Scam-hit Congress regains touch after World Cup victory

After being on the back foot over scams and allegations of corruption, the Congress is seeking to cash in on the Indian cricket team's historic World Cup win to rebuild its political innings.

After being on the back foot over scams and allegations of corruption, the Congress is seeking to cash in on the Indian cricket team's historic World Cup win to rebuild its political innings.

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The party is using the world cup platform to check the negative tide against the government over corruption, inflation and connect with the masses.

And by this, the party also sought to score over its political rivals, which had been on the top for many months now.

Mohali mania

It started with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inviting his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani to watch the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final at Mohali. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi were there to make it known to the world that the party was firmly behind Singh's unilateral initiative to bring a thaw in the India-Pakistan ties.

The Congress president even joined the dinner-meeting between the delegations of the two countries, setting at rest any speculation that the party and the government were not on the same page on the issue.

Moments of victory

The night India won the World Cup the country was out on roads to celebrate the victory. And so was Sonia Gandhi. The rare midnight outing came as a surprise to many. Though she did not watch the final match between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai's Wankhede stadium, Gandhi came out of her heavily guarded 10, Janpath residence to celebrate the victory with crowds on Delhi streets.

"This was an impromptu decision. Nobody in the Congress was aware of it," a senior party functionary said.
But the message had hit home. Revellers were ecstatic over her joining the victory parade.

The party is continuing to keep at the world cup win. Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam has proposed that Team India be feted in Parliament's central hall.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Nirupam said this "humongous achievement" deserves a befitting acknowledgement by the government and both houses of Parliament.

Omar gives Raina plot in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has announced a plot reward for cricketer Suresh Raina. Raina resides in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, but his family hails from Rainawari in Srinagar city. "I am happy that the chief minister is doing this for us. As my ancestors are from Kashmir, it feels good that CM is remembering it and announced the award," Raina told HT.

HTC, Jammu