Page 276 - Bjp

Himachal govt transfers 42 HPAS officers ahead of Lok Sabha elections

In a major administrative reshuffle, the Himachal Pradesh government has transferred 42 Himachal Administrative Service (HPAS) officers

Behind Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's switch: Caste play, Modi's outreach

Bihar CM, who returned to NDA fold, feared significant losses in Lok Sabha polls had he stayed with INDIA bloc

Affiliates of RSS, BJP gear up for LS polls with interim Budget plans

The interlocutors are conscious that the exercise on February 1 will only be an Interim Budget, and a full Budget will be presented sometime in July

Illegal properties of govt employees to be razed by bulldozer: Raj minister

Rajasthan Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar on Sunday issued a stern warning to "corrupt" government servants, saying illegal properties of "accused staffers" would be razed by bulldozers. Dilawar said government servants accused of amassing illegal properties would be suspended and dismissed. "The illegal properties of those guilty of such crimes would also be demolished by bulldozer," he said while speaking to media after an official meeting here on Sunday. The minister said the officials present in the meeting have been directed to identify government employees against whom cases of corruption and misconduct have been lodged but have escaped action so far due to absence of adequate evidence. He said he would not care "if he is hanged for violation of rules" in getting illegal properties demolished. While speaking at an event in his assembly area Ramganj Mandi on Saturday, the minister had issued a similar warning on illegally accumulated properties by governmen

LIVE: Now the double engine govt will benefit Bihar, says JP Nadda

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Modi wave felt across India including Odisha: Union minister Pradhan

Claiming that India has been witnessing a "Modi Wave", senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday asserted that Odisha is all set to witness a major political change with the people of the state reposing trust in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pradhan said this while attending booth-level public contact programmes in Bhubaneswar and Pipili. "Today, entire India including Odisha has been witnessing a Modi wave. The blessings and respect of the people of Odisha towards the Prime Minister are increasing. Modi guarantee is the hope of people," Pradhan said. During the booth-level public contact programmes, he had breakfast and food in house of BJP workers in different places and also painted the party's poll symbol 'lotus' at the doorstep of the house he visited. Taking to X, Pradhan said, "Joined a walk at Gobindpur Siula I Pipili, the heart of rich art, culture and heritage. I put stickers on Modiji's message in every house and met the village

Nitish Kumar is natural ally, with him we will sweep LS polls: JP Nadda

BJP on Sunday described the party's alliance with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as "natural" and asserted that the coalition will benefit the state. Addressing a press conference here, shortly after he attended Kumar's swearing in with his party as an alliance partner, BJP national president JP Nadda asserted that NDA will "sweep" the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He also attacked the opposition bloc INDIA, saying it stands for "bhrashtachar bachao, parivar bachao( protect corruption and save the family). He said the new NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar will make 'Ujjwal Bihar.' "The people of Bihar had given the mandate in the last assembly polls to our natural alliance with Nitish Kumar. Bihar has gained whenever we have been in power together, be it in terms of law and order or economic development," he said. He asserted that "Bihar will again see growth propelled by double engine, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm at the Centre". He also said, "We are ...

No question of going anywhere else now, leaving NDA-fold: Nitish Kumar

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

UP CM Adityanath congratulates Nitish Kumar for taking oath as Bihar CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday congratulated Nitish Kumar for taking oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar. In a post on 'X', Adityanath said, "Hearty congratulations to Shri @NitishKumar ji on taking oath as as the Chief Minister of Bihar and Shri Samrat Chaudhary ji and Shri Vijay Sinha ji on taking oath as Deputy Chief Ministers! Fully confident that the double engine government formed in Bihar will set excellent standards of service, good governance and development in the state under the guidance of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji." JD(U) president Kumar on Sunday took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for the record ninth time after a dramatic volte-face, ditching the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and the opposition bloc INDIA and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Kumar was sworn in by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Patna in the presence of senior leaders, including BJP ...

Meet Vijay Kumar Sinha, a versatile and an experienced BJP leader

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 ..

Meet Samrat Choudhary, OBC leader whose stock rose rapidly upon joining BJP

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

NDA govt in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for state's development: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that the newly sworn-in NDA government in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for the state's development and to fulfil people's aspirations, as he congratulated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his two deputies on taking oath. In a post on X, Modi said he is confident that the new government in Bihar will serve the people with full dedication. Hours after resigning as chief minister and breaking ties with the INDIA bloc, Kumar took oath of the same office for the ninth time as the BJP extended its support to him. BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha took oath as deputy chief ministers, along with several ministers.

