Sonia, Rahul back Prime Minister's line on Pakistan

Supporting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "firm and unequivocal" statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday on major foreign policy issues, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said "no one should be in any doubt on our party's position vis-à-vis Pakistan. It remains unchanged."

Addressing a general body meeting of the Congress Party in Parliament (CPP), Mrs Gandhi said: "We support the resumption of the dialogue process with Pakistan, but only after it has demonstrated its seriousness to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice and to prevent its territory from being used to launch terror attacks on any part of our country. These are imperatives for restoring confidence and building an environment conducive to any meaningful dialogue."

The message is loud and clear. The party does not want to delink terrorism from resumption of the composite dialogue with Pakistan.

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Maya joins Sonia in Forbes power list

Making her debut in the club of the 100 most powerful women in the world, Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati has joined Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a list compiled by US business magazine Forbes.

While Mrs Gandhi slipped from sixth rank in 2007 to 21st this year, Ms Mayawati has made her debut at 59th. The list also includes Indra Nooyi, the Indian-origin Chennai-born chief of global soft drink giant PepsiCo, at third position, up from fifth last year, and Indian biotechnology firm Biocon CEO Kiran Mazumdar Shaw at 99th.

The list is headed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

About Mrs Gandhi, the magazine said the Italian born leader of India’s most powerful political party has by now assumed the role of elder stateswoman. “Although she remains firmly at the head of the country’s ruling party, a rising star, known by the single name Mayawati, is challenging Gandhi’s position as the country’s most powerful woman.”

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Rahul turns 38, Congress celebrates

Hundreds of his supporters celebrated the day, distributing sweets, bursting crackers and cutting cakes but Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was now here to be seen on his birthday on Thursday.

The scion of the Gandhi family was not present in his Tughlak Lane residence, though it was thronged by his supporters as they carried gifts for their leader. According to sources, the Amethi MP was in Delhi but keeping away from the limelight.

However, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and National Students Union of India (NSUI) leaders celebrated the day.

“The day is being celebrated in all districts across the country in different ways. While some groups are cutting cakes to mark the occasion others are holding relief camps to give medical aid to needy children,” IYC president Ashok Tanwar said.

Mr Gandhi’s Tughlak Lane residence here had a regular stream of visitors since morning. A crowd of around 300 people gathered at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here to celebrate his birthday. They burst crackers, danced and distributed sweets. Several hoardings and posters were put up at the AICC office and also on Tughlak Lane.

A host of important Congress leaders sent bouquets for Mr Gandhi. Among them were Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Union ministers V. Narayanasamy and Santosh Mohan Dev, as well as MPs and MLAs from different parts of the country.

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Rahul ready to go to jail in Uttar Pradesh, says Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said that unless Congress workers in Uttar Pradesh were prepared to go to jail, a change in this state would not be possible.

"The day Congress workers decide to go to jail, I will also come here. If need be, Rahul will also go to jail with them," she said while addressing the concluding session of the two day general body meeting of the UP Congress.

The Congress president said the UPA government at the Centre had given several thousand crores of rupees to the UP government under various schemes and it was up to Congress workers in the state to ensure that it was being properly used for the benefit of the people. "The need of the hour is agitation and struggle.

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Sonia names new chief of Andhra Congress

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday night named Andhra Pradesh higher education minister D. Srinivas the new president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee.

On the other hand, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president Gurudas Kamat resigned, but the party high command has not decided whether or not to accept it.

Mr Kamat, a sitting Lok Sabha member, sent his resignation letter to the central leadership about eight days ago on the ground that he has completed five years in office and does not want to continue for long, like other leaders in the party.

Congress president Sonia ed five years in office and does not want to continue for long, like other leaders in the party.

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Sonia rules out early LS election

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday ruled out early parliamentary elections."We have a little over a year left of this Parliament," she said. Mrs Gandhi also indicated that this year's Union Budget would be the centre piece of the party's campaign plank as it reflected the interests and needs of all sections of the population.

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting at the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday, Mrs Gandhi said: "Inevitably, we have also to start preparing for the Lok Sabha polls next year. We will go into these polls with an outstanding record of achievements, both in terms of government programmes and of legislation enacted. These achievements should earn us the trust and mandate of the people once again. These achievements give us a firm sense of self-confidence to take on our political opponents." In an apparent reference to the string of electoral setbacks, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said there was a need for much more careful selection of candidates and strategies.

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