Rahul Gandhi pledges to work for better Meghalaya

Seeking support for his party, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi pledged that he and his mother Sonia Gandhi along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would work for a progressive and better Meghalaya under a Congress-ruled government.

"Congress president, the Prime Minister and I, will work to help Meghalaya. We will support Meghalaya and we will support your voice in Delhi. We will do everything we can to make this state progress faster," Rahul Gandhi told a rally in Shillong.

Lauding Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the state government under the Congress rule, Rahul said, "You have your government in Delhi which wants to support the growth of Meghalaya. I want both these governments to work together to bring massive developments to the state."

Hinting that the state suffers from corruption in high places, Rahul Gandhi reminded how his father had said only 15 paisa reaches the last man in the country out of one rupee spent, and said, "We need to change so that our people can benefit." Praising the unique grassroots democracy practice by indigenous tribals in the state which gives the common man his voice, Rahul said, "The west talks about democracy and over here, you have had traditional democracy for hundreds and hundreds of years.

"What is democracy? Democracy is the voice of the people. It is the voice of every person regardless of who he is -- whether rich or poor, and this is what you have taught to the rest of the country," he said. Stating that the vision of the Congress is also in similar lines with the true democracy of the tribal people in Meghalaya, Rahul Gandhi said, "I want to thank you for giving this gift to the country. And we for the last couple of years have been running a government in the country which also tries to listen to the voice of the people before taking decisions."

Assuring that all groups and tribes would be taken into consideration for development in the state, Rahul said, "When we want to talk about development in Meghalaya, we want to say that every single tribe, every single group has to move together forward."  Congress believes that it is everybody's right to have access to development regardless from where they are from or who they are, said Rahul Gandhi. Stating that the decisions on MGNREGA, RTI, or Right to Food, all are the result of listening to the voice of the people, Rahul Gandhi added, "We do this because we understand that every single person's voice is important."

Rahul Gandhi strikes chord with the youth in Meghalaya

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday striking an emotional chord with the youth in Meghalaya appealed to them to help his party build a "better Meghalaya". Rahul Gandhi was addressing an election rally at Nongpoh three days before Meghalaya goes to the polls on February 23.

"I would appeal to the youth who can work with the people and for a better Meghalaya to come and join the party. When I see the youths of the region working in Delhi and Bangalore, I feel nice. They are working there because they are capable and can compete with the best," he said.

The youth acknowledged the appeal by the Congress leader with cheers. Earlier, while campaigning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had highlighted the economic gains made by the state in the past five years and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had touched on local issues like illegal mining and illegal migration.

Rahul Gandhi said even though Congress has capable leaders, it needs to produce the next generation of leaders from different states to take the country forward. He also addressed election meetings at Mawkyrwat in South West Khasi Hills and Williamnagar in East Garo Hills.

Rahul Gandhi in Meghalaya exhorts the youth to join politics

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi  while addressing Congress rallies in Meghalaya urged the youth to join politics to eradicate corruption and to improve the country. "Corruption is an issue in the whole country and we have to ensure that we remove it from the political system. That is why it is so important that new young faces come into the political scene," said Rahul Gandhi.

"I am in politics for many years but I am not happy with the way politics works. There are many things we can improve," Rahul Gandhi said and added: "If we really want to change politics, then we have to bring youngsters into the political system. Youngsters who are sensitive to the views of the common man, youngsters who feel the pain of the poor person, youngsters who suffer when they see a bad road, youngsters who suffer when they see that their people do not have the medical facility they need."

The newly appointed Congress Vice President also said "It is only when we open the doors of politics, and bring in these youngsters, that politics will really change. And I see many of those youngsters in this ground and I want you to enter into the political system". He said that Congress does not believe in favouring one community or one group of people. "We believe in helping everybody, in moving everybody together forward. If we want to really move this forward, if we want development, we need to think about empowering local government and the local people," said Rahul Gandhi.

