Rahul Gandhi
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Wayanad- After getting through college, Rahul Gandhi worked for a London-based management consulting firm called the Monitor Group
- He returned to India in 2002 and started a technology consultancy firm called Backops Services Private Ltd, which was based in Mumbai
- Gandhi ventured into politics in 2004 and contested the Lok Sabha elections that year from his father’s constituency, Amethi in Uttar Pradesh (UP). He won the election and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs and the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development
- He was re-elected for a second term in the Lower House in 2009 and this time, took charge of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development and the Consultative Committee on Rural Development as a member
- Gandhi was elected as the vice-president of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 2013 and had since then, operated as the party's number 2
- He got a third term in the Lok Sabha, which began in 2014. During this term, he was appointed as a member of the Standing Committee on External Affairs and the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs
- In 2017, he took charge as the president of the Congress. He was the 49th Congress president and the sixth member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to hold the coveted post
- He won the Lok Sabha elections from the Wayand constituency in Kerala in 2019 but lost to Smriti Irani in his family bastion of Amethi. The Gandhi scion had defeated her in Amethi in 2014 by a margin of 1.07 lakh votes
- Later in 2019, he resigned from his post as the president of the Congress
- Since resigning in 2019, he has been general secretary, vice-president and then the president of the party. His efforts to reform and democratise the party started with the Youth Congress and the National Students’ Union of India, two time-tested and bold nurseries for future Congress leaders
- In December 2018, he successfully captained the party to victory in the three Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
- Gandhi singularly led the 2019 campaign, holding 150 rallies, 10 press conferences and many road shows during the poll campaign
- Over the years, Gandhi has addressed press conferences, answering questions and tackling the BJP government on a host of issues. He has been very proactive on social media and often challenged Modi to a debate
Before you go ...
- His great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India and his grandmother Indira Gandhi was the first woman to become the Prime Minister of India. His father Rajiv Gandhi served as the Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. His mother Sonia Gandhi is a senior leader of the Congress party, while his sister Priyanka Gandhi is also active in politics and works with the party
- He and his sister were homeschooled because of security reasons after their grandmother was assassinated in 1984. When his father was assassinated in 1991, he was in his second year of college in the USA and had to shift from Harvard University to Rollins College due to security threats. He even adopted a pseudonym to conceal his identity while attending Rollins
Rahul Gandhi News
Opposition INDIA bloc parliamentarians convened at the Samvidhan Sadan for a mock voting demo ahead of the vice-presidential election. Senior leaders from Congress, NCP-SP, and SP attended, emphasizing the importance of avoiding invalid votes. While the INDIA bloc has around 320 votes, the NDA holds a significant lead with over 420, with results expected Tuesday evening.
Karnataka's Minister Priyank Kharge has reiterated his call for a court-monitored ethical hackathon and audit of EVMs, echoing concerns raised by AICC leader Rahul Gandhi regarding electoral integrity. Kharge emphasizes Karnataka's technological capabilities to conduct a transparent exercise, addressing public doubts and safeguarding democracy's credibility amid ongoing debates about vote irregularities and institutional independence.
Sri Narayana Jayanthi is a state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated on Chathayam day during the Onam season in the Chingam month of the Malayalam calendar.
The Congress party commemorates the third anniversary of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Jairam Ramesh highlights the Yatra's focus on economic inequalities, social polarization, and political authoritarianism. Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Yatris walked 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir over 145 days. The march included public meetings, interactions, and participation from various celebrities, veterans, and opposition leaders.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed the GST rate cuts but urged the Centre to ensure the benefits reach the people, not just corporations. He criticized the Modi government for the delayed acceptance of reforms, claiming it caused hardship. Karnataka anticipates a revenue loss of ₹15,000-20,000 crore due to the cuts but supports the move for public welfare.
A social media post by the Kerala Congress unit sparked a political firestorm in Bihar, drawing sharp criticism from the BJP. The post, which has since been deleted, linked reduced GST rates on bidis to Bihar, prompting accusations of insulting the state.
In Amethi, Congress workers have lodged a police complaint. The complaint targets a social media user. The user is accused of abusing Rahul Gandhi on Facebook. The post sparked protests among local Congress members. They demand legal action against the user. Police have forwarded the matter for technical investigation. Amethi is a traditional Congress stronghold.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rebuked BJP MLAs for chanting slogans perceived as insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the assembly. Despite her criticism, Banerjee herself later echoed similar sentiments by shouting slogans accusing both Modi and Amit Shah of being thieves. Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari condemned Banerjee's actions, emphasizing the disrespect shown to the Prime Minister.
The Enforcement Directorate requested more time to submit documents related to the National Herald money laundering case. This case involves Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The documents include a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy and the Enforcement Case Information Report. The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 6.
The Karnataka government plans to use ballot papers for upcoming local elections. This decision follows concerns about electoral roll anomalies and EVM credibility. The state election commission supports the move. They confirm no law prohibits ballot papers for local polls. Rahul Gandhi's vote-theft campaign influenced the decision. The government will cover the additional expenses.
