Page 44 - Bihar

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to tender resignation by Sunday morning: Report

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the Mahagathbandhan' government, is likely to tender his resignation by Sunday morning, a source close to the CM said on Saturday. Talking to PTI, the source, who requested anonymity, said though the possibility of resignation by late Saturday evening could not be ruled out, "it would definitely take place by Sunday morning". He also said prior to putting in his papers, Kumar, the JD(U) president, will hold a customary meeting of the legislature party. The source said government offices like the secretariat have been asked to remain open on Sunday "in view of hectic activity expected during the day", which may see a new government with the BJP's support. Meanwhile, at a party meeting, state BJP leaders stopped short of making a formal announcement of support to the JD(U) chief in the event of his pulling out of the Mahagathbandhan'. Requesting anonymity, BJP sources said instructions have been received from the top leadership to put on

Railways land-for-job case: Court summons Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti

A Delhi Court on Saturday summoned former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav along with others after taking cognisance of an Enforcement Directorate charge sheet against them in the railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case. Special Judge Vishal directed the accused to appear before the court on February 9, saying there were sufficient grounds to proceed in the matter. The judge also issued a production warrant against businessman Amit Katyal, who is presently in judicial custody in the case. An alleged "close associate" of the Yadav family Katyal (49), railway employee and alleged beneficiary Hridayanand Chaudhary, two firms A K Infosystems Pvt. Ltd. and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd., through their common director Shariqul Bari, have also been named in the charge sheet. Katyal was arrested in this case by the ED in November last year while former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was summoned by the agency but is yet to ...

BJP meeting underway in Bihar as political uncertainty in state continues

Leaders of the BJP in Bihar gathered here on Saturday to discuss the political situation in the state, amid indications that former ally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was planning yet another volte face. We have come here to deliberate on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The current situation in Bihar will also be taken up for discussion, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary told reporters ahead of the party meeting at its Veerchand Patel Marg office. The meeting is also being attended by the party's MPs. The BJP has the largest number of 17 MPs in Bihar, where the total number of Lok Sabha members is 40. The JD(U), headed by Kumar, has 16 while another NDA ally LJP, now split up between the uncle-nephew duo of Pashupati Kumar Paras and Chirag Paswan, has six. Earlier, the party's state in-charge Vinod Tawde had slammed the Congress for driving Kumar, the JD(U) president, towards a break up with the INDIA coalition of which he was widely regarded as the architect. Party leaders have s

BJP calls meeting of party MPs, MLAs in Patna amid turmoil in Bihar

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 2pm on Saturday. He also denied reports that the meeting had anything to do with

Nitish Kumar turns up at Raj Bhavan high tea on R-Day, Tejashwi skips

Amid speculations of a rift in the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday attended the high tea ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of the Republic Day with his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD remaining conspicuous by absence. The seat next to that of Kumar was occupied by senior JD(U) leader and minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary who removed the slip said to be bearing the name of Yadav before occupying the chair. Leader of the opposition in the assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha of the BJP, sat next to Choudhary and he was seen exchanging pleasantries with Kumar. The high tea was organised on the occasion of the Republic Day. Though education minister Alok Kumar Mehta, who is also a national general secretary of the RJD, was among the attendees, Yadav and many other party leaders, including Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, did not turn up. Speculations are rife that Kumar was unhappy with the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress and

JDU chief Nitish Kumar will soon return to BJP-led NDA: Jitan Ram Majhi

Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Friday it was only a matter of time before JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar returns to the BJP-led NDA. Asked about the timing of Kumar joining hands with the NDA, Manjhi said, "It will happen at any moment. I knew from the beginning that the grand alliance government of the RJD-JD(U) would fall." On the reason for Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav skipping the governor's high-tea ceremony on Republic Day, Manjhi said, "I cannot comment on this. You should ask him (Tejashwi Yadav) why he was absent." Earlier in the day, Manjhi had said that the 'grand alliance' government in Bihar would not remain intact. "There is not much to say about the political atmosphere in Bihar. Nitish Kumar's statement on dynastic politics was directed at the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The 'grand alliance' government in Bihar will not remain intact after this statement from the CM. Kumar had also mentioned that some people wanted

Will he, won't he? Buzz on Nitish Kumar's BJP return amid INDIA rift

Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself sounded more open to such a possibility in a recent interview

Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur: All you need to know about 'Jan Nayak'

Karpoori Thakur, who is considered to be the fountainhead of OBC politics in Bihar, served as the state's CM for two short tenures

Karpoori Thakur should have received Bharat Ratna long ago: Lalu Yadav

Taking a dig at the Centre, the RJD chief said that after the Bihar government conducted the caste census, the central government woke up and focused on the benefit of Bahujans

Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur worked to create a more inclusive society

Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur ji's life revolved around the twin pillars of simplicity and social justice. Till his last breath, his simple lifestyle and humble nature resonated deeply with the people

Former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna

During his nearly ten years at the helm, the PM tried melding the 'Mandal versus Kamandal' politics of 1990

