Page 20 - Bihar Assembly Elections

Bihar CM Nitish files his nomination for re-election to legislative council

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday filed his nomination papers for re-election to the state legislative council. Kumar, who is running for a fourth consecutive term, filed his nomination papers in the presence of a host of senior leaders of the ruling NDA, including his deputies Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, who belong to the BJP, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" whom he succeeded as the JD(U) national president. Besides Kumar, nomination papers were filed by his cabinet colleague Santosh Suman and JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar. Suman's father Jitan Ram Manjhi, a former chief minister who heads Hindustani Awam Morcha, was also present. The Election Commission has announced biennial polls for 11 seats of the state legislative council, the terms of which would end in May. Of these, the JD(U) had held four, though following a diminution in its strength in the assembly, the party has given up its claim on two of the seats. Besides Kumar and Anwar, those from the JD(U) whos

Nitish to file nomination on Tuesday for re-election to legislative council

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is seeking re-election to the state legislative council, will file his nomination papers on Tuesday, a senior JD(U) leader said. Kumar, who heads the JD(U), will be contesting for a fourth consecutive term in the Upper House, to which he first got elected in 2006, a few months after becoming the chief minister. The JD(U) president's current term ends in May. However, the Election Commission recently announced biennial polls for 11 seats of the Bihar Vidhan Parishad, including the one held by the chief minister. Of the 11 seats, the JD(U) held four, the largest number for any single party. However, in view of its diminished tally in the assembly, the party is conceding two seats to ally BJP which has grown numerically stronger. JD(U) leaders said that sitting MLC Khalid Anwar was likely to be considered for a second consecutive term. The BJP is yet to announce its candidates, though Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who is also the party's state ...

PM Modi, Amit Shah likely to visit Bihar ahead of Lok Sabha polls

As per BJP sources, PM Modi will address public meetings in Aurangabad and Begusarai parliamentary constituencies in Bihar on March 2

ECI winds up Bihar tour ahead of LS polls, voices concern over low turnout

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday asserted that low voter turnout was a cause for concern in Bihar, known as the land that gave birth to democracy and still inhabited by politically aware citizens. Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar made the averment at a press conference here, before concluding his three-day tour of the state for reviewing preparedness ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. "Bihar is known as the mother of democracy," said Kumar, in an apparent reference to the ancient republic of Vaishali. Even though people of the state are known to be politically aware, the voter turnout here has been "poor", he said. "In 2019, it was not just below the national average, but second lowest in the country. Only Jammu and Kashmir had registered a lower voting percentage," Kumar said. The CEC said several steps were being taken to ensure improvement in turnout with a special focus on those segments where this was particularly low. "We have noted that the voting percentag

LS polls: NDA will win all seats in Bihar, says deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary

When asked about giving a chance to Nitish Kumar again, Lalu Prasad Yadav on February 16 said, "Ab aayenge toh dekhenge, khula hi rehta hai darwaaza' (if he will we will see, door remains open)"

Bihar floor test: Newly formed Nitish govt to seek trust vote today

The NDA government in Bihar, formed as a result of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar's latest volte face, will on Monday seek trust vote in the assembly where the numbers are stacked in its favour, but the opposition snaps at its heels. The inaugural day of the budget session will commence with the Governor's customary address to members of the bicameral legislature after which the assembly will take up the no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary before the trust vote. Chaudhary, who belongs to RJD, the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan' which Kumar quit a fortnight ago, has made it clear that he will not step down despite the motion moved by legislators of the NDA soon after the new government was formed. The NDA, which includes JD(U), BJP, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and an Independent, has a combined strength of 128 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly, six more than the majority mark. The absence of a few MLAs at the JD(U)

