The RJD has accused the BJP of politically targeting its rivals usuing government agencies
The Congress on Monday took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with another chameleon barb and 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar' jibe at him, a day after the JD(U) leader's latest volte-face in Bihar. Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and formed a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. In a post in Hindi on 'X', Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Girgit ko bhi karni padi naye rang ki khoj, ye shoorveer badalte hain itne rang roz (Even the chameleon had to search for a new colour as these 'warriors' change so many colours everyday)." Speaking with reporters in Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said, "What can I say? I said yesterday 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'. Nitish Kumar gives a tough competition to a chameleon." Ramesh swipe was a word play on the ...
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana in its editorial has criticised Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for returning to NDA fold
Bihar CM, who returned to NDA fold, feared significant losses in Lok Sabha polls had he stayed with INDIA bloc
Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volte-face, asserted that there is now no question of him going anywhere else, leaving the NDA-fold. Kumar was sworn in by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan here, hours after he resigned from the post, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Grand Alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA. "I was with them (NDA) earlier, too. We went on different paths, but now we are together and will remain so... I came back to where I was (NDA), and now there is no question of going anywhere else, the 72-year-old leader told reporters after taking oath as the CM. He said a total of eight people took oath on Sunday as ministers, and names of the remaining ones will be decided soon. BJP leaders - Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha - will be the deputy chief ministers, Kumar said. Kumar also said he was committed to the development of Bi
An experienced upper-caste BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Sinha has held posts as varied as the Bihar Assembly Speaker, a cabinet minister and Leader of the Opposition. Sinha, 64, was elected the deputy leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday, and with this elevation, he is likely to become one of the two deputy CMs in the new NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar. Born to a school teacher in Lakhisarai district, he is enjoying his third consecutive term in the assembly from the eponymous constituency. Sinha, who belongs to the influential Bhumihar community, was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS' student wing, while pursuing a diploma course in civil engineering at a polytechnic in Barauni. Starting off as a grassroots BJP worker, Sinha made his debut in the assembly in 2010 and got a ministerial berth seven years later, when he was given the crucial labour resources department. Seen as a mature leader, he was chosen by the BJP for the job of the ..
An OBC leader of the BJP in Bihar where the party wants to transcend its "pro-upper caste" image, Samrat Choudhary has had a meteoric rise since he joined the outfit nearly seven years ago. Choudhary was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday, and with this elevation, he is likely to become one of the two deputy CMs in the new NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar. His father, Shakuni Choudhary was an army man-turned-politician who started off in the Congress, and frequently switched allegiance between arch-rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. Samrat was a minister in the government headed by Rabri Devi, the RJD supremo's wife, and remained with the party for quite a while after it was ousted from power in 2005. In 2014, he became part of a rebel faction and joined the JD(U) government headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had taken over after Kumar had stepped down. Three years later, he grew disenchanted with the JD(U) and joined the BJP, which recognised his potentia
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA. Talking to reporters here after submitting his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Kumar, who is likely to form a new government with the support of the BJP, said: "If the parties which were with me earlier agree to come together, you will get to know what happens next". "I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. The government that was in place now comes to an end. I have let it go", said Kumar, who stopped briefly to talk to reporters outside the Raj Bhavan, which is a stone's throw from his official residence. The 72-year-old leader indicated that he was not feeling happy with the way things were in the Mahagathbandhan in the state as well as the INDIA bloc that he helped take shape but which failed to adequately recognise his efforts. "You all know ho
Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar has distinguished himself as a leader who ruled Bihar for the longest time, without his party having ever won a majority on its own. Concealed beneath the feat, which testifies to his political acumen and survival instincts, is the fact that the 72-year-old leader could never remain at peace with his allies which also made him change partners frequently. "The name of Nitish Kumar deserves to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the number of times he has aligned, dumped and realigned with the BJP, was a tongue-in-cheek remark by Congress MLA from Bhagalpur Ajeet Sharma. Sharma also cited Kumar's famous remark "mitti mein mil jaayenge magar BJP ke saath nahin jaaenge" (I shall be consigned to dust rather than going back to the BJP), soon after he had first snapped ties with the saffron party in 2013, following his objections to the national ascendance of Narendra Modi, his then Gujarat counterpart. No wonder, in a political career spannin
It is understood that Nitish will take oath as the CM for the ninth time along with two deputy chief ministers from the BJP at the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday
In an apparent dig at JD(U) president Nitish Kumar who resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya on Sunday said the "garbage has gone into the dustbin". Kumar resigned as the chief minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA. "Garbage goes back into the dustbin. Happy stinking garbage to the group", Acharya posted on 'X'. Earlier on Thursday too she had posted controversial remarks and later deleted. Later, the RJD had claimed that Acharya's social media posts were aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. "Comments made in another context are withdrawn when vested interests use these for political purposes," an RJD leader had told reporters when asked about the deleted posts on X, in which Acharya, who is based in Singapore, had mentioned no leader by name. Screenshots of the deleted posts, in
Samrat Choudhary was on Sunday elected the leader of the BJP legislative party in Bihar, while Vijay Kumar Sinha was elected its deputy leader. With these elevations, Choudhary, the state BJP president, and Sinha are likely to be made the deputy CMs in the new NDA government that will be formed in the state. "In the legislative party meeting held today, BJP MLAs approved the proposal to form an NDA government in the state with JD(U)'s support. State BJP president Samrat Chaudhary was elected leader of the legislative party and Vijay Sinha was elected deputy leader," the BJP's in-charge of Bihar Vinod Tawde said after JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as chief minister. Senior BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad told PTI-Video that "most certainly" Choudhary and Sinha will be the party's choice for the post of deputy CMs. Other party leaders who are likely to be made ministers in the new government are Nitin Nabin, Shahnawaz Hussain, Rampreet Paswan, Neeraj Singh Babloo, besides Prasad
Taking a swipe at the BJP over the Bihar political developments, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday said while there was talk of Ram Rajya at the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, "Aaya Ram Gaya Ram" was being showcased in Bihar. Sibal's dig in the morning came just ahead of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's volte-face from the opposition INDIA bloc to the BJP-led NDA. In a post on X, Sibal said, "Ayodhya, Bihar. Talk of: Ram Rajya at Ayodhya and showcase 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram in Bihar'!" "What say you Modi ji?" said Sibal, a prominent voice in the opposition. Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' was an expression used widely in politics in the 1990s referring to the frequent floor-crossing and switching of parties. Later in the day, Chief Minister Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar. The governor accepted Kumar's resignation, and asked him to continue as caretaker CM till a new government is formed. A new government with the support of the BJP is likely to be in place
Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar handed over his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Sunday
Calling on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Nitish told him, "We have decided to sever ties with the Mahagathbandhan in the state"
BJP leaders arriving at the party office said that discussion will be held to chalk out the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections
Early morning commuters in the national capital say that they are finding it difficult to cope with the weather
Notably, the Bhartiya Janata Party will also hold a meeting with its MLAs and MPs in Patna at 9 am today to chalk out the strategy over the latest political situation in the state
BJP National President JP Nadda was also present at the meeting at Shah's residence today