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Nitish govt unveils schemes before polls; Oppn calls them INDIA bloc copy

Ahead of the assembly polls, the NDA government in Bihar has announced a series of schemes, prompting the opposition to claim that after remaining in power for 20 years, all that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could offer was a copy of promises made by the INDIA bloc. Among several promises of the opposition was 200 units of free electricity, which the longest serving CM has sought to neutralise by announcing, notwithstanding his earlier anti-freebies stands, that consumers will not have to pay for 125 units in a month. Kumar on Sunday announced that over 10,000 'Vikas Mitras', who work in villages to make SC and ST people aware of government schemes and convert them to beneficiaries, would be given a one-time allowance of Rs 25,000 each for purchasing tablets so that they can do their work effectively. Their transportation allowance will also be increased from Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,500 per month, and their stationery allowance will be hiked from Rs 900 to Rs 1,500 per month. The governmen

Vice President polls on September 9: How Parliament numbers stack up

The election for the Vice Presidential was called after Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation; NDA's CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy are in the fray

NDA enforces 5-hr bandh in Bihar to protest hurling of abuse at PM's mother

Women workers of the NDA constituents in Bihar on Thursday enforced a five-hour state-wide bandh to protest the alleged hurling of abuse at the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Congress' recently concluded 'Voter Adhikar Yatra'. The members of women cells of BJP, JD(U) and other alliance partners enforced the bandh, which began at 7 am, and staged protests in Patna and other areas. At Patna's Income Tax roundabout, the protesters raised slogans and displayed placards, slamming the Congress and RJD over the incident. Senior BJP leaders, state ministers, party MPs, MLAs and workers will also stage a sit-in outside the state unit office later in the day. Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal, MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Dharmshila Gupta, state minister Nitin Nabin and other senior leaders will participate in the dharna, a statement issued by state BJP said. Speaking to PTI, Patna (Central) Superintendent of Police Diksha said, "Adequate forces have been deployed at all .

'Not a battle, it's a clash of ideas': VP nominee Sudershan Reddy on polls

INDIA bloc's VP candidate B Sudershan Reddy said the election should be decent, free from personal attacks; he called it a contest of ideas, not a fight with NDA's Radhakrishnan

NDA V-P candidate Radhakrishnan files nomination in presence of PM Modi

NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders. Modi, flanked by Radhakrishnan and senior NDA leaders, handed over four sets of nomination papers to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the vice presidential election. The four sets of nomination papers have Modi, Singh, Shah and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh as lead proposers. A prospective vice-presidential candidate is required to get his nomination paper subscribed to by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least another 20 electors as seconders. The NDA has ensured representation of all its constituents as proposers and seconders in the four sets of nomination papers that were filed. The returning officer examined the nomination papers following which Radhakrishnan signed a register. The returnin

Former SC judge B Sudershan Reddy picked as INDIA bloc VP candidate

B Sudershan Reddy to contest as INDIA alliance VP candidate, facing NDA's CP Radhakrishnan; elections are set for September 9 after Dhankhar's resignation

NDA's vice presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan meets PM Modi

Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after the ruling NDA alliance named him as its vice presidential candidate. He arrived here to take part in various meetings of the NDA and met several leaders. Soon after the meeting, Modi posted on X, "Met Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji. Conveyed my best wishes on his being the NDA's Vice Presidential nominee. His long years of public service and experience across domains will greatly enrich our nation. May he continue to serve the nation with the same dedication and resolve he has always demonstrated." Radhakrishnan is likely to file his nomination on August 20. He is expected to be felicitated at the meeting of the NDA parliamentary party on Tuesday.

NDA authorises PM Modi, JP Nadda to choose Vice-President nominee

The National Democratic Alliance on Thursday authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda to pick the ruling bloc's vice presidential candidate, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said. It was a unanimous decision, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said. A meeting of key BJP leaders and their allies was held at the Parliament complex where the decision was taken. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah besides Nadda, JD(U)'s Lalan Singh, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, TDP's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, and Chirag Paswan of LJP (Ram Vilas) were among those who attended the meeting. Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting.

Legacy of U-turns: Timeline of Nitish Kumar's alliance shifts over a decade

From Lalu Prasad's RJD to BJP to RJD to BJP again and back, Nitish Kumar's shifting alliances have redrawn Bihar's political map more than once. Here's how and why he flipped

PM Narendra Modi felicitated at NDA meeting over Operation Sindoor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was felicitated by the NDA parliamentary party on Tuesday for his government's firm response to the Pahalgam terror attack under Operation Sindoor. The MPs of the BJP-led ruling alliance met here in their only second such meeting during Parliament's sessions since the government was formed in June 2024. Amid chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', senior leaders of the BJP and its allies joined in felicitating Modi. The government has asserted that it military attack on terror sites in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack on April 22 brought the neighbouring country to its knees.

