Mr. Suresh Kalmadi Speaking At The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony Invites the World To Visit India For the 2010 Edition of Commonwealth Games
Shri Suresh Kalmadi, MP, Chairman Pune Vyaspeeth, Shri Ashok Chavan Hon Minister for Industries GOM, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh, Hon Chief Minister Maharashtra, Dr R A Mashelkar, Dir CSIR, Ms Rajni Tribhuvan, Hon Mayor Pune at Inauguration
Eyeing polls, Congress public awareness campaign goes hi-tech in Pune
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:29:49 AM EST
Gearing up for the forthcoming polls, the state unit of Congress on Thursday announced the launch of a public awareness campaign throughout the state to convey achievements of the Congress-led government in the state and centre in the last four years through hi-tech presentations.
The Janjagran Vikas Yatra will reach the city on November 19 and cover the Pune rural on November 27.
"We will be launching the state wide awareness campaign from Jalgaon on November 19 on the birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi and it will continue till December 28," state congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil told reporters.
There are many decisions in favour of all sections of societies taken by the Congress-led government at state as well as centre, he said adding the awareness campaign will reach the public to enable them take advantage of it and simultaneously acknowledge the government work.
There will be at least 60 rallies at the campaign, Gadgil said adding that the state Congress has designed a proto type specially designed vehicle, rath, for the purpose.
The participants will be making presentations using computers to explain the government efforts, he said.
On the issue of the sons of soil, the congress spokesperson said the state image was being unnecessarily maligned by various political parties.
Gadgil keeps mum on Pune LS seat Click On "Full Story" for Read This Point...
CM Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh Fixes Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion For Tuesday
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Sun Nov 07, 2004 at 03:56:46 PM EST
The expansion of the Maharashtra council of ministers may be carried out on Tuesday instead of Monday. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters here today that some MLAs felt Monday was not an auspicious day for ministry expansion. When asked if Mr Deshmukh was experiencing any difficulty in finalising his ministry, he said “there are bound to be difficulties as the Congress has to accommodate its MLAs as well as independents in its quota of 18 ministers.” As per the law, Maharashtra can have 43 ministers, including the chief minister, in the 288-member assembly. The chief minister said the Congress would strive to strike regional and caste balances in allocation of ministries.
Shri Deshmukh also met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence.
Our congratualtions and best wishes to all the elected representatives of the Congress Alliance in Maharashtra.
Congress Retains Maharashtra's Chief Ministership; NCP Gets More Berths
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Wed Oct 27, 2004 at 09:14:12 PM EST
After 11 days of suspense and tough bargaining, the Congress and NCP settled for a quid pro quo on Wednesday night. As a price for retaining the chief minister's office, the Congress conceded three additional ministerial berths to Shri Sharad Pawar's party. "We have accepted the Congress' position (on the CM) in the larger interest of the coalition and the state,'' said Praful Patel. He explained that the delay in arriving at a settlement was due to protracted consultations to make the deal widely acceptable. The Congress share in the painstakingly negotiated deal is more in terms of prestige than power sharing. As leader of the UPA coalition, the party had from day one set its sight on the CM's office. The Congress had repeatedly insisted that it was one element in the talks that was not negotiable.
The legislature parties of the two partners will meet on Friday to elect their respective leaders. From available indications, Shinde, a Dalit, may continue as chief minister with the NCP's Maratha nominee Vijaysinh Mohite Patil as his deputy. The other name in circulation from the Congress side is that of Vilasrao Deshmukh. “But much would depend on who the MLAs elect as their leader,'' a senior AICC functionary said.
The agreed formula represents only a minor deviation from the 1999 agreement.
As opposed to 21 ministers it had in the outgoing Sushilkumar Shinde government, the NCP will now get 24 berths. The Congress agreed to an expansion of the NCP's control of the state administration in terms of key ministerial berths. In addition to prized portfolios of home, finance, irrigation, PWD, power, health, rural development and technical education, the NCP's Diwali gift would include labour, forest and environment.
The Congress will be left with 18 as opposed to 21 berths it held, minus the CM. The urban development, cooperation, revenue and housing ministries, which the NCP wanted, would remain with the Congress.
