Guwahati, January 9 (Agencies): The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) two-day national executive meeting concluded Sunday with a clear message that the party was eyeing power in the 2014 parliamentary elections by going hammer and tongs against the Congress-led UPA government over corruption and scandals rocking the country.
'I would say 2010 is a turning point in the history of independent India and we need to ensure that we are able to capitalise on this (corruptions and scams during the United Progressive Alliance-2) and eye for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections,' BJP veteran L.K. Advani said in his speech that marked the formal conclusion of the two-day national executive here.
'But the challenge ahead of us is that we must keep our image clean and clear so that no temptations or other things can taint us as we go to the people seeking the mandate.' With the message of capturing power in New Delhi very clear, the BJP meet adopted three important resolutions - political, economic, and one on the northeast.
From Bofors to the 2G spectrum episode, the Commonwealth Games scam, Adarsh Housing scandal, besides corruption in Congress-ruled Assam and other northeastern states were among those mentioned in the political resolution.
'In 2010, today's prime minister gave us a scandal a day,' the resolution on political affairs read.
'The Congress, particularly its first family (the Gandhis) is faced with the power of truth. Truth has the habit of coming up at convenient times. Misusing the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to undermine this case (Bofors), each time and at every level, the party ensured that (Italian businessman Ottavio) Quattrocchi was enabled to flee the country.' BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters: 'The year 2010 was a year of corruption and 2011 is going to be the year of cover ups.'
The high-point of the political resolution is the BJP's war against corruption - a month long nationwide campaign beginning Jan 20 and titled 'Clean India of corruption' with party workers reaching out to all blocks in the country, followed by leaders going to the villages in March to highlight the myriad corruption charges and scams in the country.
'We shall hold rallies throughout the length and breadth of India in order to draw people's attention to the rampant corruption of the Congress party and also seek legal recourse to justice for getting the looters punished and to get back the ill-gotten wealth from the various tax havens abroad,' BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad told journalists about the resolutions.
Among the other resolutions include mobilising the 'vibrant internet community' to build awareness on the 'corruption malice'. The economic resolution dealt with issues relating to price rise of essentials.
'I would say 2010 is a turning point in the history of independent India and we need to ensure that we are able to capitalise on this (corruptions and scams during the United Progressive Alliance-2) and eye for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections,' BJP veteran L.K. Advani said in his speech that marked the formal conclusion of the two-day national executive here.
'But the challenge ahead of us is that we must keep our image clean and clear so that no temptations or other things can taint us as we go to the people seeking the mandate.' With the message of capturing power in New Delhi very clear, the BJP meet adopted three important resolutions - political, economic, and one on the northeast.
From Bofors to the 2G spectrum episode, the Commonwealth Games scam, Adarsh Housing scandal, besides corruption in Congress-ruled Assam and other northeastern states were among those mentioned in the political resolution.
'In 2010, today's prime minister gave us a scandal a day,' the resolution on political affairs read.
'The Congress, particularly its first family (the Gandhis) is faced with the power of truth. Truth has the habit of coming up at convenient times. Misusing the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to undermine this case (Bofors), each time and at every level, the party ensured that (Italian businessman Ottavio) Quattrocchi was enabled to flee the country.' BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters: 'The year 2010 was a year of corruption and 2011 is going to be the year of cover ups.'
The high-point of the political resolution is the BJP's war against corruption - a month long nationwide campaign beginning Jan 20 and titled 'Clean India of corruption' with party workers reaching out to all blocks in the country, followed by leaders going to the villages in March to highlight the myriad corruption charges and scams in the country.
'We shall hold rallies throughout the length and breadth of India in order to draw people's attention to the rampant corruption of the Congress party and also seek legal recourse to justice for getting the looters punished and to get back the ill-gotten wealth from the various tax havens abroad,' BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad told journalists about the resolutions.
Among the other resolutions include mobilising the 'vibrant internet community' to build awareness on the 'corruption malice'. The economic resolution dealt with issues relating to price rise of essentials.
BJP salvo at Tarun Gogoi for property in US
Guwahati, January 9 (NNN): A whistleblower Akhil Gogoi gave the BJP on Sunday the ammo to fire at “corrupt” Congress being helmed by another Gogoi in Assam. On Saturday evening, RTI activist and general secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) Akhil Gogoi ‘exposed’ property worth more than Rs 18 crore owned by Assam CM Tarun Gogoi’s wife, daughter and son-in-law in the US.
The BJP, holding its national executive meeting here, was quick to pounce on the opportunity. Leaders raised the issue at a rally the party organized on Sunday, the concluding day of the national executive. “The houses your CM’s kin own in America iss another example of the Congress’ corrupt habit,” said BJP president Nitin Gadkari.
