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Sonia slams Congress leaders for speaking to media

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4 years ago

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 Addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, interim President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday slammed party leaders for speaking to the media.

In her opening remarks, she said: “I have always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak to me through the media. So let us all have a free and honest discussion. But what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC.”

Sonia Gandhi’s statement comes after after senior party leader Kapil Sibal had recently said that “there is no president in our party, so we do not know who is taking all the decisions. We know it, yet we don’t know, one of my senior colleagues perhaps has written or is about to write to the interim president to immediately convene a CWC meeting so that a dialogue can be initiated”.

In her remarks on Saturday, she also said the party is ready for the internal elections.

“The entire organisation wants a revival of the Congress. But this requires unity and keeping the party’s interests paramount. Above all, it requires self-control and discipline. I am acutely conscious of the fact that I have been interim Congress President ever since the CWC asked me to return in this capacity in 2019. We had thereafter, you may recall, finalised a roadmap for electing a regular President by June 30, 2021.”

But due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, this deadline was extended indefinitely by the CWC in its meeting held on May 10, she added.

“Today is the occasion for bringing clarity once and for all. A schedule for the full-fledged organisational elections is before you.”

She also praised young leaders for taking over leadership role

“In the last two years, a large number of our colleagues, particularly the younger ones have taken on leadership roles in taking party policies and programmes to the people, whether it be the agitation of farmers, provision of relief during the pandemic, highlighting issues of concern to youth and women, atrocities on Dalits, Adivasis and minorities, price rise, and the destruction of the public sector. Never have we let issues of public importance and concern go unaddressed.”

Regarding the farmers protests, the Congress interim President said: “The shocking incidents at Lakhimpur Kheri betrays the mindset of the BJP, how it perceives the Kisan Andolan, how it has been dealing with this determined struggle by Kisans to protect their lives and livelihoods.

She said that the economy continues to be a cause of great concern in spite of the government propaganda and the only answer the Centre seems to have for the country’s economic recovery is selling off national assets built with great effort over the decades.

“The public sector has had not just strategic and economic objectives, it has had social goals as well, as, for instance, empowerment of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and development of backward areas. But all this is in jeopardy with the Modi government’s single-point agenda of ‘Becho, Becho, Becho’.”

She said that prices of essential commodities, including food and fuel continue to rise unabated.

“Could anyone in the country ever imagine that petrol prices would be over 100 Rs rupees a litre, diesel would be nearing the Rs 100 a litre mark, a gas cylinder would cost Rs 900 and cooking oil would be Rs 200 a litre. This is making life unbearable for people across the country.”

Sonia Gandhi also condemned the killings in Jammu and Kashmir and said minorities clearly have been targeted.

“This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We have done so and I do so again this morning. Jammu and Kashmir has been a Union Territory for two years. The entire responsibility for bringing the perpetrators of these barbaric crimes to justice is that of the Union government. Restoring social peace and harmony and confidence amongst the people in Jammu and Kashmir rests with the Modi government too.

“There has always been a broad consensus on foreign and neighbourhood policy in our country. But that consensus has been damaged because of the Prime Minister continued reluctance to take the Opposition into confidence in any meaningful manner. Foreign policy has become a diabolical instrument of electoral mobilisation and polarisation. We face serious challenges on our borders and on other fronts. The Prime Minister telling the opposition leaders last year that there had not been any occupation of our territory by China and his silence ever since is costing our nation dearly,” she added.

The Congress faces many challenges but, “if we are united, if we are disciplined and if we focus on the party’s interests alone, I am confident that we will do well”.

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Navi Mumbai Police Impose Traffic Restrictions Near D Y Patil Stadium During WPL 2026

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13 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai police will impose traffic restrictions on the service road near Dr. D. Y. Patil Stadium in Nerul from January 9 to January 17, 2026, to ensure security and smooth movement during the BCCI Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 cricket matches.

According to the traffic control notification issued by the Turbhe Traffic Division, all types of vehicles will be barred from plying and parking on the service road between Bhimashankar Society and the L.P. Rickshaw Stand from 7 am to 11 pm on match days, as the route has been earmarked for the movement of players and dignitaries.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Tirupati Kakade said the restrictions are being enforced under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act to prevent congestion and maintain law and order in the stadium vicinity during the matches.

Commuters have been advised to use the Sion–Panvel Highway, specifically the Uran Phata to L.P. Bridge stretch, as an alternative route to reach their destinations.

The restrictions will not apply to vehicles carrying essential commodities, police vehicles, fire brigade units, ambulances, government vehicles, other emergency services, and vehicles holding official passes issued by the WPL/IPL management.

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Providing basic amenities to Mumbai is our priority, Samajwadi Party’s election manifesto released, Abu Asim Azmi claims to solve urban problems

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14 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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Mumbai: The Samajwadi Party released its election manifesto for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections at a press conference today. The party’s Maharashtra president Abu Asim Azmi presented this manifesto keeping in mind the basic problems of the people of Mumbai. Abu Asim Azmi has also promised free water supply along with basic amenities in the election manifesto. It has been promised to provide 700 liters of clean and free drinking water to every family in Mumbai daily. To raise the standard of education, it has been decided to improve the quality of municipal schools and provide scholarships and free facilities to needy students for higher education. It has also been declared necessary to arrange modern medical facilities, neighborhood clinics and free medicines in every ward of Mumbai in the medical department and health department. In addition, efforts have been made for equal employment opportunities. Creating new employment opportunities for the youth and making special projects to eliminate unemployment are also part of the election manifesto. Providing better facilities for the residents of slums, pucca houses and pothole-free roads in the city, bringing transparency in the functioning of BMC and eliminating corruption are also the main components of the election manifesto. Addressing the press conference, Abu Asim Azmi said that the Samajwadi Party is committed to the development of Mumbai and to providing its people with their fundamental rights. Our aim is not just to make promises but to make Mumbai a better and prosperous city.

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BMC Elections 2026: Mumbai Candidates Declare Massive Surge In Assets, Multi-Crore Wealth Revealed In Affidavits

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14 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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Mumbai, Jan 08: Details of assets, profession and criminal records of selected candidates contesting the upcoming civic elections in Mumbai, as declared in their affidavits, are as follows:

Shaila Dilip Lande – Shiv Sena (Shinde), Ward 163 (Saki Naka)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹8,18,76,134
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹14,27,651
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Kamalakar Naik – Independent, Ward 169 (Kurla Nehru Nagar)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹11,83,36,519
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,92,76,226
Criminal cases: 2
Found guilty: 0

Dhanajay Pisal – Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), Ward 111 (Kanjur Village)
Profession: Service
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹21,82,57,202
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2019: ₹8,55,21,925
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Sonam Manoj Jamsutkar – Shiv Sena (UBT), Ward 210 (Mumbai Central)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹14,38,84,259
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹7,08,67,928
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Geeta Gawli – Akhil Bhartiya Sena, Ward 212 (Mahalaxmi–Umar Park)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹7,26,92,393
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹3,45,32,902
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Sana Haji Halim Khan – Shiv Sena (UBT), Ward 96 (Bandra East)
Profession: Not mentioned
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹9,46,03,435
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: Not contested
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Nehal Shah – Independent, Ward 177 (Matunga)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹7,04,11,095
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,69,77,255
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Rajul Sameer Desai – BJP, Ward 56 (Goregaon)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹24,28,81,925
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,79,69,000
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Prabhakar Shinde – BJP, Ward 106 (Mulund)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹17,63,01,181
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹57,46,971
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

Neil Somaiya – BJP, Ward 107 (Mulund)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹9,89,21,872
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,99,37,809
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0

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