The logjam was broken on Day 11 after a series of meetings between the two sides with Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and civil aviation minister Praful Patel playing emissaries. In course of talks, Pawar also spoke to Sonia Gandhi, besides discussing the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Pune's Congress Alliance MLA's Seek Ministerial Berths But Outcome Depends On Who Is Chief Minister
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Sat Oct 23, 2004 at 04:58:33 AM EST
Even as the dispute between Congress and Nationalist Congress Party over who will become the chief minister of the State is yet to be settled, Pune’s four MLAs of the ruling alliance have started hectic lobbying to get ministerial berths. The trump card again is the caste factor. Aspirants have been openly canvassing saying they should be accommodated to give representation to their caste. However, sources in Congress and NCP say that everything depends on the Chief Minister as the size of the ministry would not be more than 42. Two senior Congress MLAs from Pune —Chandrakant Chhajed and Chandrakant Shivarkar are actively lobbying to get a cabin in Mantralaya. Besides, first-timers Ramesh Bagve and Kamal Dhole-Patil are also in the race.
Chhajed is being supported by Lok Sabha member Suresh Kalmadi. Those close to Chhajed say the Marwadi community had supported the Congress-NCP all over Maharashtra and the community should have a representation in the ministry.
Shivarkar has garnered support from the loyalist camp. His name is strongly supported by former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The party leadership is also considering Shivarkar’s name as there are few Congress MLAs, who belong to the dominant Mali community.
The supporters of Bagve have publicly demanded that he be given the opportunity since his inclusion would strengthen the Matang community base.
Kamal Dhole-Patil’s chances depend on Chhagan Bhujbal as both belong to the Mali community. Her supporters say Bhujbal had promised her a ministerial berth. NCP leaders feel her chances are bright since the party has only four women MLAs.
Discussion To Resume Between Congress & NCP After Dussehra For Maharashtra CM's Post
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 04:13:10 AM EST
The Dussehra festivities have given the Congress and NCP a breather in their bid to find a way out of the Maharashtra imbroglio, with both parties stoutly sticking to their claim to the CM's post. NCP leaders say it is for the Congress to formally react to its two proposals —
that NCP lead the government and
if the Congress insisted on its CM, it will extend outside support to it for full five years.
Both are keenly aware that any first move to break the logjam would be seen as a climb-down.
Talks between Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel and NCP leader Praful Patel have reportedly been briefly suspended in absence of a formal proposal and obvious lack of flexibility to break the deadlock. Also, Pranab Mukherjee, who is heading the Congress team in negotiations with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, is in West Bengal for Durga puja and is expected to return only later in the week. "There will be no meeting between us till October 23,'' said leaders from both sides.
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi Calls To Congratulate Shri Suresh Kalmadi On His Leadership In Winning Pune
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Sat Oct 16, 2004 at 10:09:08 PM EST
The mood in the Congress camp in the city was upbeat on Saturday, and AICC president Sonia Gandhi made a telephone call to praise city MP Suresh Kalmadi over party's victory in Pune. Asked whom he credits for the victory, Kalmadi said that Sonia Gandhi and the state party unit had extended all the needed support to the city unit which worked under the leadership of Mohan Joshi. Also, the candidates had worked very hard. The Congress-NCP was able to quench the rebellion the party folds in Pune. "Both, the Congress and the NCP worked as a team. Out of the 20 corporators in Bhavani peth 17 belong to Congress. Yet, they worked very hard for NCP's Kamal Dhole-Patil. Similarly, the six public meetings addressed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar helped our candidates," Kalmadi said.
"In addition, two senior Congress leaders from Pune, Ulhas Pawar and Sharad Ranpise, have been already elected to the state legislative council," Kalmadi said adding that he has got a team of four MLA's and two MLC's in the state government. "A couple of them will become ministers in the new state cabinet. The Punekars have given me all the support I needed. Hence, now I do not have any excuse to offer for non-performance. We will have to perform and deliver. And, I assure the citizens that we will work together for the development of the city," he said.
Kalmadi pointed out that the Congress which is in power at the centre will now continue to be in power in the state too. The party is already in power at the local self government body - the Pune Municipal Corporation. "Now I do not have any excuse for non-performance", said a jubilant Kalmadi while speaking to media. Mr. Kalmadi used to argue that he do not have a say in the state government as Pune had elected just two Congress MLA's while four belonged to BJP-Shiv Sena. However, now the Punekars have elected him (Kalmadi) as the city MP and have elected all the three MLA's of Congress- Chandrakant Chhajed (Bopodi), Balasaheb Shivarkar (Pune Cantonment) and Ramesh Bagwe (Parvati) and one NCP MLA Kamal Ulhas Dhole-Patil (Bhavani).
