AICC meet: How the day progressed

New Delhi: 4:52 pm: Sonia says, "The enthusiasm and the energy in the party members show that the party is ready for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and we will the polls.

"We will pass the remaining crucial bills," says Sonia.

4:50 pm: Sonia makes the concluding remarks and says all the important points will be put in the manifesto.

4:45 pm: Rahul says, "2014 is a tough battle and we will go with our heads held high and fight with everything we have. We will not lose courage and we will not stop till the battle is won."

4:42 pm: On choosing prime ministerial candidate, Rahul says, "The prime minister will be chosen according to the Constitution and will be elected by the MPs. I am your soldier and will do whatever you ask for."

4:39 pm: On opposition asking people to vote for 'Congress-mukht bharat', Rahul says, "Opposition does not know and read history as the Congress is not a party but a vision which resides in every heart."

4:36 pm: Rahul hits out at the opposition saying, "It is good in marketing themselves as they earlier sold comb to bald people and now they can give them a haircut."

4:33 pm: Rahul urges the Prime Minister to raise subsidy on LGP cylinders from 9 to 12.

4:30 pm: On women empowerment, Rahul says, "We need to give more representation to women in politics. I want women reservation Bill to be passed in Parliament. I want half congress members as women."

4:28 pm: The Congress seems to be following the Aam Aadmi Party as it is giving chance to the common man to make party's manifesto. "Party manifesto was earlier prepared behind the closed door now we will make it after asking people."

4:26 pm: Rahul says the first right of contesting elections on party ticket is of the party workers. "We want to give priority to our own workers to contest but it does not mean we will close doors for others. We want new ideas and thinking too.

"We will let party members to choose candidates for 15 seats and if it is successful, we will take this experiment forward."

4:23 pm: Rahul says, "People need honest government, we got Lokpal. Everyone made a drama but who passed it? Congress!"

4:22 pm: Rahul blames opposition for stalling Parliament. "We have six bills in Parliament. These bills will transform fight against corruption. We have to ensure opposition does not stall parliament."

4:20 pm: The Congress party responds through peaceful democratic means. Rahul says, "We don't respond by turning against one another, nor by lighting communal fire."

4:19 pm: Rahul says there is a need for the party to enter 21st century and bring in young and new faces.

4:18 pm: Rahul Gandhi targets opposition and said the UPA passed the Lokpal Act. He also takes a dig at Narendra Modi and blames BJP for communalism, obstructing Parliament and all other problems.

4:16 pm: Rahul says that the 2014 Lok Sabha election is not just another election. "It is a turning point in our lives. The impetus on how and when to change.

4:15 pm: Rahul says, "I want common people should be able to walk into the political system. We need to ensure they can come into politics at ease. Today we live in a world where packaging and selling politics replaces the essence of politics."

4:14 pm: Rahul says, "Democracy cannot be ruled by dictatorship. It cannot be ruled by one man, it has to be run by elected representatives."

Rahul says, "We have to bring focus on elected representatives. Today laws are being made by judges and on the streets."

4:13 pm: Rahul says, "In the last 10 years, Congress has done unmatched transfer of power to the people of this country."

4:12 pm: Rahul gives credit to Sam Pitroda for bringing in technology in the country.

4:11 pm: He talks abut the Food Security Bill which was Sonia Gandhi's pet project and enabled every individual the right to food.

4:09 pm: Rahuk gives credit to Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for brining in Panchayati Raj.

4:07 pm: Rahul highlights the achievements and initiatives of the Congress-led government. He speaks on the economic growth and the efforts made by the UPA to tackle corruption by bringing in RTI Act, Lokpal.

4:02 pm: Rahul Gandhi addresses AICC session. He says, "It's an honour to talk to you people. I thank the Prime Minister, party members for their contribution."

3:55 pm: Minister of State for PMO V Narayanasamy says, "Congress has no tradition of projecting prime ministerial candidate. Rahul Gandhi is heading the party poll campaign, we do not need to copy BJP."

3:50 pm: Rahul Gandhi to speak at 4 pm.

3:20 pm: Rahul Gandhi to address the session shortly.

3:18 pm: Congress follows the Aam Aadmi Party as it launches helpline number to connect with workers.

3:08 pm: Every speaker since morning has backed Rahul Gandhi for the PM. It includes even the PM Manmohan Singh.

3:00 pm: Discussion is now on whether the Congress would be able to get new allies in the next one month.

2:11 pm: Scindia says, "A new leadership is emerging not just in the Congress party, but in this nation. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Congress lives in not just every district but every village and in the heart of every person."