Congress expects to win 15-20 seats in Karnataka in LS polls: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Congress expects to win between 15 and 20 seats in the state, in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats. "The Congress party will win around 20 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections. We don't lie like the BJP, claiming to win all 28 seats in the state. Our expectation is that we may win between 15 and 20 seats," Siddaramaiah said while speaking to reporters here. "We have got some surveys done," he said, responding to a question. The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by winning 25 seats, while an independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya) backed by it won one seat. The Congress and JD(S) won one seat each. The Congress and JD(S) were in alliance during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while this time around the regional party has partnered with the BJP to face the upcoming elections. Noting that when he was chief minister earlier, the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly

Nitish Kumar resigns, stakes claim to form govt in Bihar with BJP's support

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

Nitish a 'chameleon', 'expert' of betrayal: Congress after his resignation

The Congress on Sunday called Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar a "chameleon" and said the people of the state will never forgive this "expert" of betrayal and those making him dance to their tunes. The party was reacting to Kumar's decision to resign as the chief minister of Bihar and leaving the 'Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)' in the state while also dealing a body blow to the opposition bloc INDIA. Kumar had joined the 'Mahagathbandhan' in August 2022, when he had snapped ties with the BJP, accusing it of trying to "split" his Janata Dal (United). He had formed a new government with a multi-party coalition that included the RJD, the Congress and three Left parties. Dubbing him as "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram", the Congress said there are many people like him in the country. The expression was used widely in politics in the 90s referring to the frequent floor-crossing and switching of parties. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said they already knew about Kumar'

PM Narendra Modi is likely to visit Odisha twice in Feb: Manmohan Samal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Odisha twice in February, state BJP president Manmohan Samal said on Sunday. Modi, who is scheduled to visit Odisha's Sambalpur on February 3 and address a public meeting, may also visit the state capital on February 10 when the saffron party holds its national women's conference here, Samal said. "The party has decided to hold two women's conferences, one in Madhya Pradesh and the second in Odisha in February. The prime minister is likely to attend the women's conference in Odisha tentatively on February 10. The PM has given his consent to attend it", Samal said, adding that the details of the February 10 programme will be announced soon. He said around 25,000 women from 14 states are likely to attend the Mahila Samavesh, which is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to make a dent into the trusted women vote bank of Biju Janata Dal. Earlier in the day, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who hails from Odisha had indicated ..

1.4 billion Indians are living in 'anyaay kaal' imposed by BJP: Congress

The Congress on Sunday alleged that 140 crore Indians were living in "anyaay kaal" imposed by the BJP and they would ensure that justice is done to the people of the country through the five pillars of "nyay" proposed by the party. Congress spokesperson and AICC Media and Publicity chairman Pawan Khera said at a press conference that the BJP government has mastered the art of shrouding reality behind the dazzle of an event and that is what is happening with the country and its economy under them. "This government has mastered the art of how to shroud the reality behind the dazzle of an event. This is something we must all learn from them. The truth about the economy is that youth from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are queuing up for jobs for fighting in Israel. This is heart-wrenching," Khera told reporters. "Why would any person want to go to a country engaged in war and become a labourer? The answer is that their average monthly income is just Rs 10,000 (most below minimum wage) while

How Nitish Kumar became longest-serving Bihar CM over many political storms

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

Akhilesh presented alliance model to counter BJP, others should follow: SP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has presented an alliance model to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and others should follow, a spokesperson of his party said on Sunday after JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the chief minister of Bihar. Kumar, who is likely to form a new government in Bihar with the BJP's support, told reporters in Patna that "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA. Reacting to the development, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ameeq Jamei said, "The elections that are going to be held are for saving our secular democracy. Our party leader Akhilesh Yadav has presented a model by announcing seat-sharing with the Congress and RLD." "A second round of talks with the Congress is on. Everyone should follow this to remove the BJP (from power)," he said. Yadav on Saturday announced that his party's alliance with the Congress was "off to a good start" with 11 "strong

Reached seat-sharing understanding with some INDIA bloc partners: Kharge

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said his party has held talks with all alliance partners of INDIA bloc on seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and reached an understanding with some of them, while the dialogue with others is at the final stages. He said the Congress has already begun preparation for the Lok Sabha polls with the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by party leader Rahul Gandhi and his own visit to various places across the country. "Our party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is going on. I have also visited Telangana, and will be travelling to Dehradun, Odisha, Bihar, Delhi, Kerala and other places. Dates have been fixed for my visits and Rahul Gandhi will also come to a few places. We have already started our preparations. It is our party work and programme, we will do, it should not be compared with other parties," Kharge told reporters here. On seat sharing with alliance partners, he said he has constituted a six-member committee headed by