Praising Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, Rahul Gandhi said: "He is a hard working person and he thinks about the future of your state and you have your government in Delhi which is also a Congress government, which wants to support the growth of Meghalaya. I want both these governments to work together to bring massive developments to the state." "There are large amounts of money sent from Delhi to the state, and we need to ensure that that money gets to the people. Rajiv Gandhi used to say that for every one rupee that is sent, 15 paise reached the last person. We need to change that so that our people can benefit."

Rahul Gandhi visits Odisha, holds talks with grass root Congress leaders

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi concluded his two-day visit to Odisha on Tuesday with a warning to those trying to disrupt party unity. He interacted with Congress leaders at all levers from top to bottom.

Rahul exhorted partymen to work unitedly to bring the party back to power in the State. He offered a   3-point solution to improve the party’s prospects: offering tickets in time, bringing in unity and empowering grassroots leaders. Addressing party leaders in Cuttack, the Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress has a healthy vote share of about 30 per cent in the State and it requires discipline and unity to ensure a victory in the next elections. After meeting officials of the party in the State for two days, Rahul Gandhi said he was aware that a few individuals are unnecessarily trying to create indiscipline and disunity weakening the party and that he would take ‘’strict disciplinary action’’ against such disruptive activities.

The visit comes at an opportune time when the BJD Government is desperately trying to counter anti-incumbency and internal dissension in the party by announcing many populist schemes. In fact, Rahul Gandhi criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for ‘falsely claiming’ different programmes and schemes as his own. The BJD Government is using the funds provided by the Congress Government at the Centre for launching the schemes. The people of Odisha are aware of the scheming of the BJD and will give an apt reply in the elections, Rahul told mediapersons as he wound up his two-day visit to the State here.

The Congress scion addressed the Extended State Executive of Pradesh Congress Committee, emphasising on discipline and unity within the party. The two days have been very eventful. The meetings with the panchayat, block and district functionaries have given a clear picture on the state of affairs here, he said. “The party organisation surely is short of discipline which needs to be addressed. I do not have a magic wand but the Congress sure has the power to absorb the shocks and take a course correction’’, he stressed. Speaking on the outcome of the two-day visit, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said Rahul Gandhi has a clear vision for the party in the State. “He has given his advice on resurrecting the organisation and  we will be working towards implementing them at the earliest’’, Niranjan said.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the extended executive committee was highly successful. “Rahul has laid a roadmap for us to follow and achieve the goals,” party leaders  indicated.

Centre is serious to tackle immigration issues in Meghalaya: Sonia Gandhi

Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday while addressing election rallies in the poll bound Meghalaya said that the Centre and the state government are seized of the problems of immigration and illegal mining which are core issues of the people in the state.

"The governments both at the Centre and the state are engaged in talks with Bangladesh to see how to stem illegal immigration and I am hopeful that we will reach a solution to the satisfaction of all sides," said Sonia Gandhi at an election meeting at the Kiang Nangbah College ground in the state.

"I am also aware that illegal mining is a threat to the environment...I must say some measures have already been taken and we will continue to do so in our efforts," said Sonia Gandhi. Noting that Meghalaya was one of the fastest growing states, she said it excelled not only in development, but also in administration.

"In many ways Meghalaya has grown far more rapidly than most other states in the North East and perhaps in the country," Sonia Gandhi said. The Congress president spoke on improvement of sports activities and infrastructure in the state.

Sonia Gandhi added, "We also have not forgotten our farmers. They have received financial support and we will continue to implement our agricultural development schemes especially for the marginal farmers of the state." Stating that the February 23 election was of great significance, Sonia Gandhi said, it allowed the people to judge "how we, as a party, helped the people realise many of their expectations". "We are always mindful of the expectations and aspirations of the people and we do not intend to rest on our laurels. Having been in power has not rendered us complacent," said the Congress President.

At another election meeting at Tura, Sonia Gandhi spoke on the development undertaken by the Congress-led government in the state. Urging the people of Garo Hills to repose faith in the Congress, Sonia Gandhi, "We have ensured an era of peace, prosperity and stability. This is a development of which everyone can be proud, this is yours in which everyone has a share."