Bharat Ratna: 'Jannayak' Karpoori Thakur, mentor to likes of Lalu, Nitish

Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, who has been chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna, is remembered as a stalwart of social justice and an inspiring figure in Indian politics. Hailing from the extremely backward class Nai (barber), Thakur was born in an impoverished family in Samastipur district but went on to make giant strides in politics that earned him the epithet Jannayak (people's leader). The official announcement which came a day ahead of Thakur's birth anniversary, hailed the socialist leader's lifelong dedication to the upliftment of the underprivileged sections of society and his relentless fight for social Justice. Born in 1924, Thakur went on to become the Chief Minister in the 1970s and his tenure is best remembered for introducing reservations for the backward classes, besides the state's first brush with prohibition. He died in 1988. Leaders of the current era like JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD head L

He worked for the poor: PM hails Bihar's former CM Karpoori Thakur

With the government deciding to confer former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur with the Bharat Ratna posthumously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said this prestigious recognition is a testament to the socialist leader's enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality. Thakur was born in 1924 in one of the most backward sections of society- the Nai Samaj (barber community). He was a leader whose political journey was marked by his unwavering commitment to the marginalised sections of society. The Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday that Thakur will be awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously. Thakur, popularly known as 'jannayak', served as chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. He died on February 17, 1988. In a post on X, Modi said he is delighted that the government has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on "the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur" and that too at

Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously

He was a former Bihar Chief Minister and was known for championing the cause of the backward classes

Ram temple consecration: Bihar Governor releases special postal cover

Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Monday released a special cover of the Postal Department (Bihar Circle) on the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple' after the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Governor said that the Postal Department has been serving the people for more than 150 years and has also been playing a leading role in keeping the heritage alive through special souvenirs like stamps and special covers. Releasing the special cover on the Temple at a function at Raj Bhavan, Arlekar said, "The country has witnessed a historic moment today, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. It is a privilege for me to release the special cover on Prabhu Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple today. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Postmaster General, Bihar Circle, Anil Kumar, said this special cover is dedicated to Lord Ram's visit to Bihar. Many postal stamps have already been issued on Lord Ram, he said.

Bihar adds 1.2 mn voters in electoral roll released by state election body

The electoral roll also showed a significant increase of 779,360 number of young voters in the 18 to 19 years age group from 147,062 to 926,422

'Nyay Yatra' to enter Bihar on Jan 29, Nitish may share stage with Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will enter Bihar on January 29 and cover four districts in three days during which top INDIA bloc leaders may join him for public meetings, the party announced here on Monday. Addressing a press conference at the historical Sadaqat Ashram, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, senior leader and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra said that Gandhi will reach Kishanganj district from Siliguri in West Bengal, and after interacting with the public and a night halts, leave for Purnea a day later. "In Purnea, a big rally has been planned. Invites have been sent to our alliance partners like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who has agreed to come. In the event of his getting caught up elsewhere, the JD(U) president has assured that a senior leader will be sent to represent his party," said Mishra. An invitation has been extended to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, a staunch ally of the Congress, "who may attend the rally in Purnea, or at Katihar

Why should prosecution continue when Tejashwi has withdrawn statement: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till January 29 the hearing on Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's petition seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint pending against him in a Ahmedabad court over his alleged "only Gujaratis can be thugs" remark to a place outside the state, preferably Delhi. A bench of Justices A S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan deferred the matter after the counsel for the complainant sought time. "Why should the prosecution continue when he has withdrawn the statement. You seek instructions otherwise we will exercise powers under Article 142," the bench said. "The counsel for the respondent seeks time to seek instructions on statement filed by the petitioner (Yadav) on January 19. List on next Monday," the top court recorded in its order. The top court, while hearing the RJD leader's plea, had earlier stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation complaint and issued notice to the Gujarat resident who has filed it. The complaint against Yada

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu send most workers to West Asia

Workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu constitute the majority of labour force from India in the construction industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, according to a report. Going by the data of Huntr, the UAE-based marketplace connecting migrant workers with enterprises, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu are the highest contributors to the migration of construction workers from India to the GCC countries. Workers with proficiency in construction skills such as masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, and welding and having prior experience in construction projects, are highly valued by the industries in the GCC countries, the report stated. Further, the report revealed that certifications from the National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC) and good physical fitness are essential as well for workers who work in the GCC region. Workers with basic communication skills in English and adaptability to different working

CM Nitish Kumar reshuffles portfolios of 3 RJD ministers in Bihar govt

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reshuffled his cabinet on Saturday night, in which portfolios of three ministers of his ally RJD were changed. Education Minister Chandra Shekhar, who has been hitting the headlines for different reasons, was made the Sugarcane Industries Miniter. Alok Mehta, who held the Sugarcane Industries and Revenue and Land Resources portfolio, was made the new Education Minister of the state, according to a notification. The Revenue and Land Resources Department was assigned to Lalit Kumar Yadav, who will continue with his existing responsibility of the Public Health and Engineering Department. Besides making controversial statements on different issues, Chandra Shekhar was reportedly involved in a tiff with the Education Department's Additional Chief Secretary KK Pathak.