Pranab Mukherjee & Ghulam Nabi Azad Arriving In Mumbai For Congress Legislative Party Meet On Sunday
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Sat Oct 16, 2004 at 03:06:51 AM EST
Central Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee and Ghulam Nabi Azad will arrive in Mumbai on Saturday evening to supervise the formation of the new Congress-NCP government in the state. Mukherjee and Azad will hold meetings with senior Congress and NCP leaders late in the evening and are likely to convene the Congress Legislative Party meeting on Sunday, party sources said.
With the Congress-NCP front emerging as the largest political front in the state, and the Congress being the larger partner, the two leaders will set into motion the process for formation of the new government as well as electing the new chief minister.
Congress-NCP-RPI Alliance Set To Retain Power In Maharashtra: Exit polls
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Wed Oct 13, 2004 at 08:37:11 AM EST
Editor's Note: Exit polls should be taken with a grain of salt, but here is what the current polls are predicting. The counting will be done on Saturday and results will available the same evening.
Exits polls on
Star News gave a slender margin of victory to Congress-NCP combine at 149 seats while for BJP-Shiv Sena it would be 119 seats. The remaining 20 seats were left for "others" on the basis of "initial" trends.
Aaj Tak gave the ruling alliance 140 to 150 seats and BJP-Shiv Sena 100-110 seats, leaving 30 to 40 seats for others.
However, Zee News pegged Congress-NCP alliance at 125 seats, 20 short of the magic figure of 145 for a simple majority. It gave 115 seats to BJP-Shiv Sena alliance with 48 seats marked for others.
You Can Now Check Your Name In the Electoral Rolls Over The Web At www.collrngp.com
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Tue Oct 12, 2004 at 10:37:35 PM EST
Editor's Note: You can check the electoral rolls for Pune and the rest of Maharashtra at www.collrngp.com. Select Pune from the dropdown menu and then conduct your search to see if your name is in the electoral rolls.
Hello,
Where can I see the latest electoral roll for Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2004? Can you please send me the URL?
"Sonia Nahi Yeh Aandhi Hai" - Crowds Throng To Receive Mrs. Sonia Gandhi
Section Election 2004 News
Posted on Tue Oct 12, 2004 at 01:00:09 AM EST
In a three-hour roadshow on the last day of campaigning, thousands lined the streets as Sonia pushed the limits of her security, shook their hands and said in Marathi: ‘‘Aamhi tumche abhari ahot. Amchya sarkarala mat dya. (We are grateful for your support. Please vote for our Government)’’. Her last stop was Vakola, where crowds chanted: ‘‘Sonia nahin yeh aandhi hai; doosri Indira Gandhi hai! (Sonia is a hurricane, she is the second Indira Gandhi).’’ The Congress president had started her day at Parshram Tawre stadium in Bhiwandi, the communally-sensitive powerloom town on the edge of Mumbai, where a crowd of 40,000 waited for her despite a downpur.
Dabbawalas kept someone’s lunch on hold, jewellers left their shops to sons, mothers stepped out to ask for jobs for their unemployed graduate daughters. They came out in thousands, braved the rain and then the sun for over two hours on a working day to see Sonia Gandhi. As party workers distributed scarves, caps, stickers and flags, cell phones buzzed constantly with updates on where the cavalcade had reached. Two hours on, with police and volunteers in a tizzy managing traffic and pedestrians, there was a sudden hush. It was 12.45 pm and people had waited since 10.30 am.
Chhaya Gaikwad’s day started earlier than usual today. By 8 am, the 45-year-old housemaid and mother of four had cooked, cleaned and spent Rs 25 on a bright yellow marigold garland from Chembur station. ‘‘I’m going to garland her (Sonia) and demand that she reduce the price of onions, they’re Rs 10 for a kilo now,’’ said Gaikwad.
By her side was neighbour Kamal Damane (60). ‘‘I want her to get our children jobs,’’ she said.
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