Congress Party Picks Low-Caste Leader
- Share via
The Congress (I) Party, which ran India for much of its independence only to lose power this year, chose Sitaram Kesri, a low-caste confidant of the former prime minister, as its temporary president. Former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao resigned the party leadership after a judge ordered that he be charged with corruption. Kesri is a respected leader of low-caste Hindus in northern India. He has been party treasurer for the last 20 years. His leadership could swing low-caste votes toward the party in upcoming state elections in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
Taped Jan 8, 2026, a year after the Eaton Fire, this episode features Ondi Timoner. After losing her home, she began documenting the displacement and financial struggles of her neighbors, joining My Tribe Rise to help Altadena rebuild and recover.
Attorney Frank Carson defended the accused for decades. Framed for murder and later acquitted, a star witness admitted he lied. Stanislaus County paid $22.5M to settle his estate’s lawsuit.
Hear from the winner of the 1968 Caltech vs MIT electric car race. But it’s not all fresh air: smog devastates communities of color, and the Trump administration may pull the plug on California’s ability to clear its own air.