JDU MLAs to meet this weekend ahead of trust vote of Nitish Kumar govt

JD(U) legislators in Bihar will go into huddles this weekend ahead of the crucial trust vote to be sought by the Nitish Kumar government, party leaders said on Saturday. They, however, insisted that a luncheon to be hosted by Shrawan Kumar on Saturday and high tea at Vijay Kumar Chaudhary's place a day later are part of a "tradition of the JD(U) before every assembly session". "The party is confident of winning the trust vote on Monday. We usually meet before the beginning of every assembly session. Such gatherings were earlier held at the residences of the two senior party leaders", JD(U) national general secretary Afaque Ahmad Khan told PTI. The views were echoed by Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Shrawan Kumar, both of whom are counted among the most trusted cabinet colleagues of Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president. Both JD(U) leaders have been retained as ministers in the new cabinet of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. While Chaudhary has been a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly si

BJP demands inquiry into alcohol consumption allegations against Tejashwi

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has demanded an inquiry into the allegations of recently disqualified RJD MLC Rambali Singh that Tejashwi Yadav has been "consuming liquor" in violation of the state's stringent prohibition law. However, Singh, who lost his Bihar legislative council membership two days ago on the charge of working against the party line, maintained that the senior BJP leader (Sushil Modi) had taken out of context word uttered by him during a "loose talk" which got recorded on camera without his knowledge. Singh claimed that he never took the name of RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav during the conversation. "I never took the name of Tejashwi Yadav It was a loose talk which got recorded on camera without my knowledge. Somebody asked me during conversation whether Tejashwi Yadav consumes liquor or not.On this, I said the prohibition law is a complete failure in the state and those who were consuming liquor earlier, are consuming even after t

BJP calls meeting of party MPs, MLAs, Cong leaders to meet in Purnea

Amid the turmoil in Bihar's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', the opposition BJP has called a meeting of its MPs and MLAs on Saturday apparently to discuss the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. According to BJP state unit chief Samrat Choudhary, the meeting will deliberate on the party's strategy for the general elections, the dates for which are yet to be announced. Asked about speculations that the BJP is set for another innings with Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Choudhary told reporters, "No such thing has been discussed at our level." The BJP leaders on Friday dropped major hints about Kumar's reported discussions with the party's senior leaders. Meanwhile, talking to reporters, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "No door is closed in politics. The door can be opened if needed." In a separate development, Bihar Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan has called a meeting of party MLAs and former legislators in Purnea at 2 pm on Saturday. He also denied reports that the meeting had anything to do w

Bihar caste survey deliberately showed inflated Muslim population: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday attacked Bihar's Nitish Kumar government, accusing it of deliberately showing inflated Muslim and Yadav population in the state's caste survey as part of its "appeasement politics". Addressing a rally in Muzaffarpur district, the senior BJP leader said that the decision to conduct the caste survey in the state was taken when Nitish Kumar's JD(U) was an NDA constituent. Last year, JD(U) severed ties with the BJP and joined the Mahagathbandhan alliance comprising Congress, RJD and Left parties. Attacking the opposition INDIA alliance, of which both JD(U) and RJD are key members, Shah alleged that the only agenda of the bloc is to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Nitish Kumar should stop dreaming about becoming the next PM. The INDIA alliance did not even make him its convener," he said. Shah exuded confidence that the BJP would win all the 40 seats in Bihar in next year's Lok Sabha elections. Hitting out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, h

Reading between the lines: What Bihar census means socially and politically

Bihar, home to over 137 million people, has recently been under the spotlight due to its caste survey, the 'Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana'. Watch the video to know what this caste survey means socially a

Securing absolute majority in Assembly polls top priority: Bihar BJP chief

The BJP's new Bihar unit chief Samrat Chaudhary on Thursday asserted that securing all 40 Lok Sabha seats of the state next year and ensuring an "absolute majority" for his party in the assembly polls of 2025 will be his top priority. Currently the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council, Chaudhary, who was a minister in the Nitish Kumar government till the JD(U) leader remained with NDA, also did not deny that by hedging its bets on him, the BJP has sought to make a dent in the "Luv-Kush" base of the Bihar chief minister. "The BJP cares for all. But, of course, where else would Luv Kush go except the place where Lord Rama abides", Chaudhary replied, tongue in cheek, to questions from journalists about the "Kurmi-Koeri" combine, known by the name of the mythical twins in Bihar's political lexicon. The development is an indication of the challenges faced by the BJP in a state where it has become a force to reckon with but feels hamstrung by the "pro-upper caste ...