Handing out documents procured through US-based information commerce company Intellius, Akhil Gogoi said the CM’s kin own five houses in the US worth Rs 17.9 crore. “The CM’s wife Dolly Gogoi has a house worth $143,400 (Rs 7,170,000) in Omaha when her annual income showed was Rs 2,918,650. Similarly, his daughter Chandrima Gogoi has a house worth Rs 89,800,000 against an annual income of Rs 64,42,650,” the KMSS leader said.
The more expensive houses, three in all, were in the name of Gogoi’s son-in-law Prasenjit Phukan who showed three different annual income figures against the purchase of each house worth a total $2,437,501 (Rs 121,875,050). The chief minister’s office said Tarun Gogoi would be making a clarification after returning from his trip to Delhi and Kolkata. The CM is expected here on Monday.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, however, said it was taking Akhil Gogoi’s allegations “seriously since we are vocal against corruption of all kind”.
The KMSS leader’s revelations, meanwhile, has provided the Asom Gana Parishad another weapon to target the CM. Party president Chandra Mohan Patowary said: “Tarun Gogoi had last year announced that his government would construct houses for flood and erosion-affected people of Assam. The poor people did not get the houses promised, but Gogoi has successfully built a number of houses in the US. This is the real man hiding behind a clean image."
The BJP, holding its national executive meeting here, was quick to pounce on the opportunity. Leaders raised the issue at a rally the party organized on Sunday, the concluding day of the national executive. “The houses your CM’s kin own in America iss another example of the Congress’ corrupt habit,” said BJP president Nitin Gadkari.
Handing out documents procured through US-based information commerce company Intellius, Akhil Gogoi said the CM’s kin own five houses in the US worth Rs 17.9 crore. “The CM’s wife Dolly Gogoi has a house worth $143,400 (Rs 7,170,000) in Omaha when her annual income showed was Rs 2,918,650. Similarly, his daughter Chandrima Gogoi has a house worth Rs 89,800,000 against an annual income of Rs 64,42,650,” the KMSS leader said.
The more expensive houses, three in all, were in the name of Gogoi’s son-in-law Prasenjit Phukan who showed three different annual income figures against the purchase of each house worth a total $2,437,501 (Rs 121,875,050). The chief minister’s office said Tarun Gogoi would be making a clarification after returning from his trip to Delhi and Kolkata. The CM is expected here on Monday.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, however, said it was taking Akhil Gogoi’s allegations “seriously since we are vocal against corruption of all kind”.
The KMSS leader’s revelations, meanwhile, has provided the Asom Gana Parishad another weapon to target the CM. Party president Chandra Mohan Patowary said: “Tarun Gogoi had last year announced that his government would construct houses for flood and erosion-affected people of Assam. The poor people did not get the houses promised, but Gogoi has successfully built a number of houses in the US. This is the real man hiding behind a clean image."
Gadkari appoints Gao as deputy BJP leader in LS
Guwahati, January 9 (PTI): BJP President Nitin Gadkari today appointed former Arunachal Pradesh MP Tapir Gao as a General Secretary while Deputy Leader of the party in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde was made election in-charge of Goa.
Gao has been appointed general secretary in place of Arjun Munda, who had to resign from the post after he became Chief Minister of Jharkhand. His responsibilities have not yet been allocated but he is likely to handle North-East affairs of the party, sources said. Gao was Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh East constituency from 2004 to 2009. He lost the last General Election.
Munde will be election in-charge of BJP in Goa where the party is hopeful of coming to power citing anti-incumbency against the Congress-NCP government which has been mired in controversies frequently in the recent past. The state goes to polls in 2007.
Two other senior party leaders, Shanta Kumar and Santosh Gangwar, have also been given responsibilities. Kumar will be in-charge of the Antyodaya programme of the BJP. The concept of Antyodaya- working for the last man in the queue- was a favourite of the party and is dear to Gadkari. Gangwar will be Convenor of the Cooperative Cell of the BJP.
Guwahati, January 9 (PTI): BJP President Nitin Gadkari today appointed former Arunachal Pradesh MP Tapir Gao as a General Secretary while Deputy Leader of the party in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde was made election in-charge of Goa.
Gao has been appointed general secretary in place of Arjun Munda, who had to resign from the post after he became Chief Minister of Jharkhand. His responsibilities have not yet been allocated but he is likely to handle North-East affairs of the party, sources said. Gao was Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh East constituency from 2004 to 2009. He lost the last General Election.
Munde will be election in-charge of BJP in Goa where the party is hopeful of coming to power citing anti-incumbency against the Congress-NCP government which has been mired in controversies frequently in the recent past. The state goes to polls in 2007.
Two other senior party leaders, Shanta Kumar and Santosh Gangwar, have also been given responsibilities. Kumar will be in-charge of the Antyodaya programme of the BJP. The concept of Antyodaya- working for the last man in the queue- was a favourite of the party and is dear to Gadkari. Gangwar will be Convenor of the Cooperative Cell of the BJP.
