths of Ajit Pawar and four others.

Call for CBI probe and sabotage allegations

Jay Pawar’s statement came a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the accident.

Separately, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged there was reason to suspect sabotage in the crash and called for a multi-agency investigation involving experts.

During a press conference last week, Rohit Pawar also questioned the past record of Captain Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the aircraft on the day of the crash. He referred to the pilot’s previous three-year suspension for alcohol consumption.

AAIB seeking support to retrieve CVR data

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a detailed probe into the crash. According to the agency, special technical assistance has been sought to retrieve data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the Learjet 45 aircraft involved in the accident.

The investigation is ongoing.

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