Page 18 - Nitish Kumar

Bihar govt to review functioning of dept held by former Dy CM Tejashwi

Nitish Kumar further asserted that the Bihar government worked for every section of the society

Doors always open for Nitish Kumar, says RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad on Friday said his "doors were always open" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his arch rival who recently ended a short-lived alliance and returned to BJP-led NDA. Prasad, who has maintained a stoic silence ever since his party suffered loss of power as a result of the JD(U) president's volte face, was responding to queries from journalists. The two leaders were on Thursday seen warmly shaking hands inside the Vidhan Sabha premises where Prasad, who stays mostly indoors since his kidney transplant operation two years ago, had gone to boost the morale of Manoj Jha and Sanjay Yadav, both of whom filed nomination papers as RJD candidates for Rajya Sabha elections. When Prasad was asked whether the bonhomie indicated that he was still open to rapprochement with Kumar, who has ditched him for the second time, causing his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav to lose the deputy CM's post on both occasions, the RJD supremo replied "let h

Day after swapping smiles, Lalu Yadav says doors open for ex-ally Nitish

Lalu Prasad Yadav's remark came a day after he was spotted exchanging greetings with Nitish Kumar at the Bihar Assembly. Lalu was accompanied by his son Tejashwi Yadav

Rahul Gandhi led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' to resume with rally in Bihar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will on Thursday pick up the threads of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' with a public meeting in Bihar's Aurangabad district, about 150 km from the state capital. According to senior party leader and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is also likely to address the rally. "Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are likely to reach Gaya by flight and take a helicopter for Aurangabad. Thereafter, Gandhi will resume the Yatra", Mishra told PTI over phone. Notably, Gandhi was last seen in Bihar a fortnight ago when his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra had covered four districts of the Seemanchal region. According to Mishra, after the rally, Gandhi is likely to interact with farmers in Tekari Vidhan Sabha area, which falls in Gaya district but is a part of the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency. "Gandhi will spend the night at Sasaram. On Friday he will travel to Kaimur district from where we will see him off into the adjoining state of Uttar Pradesh"

Highlights of the day: Farmers to go ahead with 'Delhi Chalo' march

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Bihar news highlights: Nitish Kumar wins trust vote, Opposition walks out

Bihar floor test LIVE updates: Catch all the latest updates on JD(U)'s floor test here

Bihar floor test: Nitish Kumar wins trust vote for NDA government

The floor test of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar concluded on Monday, with Kumar securing 129 votes in favour

Bihar floor test: Nitish Kumar confident of winning with NDA. Top updates

JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed confidence that he would win the trust vote in state Assembly today

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)

Will not be a surprise if Nitish switches again, says BSP's Danish Ali

Nitish took the oath of office for a record ninth time after his stunning 'Ghar Wapsi' to the BJP-led NDA

Renowned litterateur and Padma Shri awardee Usha Kiran Khan dies in Patna

Renowned litterateur and Padma Shri awardee Usha Kiran Khan passed away at a private hospital after a brief illness here on Sunday. She was 78. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolences over Khan's demise, praising her as a prolific writer who contributed significantly to Hindi and Maithili literature. "She was a great writer who wrote several novels in Hindi and Maithili. Khan, a recipient of Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi awards, will always be remembered for her works," the CM said in his condolence message. "Her demises has created a void in our lives that can never be filled. It's an irreparable loss to the Hindi and Maithili literature. My heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time. May her soul rest in eternal peace", Kumar said. Khan's literary contributions earned her widespread recognition, including prestigious honours such as the Padma Shri in 2015, the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Mahadevi Verma Award, the Dinakar ...

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

No confidence against Speaker to be held before trust vote of Nitish govt

The Bihar Assembly on Friday made it clear that Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary will have to face the no-confidence motion moved by the ruling NDA before the newly formed government seeks a trust vote on February 12. The assembly secretariat released the business agenda of the House for Monday, when the budget session will commence, with a customary address by the Governor to members of the bicameral legislature. As per the agenda, released unusually before time, the Governor's speech will be preceded by a preliminary address, to the assembly, by the Speaker. Immediately after Governor's address, the assembly will take up the proposal for removal of the Speaker, which will be followed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seeking a trust vote for the government. Chaudhary belongs to the RJD, which lost power as a result of Kumar's abrupt exit from Mahagathbandhan and return to the BJP-led NDA. Soon after the installation of the NDA government two weeks ago, a no-confidence motion had been

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

EC issues notifications for polls to six Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar

The nomination process for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha went underway in Bihar on Thursday with the Election Commission's notification for six seats, terms of which would end early next month. Out of the half-a-dozen seats, for which filing of nomination papers will come to a close on February 15, three each are held by the state's ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan', which has been pushed back to the opposition camp as a result of the latest volte-face by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president. The MPs whose current term is nearing expiry are Vashishth Narayan Singh and Aneel Hegde (JDU), Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP), Manoj Kumar Jha and Ashfaq Karim (RJD) and state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh. Voting for the Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for February 27. As per the established practice, while voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm, the counting will be held on the same day from 5 pm onwards. Given the current composition of the 243-strong assembly, t

Highlights of the day: Bengal transferring money to 2.1 mn MGNREGA workers

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Bihar's NDA govt will win trust vote, says JD(U) leader Vijay Chaudhary

A key aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asserted that the newly formed NDA government in the state will win the trust vote, defeating "mala fide intentions of scared detractors". The NDA government in Bihar is scheduled to face a vote of confidence on February 12. Talking to PTI, senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who has been retained as a minister in the new cabinet, said, "The NDA government will easily win the trust vote. It is very simple... we (NDA) have the majority. "Those (opposition leaders) who are scared of the NDA are spreading rumours about the trust vote. Their intentions are mala fide. What I am saying that the NDA government in the state will win the trust vote is bona fide," Chaudhary, a close confidante of the CM, said. Chaudhary has been a member of the Bihar Assembly since 1982, and is currently holding portfolios of six departments, including parliamentary affairs. "Floor test is basically a number game... and we have the numbers.

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Cong reviews Bihar's political situation after Nitish's exit from alliance

Top Congress leaders on Saturday held a meeting to review political developments in Bihar after JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar moved out of the "Mahagathbandhan" government, party sources said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party incharge for Bihar Mohan Prakash, PCC chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, party MLAs and other senior leaders attended the meeting held at the AICC headquarters here. During the meeting, the leaders reviewed the latest political developments in Bihar and discussed the future course of action with Kumar no longer part of the opposition INDIA bloc, the sources said. Kumar took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volte-face, ditching the 'Mahagathbandhan' and the INDIA bloc to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. His latest crossover, the fifth in a little over a decade, came as a big setback to opposition unity ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul Gandhi's claims about Bihar caste survey nonsensical: CM Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said Rahul Gandhi's claim that the caste survey in the state was held under the Congress' pressure was nonsensical'. Talking to reporters three days after he dumped the 'Mahagathbandhan' and returned to the BJP-led NDA, Kumar, also the JD(U) president, claimed that he did not like the nomenclature of the opposition bloc INDIA. Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that Kumar was feeling trapped after getting a caste survey conducted under pressure from the Mahagathbandhan partners and the BJP provided him with a way out".