
Lucknow: Congress is in a self-analysis mode after its performance in the Assembly Polls in five states. The senior leadership says that the party has to introspect on the poll rout. Clearly, dynasty politics failed to work, with the children, spouses and siblings of senior leaders, all failing to make a successful debut. Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi was pitched as the party's star campaigner, who would singularly revive the...

04:21 PM, Mar 07, 2012

New Delhi/Lucknow: With exit polls predicting a hung assembly in Uttar Pradesh, Beni Prasad Verma, Union Minister and senior Congress leader from the state, on Sunday caused a flutter in the party by favouring a tie-up with Mayawati's BSP, a comment from which the party quickly distanced itself. Verma, who quit Samajwadi Party in 2007 following differences with Mulayam Singh Yadav, said he would personally prefer BSP to SP, which...

04:16 AM, Mar 05, 2012

Noida: Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Sunday said the party's top leadership would decide on the issue of post-polls tie-ups in Uttar Pradesh. When asked about Beni Prasad Verma's comment, in which he had favoured the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as a better option for coalition than the Samajwadi Party (SP), Law Minister Salman Khurshid refrained from commenting and said "directions of the top leadership will be followed after two...

09:58 PM, Mar 04, 2012

New Delhi: A day after exit polls across channels a majority for the Samajwadi Party, the Congress on Sunday spoke in different voices on the possibility of post-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh. The biggest surprise came from Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, who said that the BSP would be a better ally than the Samajwadi party for the Congress. He said, "We are going to tie up with BSP rather...

07:40 PM, Mar 04, 2012

Lucknow: In possibly the first hint at a post-poll alliance, the Congress on Sunday indicated that it considered BSP supremo Mayawati "a much better ally" than Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. The CNN-IBN-The Week exit polls had revealed a clear victory for the SP in the state Assembly elections. However, the Congress had earlier ruled out any post-poll alliance with either the SP or the BSP. "We would prefer...

03:20 PM, Mar 04, 2012

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday night let off Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma with a warning for his remarks on Muslim sub-quota and closed the model code of conduct violation case against him accepting his "remorse and sincere regret" for the utterances. The Commission said it was ending the matter in view of the regrets expressed by the Steel Minister and in the wake of the complainant BJP...

12:17 AM, Mar 04, 2012

New Delhi: Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma has written to the Election Commission saying he did not violate the poll code. The Election Commission had asked Verma to explain his minority sub-quota remarks during a rally in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress leader is believed to have said that he was only talking about his party's manifesto. BJP leaders Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Shahnawaz Hussain, who had complained to the EC,...

02:38 PM, Mar 02, 2012

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma is expected to appear before the Election Commission on Friday. This is to response to its show cause notice. Verma will have to give an explanation for his minority sub-quota remarks. BJP leaders Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Shahnawaz Hussain who had complained to the EC are likely to be present as well. The EC had earlier issued notice to Verma over his...

07:17 AM, Mar 02, 2012

New Delhi: Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma was on Tuesday granted personal hearing by the Election Commission to explain his minorities sub-quota remarks for which the poll body slapped a notice and he is likely to appear on Friday. The Commission, which met in New Delhi on Tuesday evening, decided to grant personal hearing to the minister following his request in this regard. "The Minister had sought a personal hearing...

08:40 PM, Feb 21, 2012

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday alleged the statements made by union minister Beni Prasad Verma on sub-quota for minorities despite warnings from the Election Commission constitute a "criminal offence" and demanded appropriate criminal proceedings should be initiated against him. "This is a deliberate action, not a default or a mistake, by Beni Prasad Verma which the Election Commission cannot ignore anymore. The offence is under Section 125 of Representation...

04:48 AM, Feb 21, 2012

While Rahul Gandhi courted trouble as he toured Kanpur, being greeted with black flags from ulema supporters and inviting the EC's wrath for changing his roadshow route, BJP President Nitin Gadkiri said that if the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, Uma Bharti will become the chief minister. ...

11:56 PM, Feb 20, 2012

New Delhi: In his reply to Election Commission's showcause notice over the minorities' sub-quota remark, Union Steel Minister and Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma on Monday said that the quota remark was part of the party manifesto. Verma also said that he didn't mean to violate the model code of conduct and expressed his regret that such an impression is created. The Congress leader also said that he respects the...

04:46 PM, Feb 20, 2012

New Delhi: Union minister and Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma is expected to reply to Election Commission's notice for violating the model code of conduct. Speaking at a rally in Farrukabad on the February 15, Verma had said reservations for minorities must be increased. He had even dared the EC to take action against him. Beni Prasad is the second Congress minister to make the quota mistake. Law Minister Salman...

06:39 AM, Feb 20, 2012

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday issued a notice to Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma over his remarks on minority sub quota, asking him to submit his reply by February 20. At an election rally in Farrukhabad two days ago, the Steel Minister had invoked the Election Commission's wrath by saying that reservation for Muslims would be increased by 9 per cent if the Congress came to power....

01:31 PM, Feb 18, 2012

Farukhabad: Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday defended his Cabinet colleague Beni Prasad Verma for his minority sub-quota remarks, saying he had made the comments as a Congress leader and not as a minister. "Whatever Beni said was in his capacity as Congress leader and not as a minister. He made his comments on party manifesto, which mentions the reservation issue," he told reporters in Farukhabad. Elections are fought...

10:28 PM, Feb 17, 2012