Bihar bypolls: RJD takes lead in two assembly seats, BJP trailing

The RJD has established a lead in the two assembly seats of Mokama and Gopalganj in Bihar after the first round of counting, with BJP nominees found trailing, Election Commission trends revealed. In Mokama, Neelam Devi garnered 4,159 votes after the first round, and BJP's Sonam Devi 3,508 votes. Mohan Gupta of the RJD is leading in Gopalganj with 2,713 votes. He is followed by Kusum Devi of the BJP with 1,798 votes. Of the 6.10 lakh voters -- Gopalganj (3.31 lakh) and Mokama (2.70 lakh) 52.3 per cent had exercised their franchise in the two seats on November 3, he said. A total of 619 polling booths were set up in the two constituencies. Fifteen candidates are in the fray -- nine in Gopalganj and six in Mokama. This is the first electoral face-off between the ruling Grand Alliance (GA) and the opposition BJP in Bihar after the change of government in August this year, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party JD-U snapped ties with the saffron party and aligned with Lalu Prasad's

Assembly by-elections: More than 45% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

An average voter turnout of 45.60 per cent was recorded till 3 pm Thursday in the by-elections to seven assembly constituencies underway in six states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The polling is being held in Mokama and Gopalganj assembly constituencies of Bihar, Andheri (East) of Maharashtra, Adampur of Haryana, Munugode of Telangana, Gola Gokarannath of Uttar Pradesh, and Dhamnagar of Odisha. Among the seven seats where bypolls are being held, the BJP held three seats and the Congress two, while the Shiv Sena and the RJD had one each. The contest is symbolic of the fierce turf war between the BJP and the regional parties. For the bypolls in Bihar, the main contest is between the BJP and the RJD, and the saffron party's main contenders in Haryana are the Congress, INLD and the AAP. In Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, the main contests are between the BJP and the TRS, SP and the BJD respectively. The Munugode assembly bypoll recorded the highest turnout till 3 pm of 59.9

Grave governance challenges await Bihar's new coalition government

Committed expenditures of the state, which has the lowest per capita income, exceed its own revenue by 47% in FY23

Parallel meetings of JD(U), RJD begin amid soaring political temperatures

Parallel meetings of the JD(U) which helms the Bihar government, and the opposition RJD are on here Tuesday amid speculations of a major political move by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

BJP remains a complaining ally, but cannot do without Nitish Kumar

The number of MLAs in the ruling coalition is 127 -- BJP: 77, JD(U): 45, HAM (Secular): 4, and Vikassheel Insaan Party: 1. Also, it has the support of one independent MLA, who is a minister

Political analyst Prashant Kishor hints at new beginning in Bihar

Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Monday caused ripples in the choppy waters of Bihar politics with the cryptic announcement of a fresh shuruat (beginning) from his home state. Kishor came out with a tweet in which he called a roller coaster ride his spectacularly successful decade of political consultancy which saw him working with clients as diverse as Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee and Jagan Mohan Reddy. My quest to be a meaningful participant in democracy and help shape pro-people policy led to a roller-coaster ride! As I turn the page, time to go to the Real Masters, THE PEOPLE, to better understand the issues and the path to Jan Suraaj people's good governance, tweeted Kishor, adding the hashtag shuruat Bihar se (Beginning from Bihar). The Twitter post indicated his turn towards active politics in his home state. According to I-PAC, the political consultancy firm founded by Kishor, he is likely to come out with more details about his future project at a press conferenc

Counting underway for Bochahan by-election in Bihar's Muzaffarpur

Counting is underway for the by-election to the Bochahan assembly seat in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, officials said.

Bihar MLC Polls: Counting of votes underway, JD (U) bags first seat

The counting of votes for Bihar legislative council elections began on Thursday, with the ruling JD (U)'s Dinesh Singh winning from Muzaffarpur