2:09 pm: Union Minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia speaks at the AICC session. He hits out at the BJP saying, "Those who are saying that they have to build a 'Congress mukt Bharat', I want to remind them that this is the Congress that fought for the freedom of India."

2:06 pm: Scindia says, "We are ready for the 2014 Lok sabha elections. Our 10 years in government has been a history of growth, upholding rights of the people. We have done a lot and a lot has to be done in all sectors. We have a strong trinity of leadership in Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi."

1:55 pm: BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad hits out at the Congress saying, "The country is sick of corruption. Now they talk of Gandhi and Godse. It will be a very decisive year for the Congress."

BJP President Rajnath Singh says, "The Congress is country's biggest communal party. Congress is doing votebank politics."

1:30 pm: Congress leader Sachin Pilot addresses the session saying the Congress will win 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He says, "We will not let the forces move that are determined to divide the country come forward. We will win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. I appeal all to unitedly come together, on the way even if there are some difference that crop up on the way, we should forget them and fight for the people of India."

1:22 pm: Priya Dutt ends her speech with an appeal to the Prime Minister and Congress leadership to put a limit on the number of times a person can contest. She says others should be given a chance after sometime.

1:15 pm: Congress MP Priya Dutt backs Rahul Gandhi's prime ministerial candidature. She says, "Rahul Gandhi represents the vision of the youth, he has the vision for this country. When we look at opposition, they only criticise but never put their vision on what they plan to do for the country. We have given people their rights, empowered them. Rahul has rightly said that no country can be build on hate and violence."

1:00 pm: Manmohan Singh concluded his speech saying, "Rahul Gandhi has instilled confidence in the minds of party workers. Under his leadership, we will win 2014 polls."

12:57 pm: On coal block allocation and 2G spectrum allocation scams, the Prime Minister says, "There have been charges that are being investigated as per laws. We have now changed the process of allocation of both coal and spectrum."

12:52 pm: On the issue of corruption, the Prime Minister says it's an issue worrying people. "Our government is being blamed for not doing sufficient to fight and control corruption but the fact that the work we have done to bring transparency to fight corruption has not been done by the earlier government ever. We brought RTI and Lokpal bill to fight corruption."

12:49 pm: BJP leader Prakash Javadekar says the NDA will form the next government. "People have made up their mind to remove Congress from the country. The UPA has now become a non performing asset (NPA)."

12:46 pm: The Prime Minister also hits out at the tall claims made by the opposition. He says, "Some claims of the opposition parties are impossible to fulfil. We have to explain to the people that the big claims that some opposition leaders are making are actually not possible to achieve. People should think about the behaviour and approach of the opposition. Their approach is to divide society. We should ask people to compare the achievemets of our government with the opposition."

12:43 pm: The Prime Minister highlights the achievements of the Congress-led UPA government. "We have given emphasis on the development of poor and weaker sections. We are confident that we will improve the growth rate. There have been many internal reasons of lowering growth rate. In 2011 , India faced an economic slowdown for the second time leading to slow growth rate, but the economic growth in last nine years is a record. We have set economic records despite global economic problems."

12:42 pm: The Prime Minister says the government should take its good workd to the people. He says, "We have to take the good work and acheivemnet of our government to the people."

12:40 pm: The PM says the Congress victory in the general elections will be Rahul Gandhi's victory..

12:39 pm: Manmohan Singh says, "This session is very important in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It will us to prepare for the elections. We need to thoroughly introspect our failures in the recently concluded Assembly polls and strategise our moves accordingly."

12:37 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is addressing the session.

12:32 pm: Senior Congress leader from UP hits out at Narendra Modi saying, "Modi is a coward. He knows he can never be the prime minister so he is not quitting the chief minister's post."

12:30 pm: Pramod Tiwari speaks on political resolution. He says, "Next election is between Gandhi vs Godse. And I am confident that Gandhi will win. I do not even want to take the name of the man leading the Godse camp. The fight is between the real and the fake."

12:25 pm: Congress leader said Rahul Gandhi will become the prime minister. "We will win the elections and make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister. Congress President thought that she should not break the Congress party's trend of not announcing the prime ministerial candidate."

12:23 pm: BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy hits out at the Congress saying, "Manmohan Singh has given up. The countdown for them is over now. I am not surprised as Congress looks like has given up on 2014 and has reconciled to the fact."

12:20 pm: Janata Dal United chief Sharad Yadav says, "Restlessness has increased under UPA 2. There are lots of issues and Sonia has remained on the old Congress lines. She has not spoken on farmers and other backward classes. The forces outside the Congress and BJP will decide where the country will go in future. These two parties have to run behind these parties."