BJP calls upon NDA MPs for show of strength during ongoing monsoon session

Lok Sabha is set to hold a special discussion on 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, on Monday

INDIA bloc may field joint VP candidate despite NDA majority: Report

The INDIA bloc is likely to contest the vice presidential poll after a collective decision on a common candidate as it feels that the numbers are not overwhelmingly stacked against the opposition despite the BJP-led NDA having a majority, sources in the grouping said on Thursday. They said that there is a feeling that the opposition parties should not shy away from a contest to send a strong political message irrespective of the outcome. In a sudden move, Jagdeep Dhankhar quit as vice president on Monday evening citing medical reasons, though there have been consistent murmurs about other reasons behind his resignation. The effective strength of both the Houses together is 782 and the winning candidate will require to win 392 votes in the election for the vice president, considering all eligible voters exercise their franchise. All members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including the nominated ones, vote in the vice presidential poll. In Lok Sabha, while the BJP-led NDA enjoys the .

Modi launches NDA poll campaign in Bihar, warns of opposition intent

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sounded the poll bugle in Bihar, where assembly elections are due shortly, calling for "an NDA government, once again", which would protect the state from the "evil intentions" of the RJD-Congress combine. Modi also accused the RJD of seizing land from the poor on the false promise of jobs, in an apparent reference to the 'land-for-jobs' scam, and asserted that the 'viksit' (developed) Bihar is key for eastern India's development. Addressing a rally in Motihari town, the headquarters of East Champaran district, he said, "The people of the state had broken the shackles of RJD", but the younger generation "must be made aware of the despair in which Bihar was mired two decades ago". He also made an indirect reference to the land for jobs scam, on a day when the Supreme Court turned down a plea by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, a former railway minister and the prime accused, for a stay on trial. "Employment generation could have never taken place in Bi

Maharashtra polls were 'rigged', Bihar won't be, claims Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi earlier alleged large-scale irregularities in the 2024 Maharashtra polls, calling the BJP-led alliance's win 'industrial-scale rigging'

Bihar election battle: Seat-sharing dilemma for NDA and Opposition

There is now fresh speculation that in the upcoming Assembly polls, likely to be in October, Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) could throw up a surprise

11 years of Seva, Sushasan, and Garib Kalyan: From stress to strength

From twin-deficit stress to five balance sheet strength, India's economic turnaround reflects 11 years of focused policy reforms under Prime Minister Modi's leadership

India saw rapid changes across sectors in 11 years: PM Narendra Modi

The NDA marks its 11th anniversary by releasing a comprehensive booklet covering India's progress under PM Modi across security, economy, social justice, and infrastructure

Cong questions PM Modi for not holding 'undoctored' press conferences

The Congress on Monday stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not holding an "undoctored" press conference and asked why is he still "running away" or whether it is taking time to prepare the questions and answers and find suitable persons to query him in a "servile manner". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday the party had challenged the PM to have his first-ever "unscripted, undoctored" press conference on the completion of his 11 years in office. "Today, the BJP President J. P. Nadda has been fielded to meet the press at 12 noon to highlight the 11 year millstone (not milestone)," he said. "Why is the Prime Minister still running away? Or is it taking time to prepare the questions and answers and find suitable persons to 'query' him in a servile manner? Or is Bharat Mandapam not fully ready?" Ramesh said on X. There was no immediate response from the BJP or the government on the Congress' attack. The Congress on Su

Amit Shah praises 11 yrs of Modi govt's resolve toward public service

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the 11 years of Modi government was a "golden period" of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service. In Narendra Modi's third term as prime minister, Shah said this new India is rapidly progressing towards development and self-reliance with the power of reform, perform and transform. He said this journey of making India "number 1" in every field by bringing positive changes in the lives of the countrymen will continue. "The historic 11 years of the Modi Government have been a golden period of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service," he wrote on 'X' in Hindi and called it 11 years of "seva" (service). The Modi government completes the first year of its third term on Monday. The home minister said the country has seen a new era of economic revival, social justice, cultural pride and national security. "The Modi government has proved that when the leadership is clear, the resolve is firm and the intention i

India saw rapid growth across diverse sectors in 11 years, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Monday that under the 11 years of his government India has not just become the fastest-growing major economy but is also a key global voice on pressing issues like climate action and digital innovation. A clear focus on good governance and transformation, Modi said of the last 11 years as his government finished the first year of its third term on Monday. A link shared by him noted that 60 per cent of the current Union ministers are from the SC, ST and OBC categories, a message aimed at burnishing social justice credentials of his government amid attempts by opposition parties like the Congress to paint it as working against their interests. This is the highest ever representation of these marginalised groups in the Union Council of Ministers, it added. In his post on X, Modi said powered by the blessings and collective participation of 140 crore Indians, India has witnessed rapid transformations across diverse sectors. Guided by the princi