Rahul Gandhi
as well as on social media that have triggered some unease in the BJP.
A good showing in Gujarat couldhelpthepartyrecoverfrom a string of defeats in state polls. For that, Rahul Gandhi’s ability to stitch political alliance will be put to test in a state that is seeing the emergence of several young leaders, especially along caste lines, whose support could be a swing factor.
Gujarat elections came up in Monday’s meeting too when in a briefintervention RahulGandhi saidthepartyshould“aimforthe eye of the fish” in the state polls, alluding to an archery contest fought by Arjuna in the epic Mahabharata.
He also said the party should force the government to answer questions on alleged corruption intheRafaledefencedealandthe charges against BJP president Amit Shah’s son, Jayesh.
The Congress has not seen a contest for the party’s top post since 2000 when late Jitendra Prasada unsuccessfully challenged Sonia Gandhi.
Asked if Rahul Gandhi could face a challenge, party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Congresshas had a history of contests.
“Congress is the only party whichprotectsdemocracyinthe country and within the party. This has been going on since Mahatma Gandhi’s time. Even NetajiSubhasChandraBosehad foughtagainstacandidatefielded by Gandhiji. But their affection for each other had never come down,” he said.
OncetheCongresspresidentis picked, it will be followed by the elections to the CWC. The party constitutionsays12ofthe25CWC members have to be elected by AICC delegates, and the rest are appointedbytheCongresspresident.
The CWC has not witnessed any election in more than two decades now. excluded issuance of any valuationreport,”GautamGupte,COO of Ambit, wrote to HT.
TheSFIOreportalsonamesas suspect the chiefs of the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, BankofIndiaandIDBIforgranting short-term loans to Kingfisherbetween2009and2010and for sanctioning a debt recast package.
“The then chiefs of IDBI and SBI, in total disregard to judiciousbankingprudenceandfair bankingrisk,wentoutoftheway tosanctionloansof₹900croreand ₹500 crore respectively,” the report said.
The report also held two former valuers at Grant Thorntonliable for their inflated brand valuation of Kingfisher at ₹4111 crore in March 2010.
Thoughnotnamedasaccused, theprobereportraisedquestions about the role of former bureaucrats at the finance ministry in “pressuring”publicsectorbanks tooffer moreloanstoKingfisher, despite its failing financial health.
Suchpressureonstate-backed banks for loans for Kingfisher continuedbetween2008and2011.
This was repeated despite the airlines’ expanding debt since 2008, and when private banks wereturningVijayMallyaaway.
The report also points to severe corporate governance lapses in KFA. It has questioned the role of independentdirectors on board KFA.