12:10 pm: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to address the session at around 12:30 pm.

12:01 pm: Chidambaram asks Congress to field candidates below 35 years of age. He says, "I have a radical idea, don't know if it is supported by others. I believe that in half of the Parliament seats, Congress should field candidates below 35 years of age. Young India, empowered India should take the reigns of the Congress party and India."

11:58 am: On Rahul Gandhi's role in the party, Chidambaram says, "We have chosen Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. This is more than anointing a leader."

11:55 am: Chidambaram says, "We have spent heavily on minorities, women and education. More loans is growth but more loans to girl child and poor is inclusive development and social justice. This has been achieved under UPA."

11:50 am: BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says, "Changing faces will not change what Congress has done when in power. Who is responsible for the failures of the Congress-led UPA. Congress and corruption are made for each other."

11:46 am: Chidambaram lists out the economic achievements of the UPA. He says, "We can look back at the 10 years, but I also ask you to look forward to the next 10 years. I challenge any political party to point out any government in India that has performed better than we have done. No other period or government has witnessed the growth, the inclusive development and social justice as we have in this period."

11:44 am: Chidambaram says, "Our idea of India is not that we grow, our idea is inclusive growth and that every citizen gets justice, social justice, gender justice. The political career is never ending saga of sacrifice."

11:40 am: Finance Minister P Chidambaran to speak at AICC session shortly.

11:35 am: Ghulam Nabi Azad says, "We are zero in publicity though we are superheroes at work. With price rise, the right to food is helping the poor get food at a very low price."

11:33 am: Congress leader PL Punia says, "It's not fair to compare Rahul with regional leaders."

11:30 am: BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman hits out at Sonia Gandhi's speech. She tweets, "Do I get the feeling that the Congress President's speech, with claims such as RTI et al aside, lacked readiness to fight. War weary already?"

11:24 am: AICC declares that the Lok Sabha election campaign will be led by Rahul Gandhi and the recent political set back are a wake up call. "We must retain faith in ourselves, our agenda is prosperous and inclusive India, we will work tirelessly for the people of India.

"Serious challenge to country from communal divisive force. We will contest between opposing ideologies, one seeks to divide, one seeks to unite. We want to route out corruption come out with more laws. Price rise is the biggest burden on common man and we are committed to doing everything to control price rise. Congress wants inclusive society."

11:23 am: Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad initiates session on the AICC political resolution. Ajay Maken tweets, "Draft resolution calls upon the UPA government and Parliament to debate and enact all six pending anti-corruption Bills."

11:16 am: Rahul Gandhi intervenes and says he will make his stand clear on his role in the party during his speech around 3:30 pm.

11:12 am: Congress members raise the demand for naming Rahul Gandhi as the party's prime ministerial nominee.

11:07 am: Sonia hits out at BJP and hold them responsible for spreading hatred, violence. "We have always fought against communal forces. Secularism is our identity and an election compulsion

11:05 am: Sonia praises Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She says, "Manmohan Singh has led the government with prestige and pride for 10 years. The government and the party are strong despite many allegations. Communal forces and thought are a very big danger to our social fabric. Congress's way has always been to connect people."

11:03 am: Sonia adds that the UPA government has done much more than any other government. She says, "Politics and differences should be kept aside for the cause of development. Has any government ever done so much ever before. NO government has done so much despite an irresponsible opposition and hurdles."

11:02 am: Highlighting other initiatives of the Congress-led government, Sonia says, "Another threat that we are seeing around us is disparity amongst officers on how you know rather than how well you know and to fight this we have brought in a scheme for education, midday meal and scholarship for the weaker sections of the society."

11:00 am: Party workers hail Sonia Gandhi during her speech.

10:59 am: On the issue of corruption, Sonia says, "Two years ago I had presented a 5-point programme to combat corruption. All Congress states are committed to a strong Lokayukta and Lokpal Bill. We are responsible for the historic RTI act as in transparency lies the solution to fight corruption. Fully operational Aadhaar will end corruption in delivery of subsidies, pensions, wages and government benefits"

10:58 am: Sonia says the Congress has faced many difficult times but the party never lost heart. She lists out UPA achievements and says, "In spite of economic growth, disparities are wide spread and cannot be addressed just by rapid growth. Rural wages have increased manifold under MNREGA."

10:56 am: Sonia says the Congress party and the UPA government reponded to the the key threats that India faced. The divisive forces are stretching the social fabric to a breaking point

10:54 am: Sonia adds that the party stands on its beliefs and philosophies. "We reflect what we stand for. 2014 battle will be a battle for India, a battle for preserving secular tradition."

10:53 am: Sonia says the Congress party is ready and prepared for the 2014 Lok Sabha battle. She says, "This election will be a battle for India as was conceived by our forefathers."

10:52 am: Congress President Sonia Gandhi addresses AICC meet says CWC decision on not naming Rahul Gandhi as the party's prime ministerial candidate is final.

10:49 am: Youth congress workers shouting slogans, say Rahul Gandhi should be made prime ministerial candidate.

10:45 am: Congress to appeal to secular parties in its resolution.

10:41 am: DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely welcomes everyone on behalf of Delhi Congress unit. He says, "It is true that we have lost Delhi Assembly elections, but we are now more determined to stand up together. Congress never compromises with its policies and philosophy be whatever."

10:39 am: Sonia Gandhi is being garlanded by the party leaders. Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister also share the honour.

10:35 am: Congress President Sonia Gandhi enters the venue. She will address the party members shortly.

10:33 am: CWC decision on not naming Rahul as the party's prime ministerial nominee can also be seen that the party is not for the dynasty but for the people.

10:29 am: Leaders move towards the venue for the session.

10:28 am: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh standing in first row along with Sushil Kumar Shinde, Rahul Gandhi, Kamal Nath.

10:27 am: Congress President Sonia Gandhi hoists party flag ahead of the session. All the party leaders sing the national anthem.

10:22 am: Former Delhi Chief Sheila Dikshit said, "Sonia has only followed the tradition and not made the announcement on prime ministerial nominee yet. Everyone wants Rahul Gandhi to be the next Prime Minister."

10:21 am: Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar clarifies that he never said that the party should sit in the opposition.

10:20 am: Around 1,000 Congress members attend the meet.

10:05 am: AICC meet to begin shortly. Congress President Sonia Gandhi to speak around 10:30 am.

9:50 am: Youth Congress to demand a rethink on the decision and ask for Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial candidate of the party.

9:43 am: Each state unit will be given a chance to speak at the session.

9:40 am: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be the first to speak, followed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi. Sonia will conclude the session.

9:30 am: Congress leader Anu Tandon said the party never announced the prime ministerial candidate. "We have never announced the PM candidate. We can work under both Rahul and Sonia. Not scared of the BJP," she said.

9:20 am: Posters of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have adorned the walls outside Talkatora Stadium, where the Congress session is taking place. Party workers hope that she will play a bigger role this time.

9:11 am: Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said, "We are not disappointed. We will fight elections under Rahul Gandhi. We have never had a tradition of announcing a prime ministerial nominee. I have my sympathies with the BJP. There are too many people waiting to be PMs in their party."

9:07 am: Congress leaders arrive at the venue for the meet.

9:05 am: With Congress leaders backing Rahul's prime ministerial candidature, many are disappointed with the decision. Party leader Jagdish Sharma said, "Party worker says Rahul Gandhi should have been made prime ministerial candidate."

The crucial All India Congress Committee meeting will begin on Friday to startegise the party's move ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Even though the party had on Thursday at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting announced that party Vice President Rahul Gandhi will not be named as the party's prime ministerial candidate, but will lead the party's election campaign. Keeping up with the party's tradition, the CWC did not name the prime ministerial nominee for the party.

Sources said that party President Sonia Gandhi herself stepped in and opposed Rahul being named as the prime ministerial nominee. She said, "No need to announce a prime ministerial candidate just because other parties have done. There is no convention to announce a prime ministerial candidate. Rahul Gandhi will head the election campaign of the Congress.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley took dig at the Congress for not announcing the prime ministerial nominee saying, "It is a recognition of reality since they know they are not going to form the government, why the need for announcing one. Any party that takes a decision of this kind weighs the political realities. I think the intention could also be to duck a comparison."

The elections which were believed to be personality driven will now be seen as a battle between BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and other regional parties. The Congress was trying also to project Rahul as the anti-corruption leader and even gave the credit of the passage of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 in the winter session of Parliament to him.

Meanwhile, the BJP is also conducting a three-day brainstorming session to strategise the party's move ahead of the general elections where party leaders and workers are expected to be present.

Reasons believed to be behind not naming Rahul Gandhi as party's prime ministerial nominee:

The Congress did not want to pitch Rahul directly against Narendra Modi.

Some senior Congress leaders would have had a problem working with Rahul's style.

The Congress felt that that many allies like NCP, RLD wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of a junior like Rahul as the prime ministerial nominee.