Page 19 - Nitish Kumar

In first reaction to Nitish's move, Rahul Gandhi recalls a joke on Bihar CM

Rahul Gandhi's reaction followed two days after Nitish Kumar severed ties with the INDIA bloc on Sunday, a major setback for the opposition's INDIA bloc of 28-non BJP parties

Highlights of the day: 2 killed in clash between ethnic groups in Manipur

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Lok Sabha polls: Rahul to address rally in Bihar on 2nd day of Nyay Yatra

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will on Tuesday address his first rally in Bihar ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, seeking to pick up the threads for the opposition INDIA bloc which has been tattered with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit. Gandhi's rally in Purnea district falls on the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra's march across the state where it made an entry through Kishanganj district and made a night halt at adjoining Araria. According to Congress legislature party leader in Bihar, the rally will also be addressed by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge who has also invited other leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc to share the stage. Also likely to be present is young leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who hails from the state's Begusarai district and is known to stir the crowds with his oratory. The Congress' oldest and most important ally in the state, the RJD, is likely to be represented by a representative of its de facto leaders Lalu Prasad, the founding president, and his son .

Nitish's U-turn

INDIA's future looks bleak

BJP-led NDA could gain in Rajya Sabha polls to 56 seats on February 27

The strength of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that it leads, currently at 114, is also set to improve with the return of the Janata Dal (United) to its fold

Newly formed Nitish Kumar-led govt holds its first cabinet meeting in Patna

The newly formed Nitish Kumar-led goverment in Bihar held its first cabinet meeting in Patna on Monday

Opportunism for power at its peak: Digvijaya on Nitish's return to NDA

A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ditched the Mahagathbandhan and the opposition bloc INDIA to form a new government with the BJP, Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh claimed that "opportunism" for power was at its peak. 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 or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and formed a new government with the BJP, which he dumped less than 18 months ago. Kumar's latest crossover, his fifth in a little over a decade, capped days of high political drama and blame game. It is also seen as a big setback for the opposition unity ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Asked about Kumar's move, Digvijaya Singh told reporters here, "Opportunism is at its peak and it is for power. All are opportunists, whether he is (Prime Minister) Modi ji, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah ji or Nitish ji." They have nothing to do with the religious or

Nitish's decision to join NDA correct, taken for Bihar's development: Min

JD(U) president Nitish Kumar's decision to join the NDA is correct and taken at the right time for the development of Bihar, BJP ally and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said on Monday. Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volteface, ditching the 'Mahagathbandhan' and the opposition INDIA bloc, and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Talking to PTI, Athawale said the opposition terming Kumar as "Paltu Ram" (one who switches sides) is not justified. "Nitish Kumar's decision is correct and he has taken it at the right time for the development of Bihar. This is a challenge to the Congress," he said. "He has joined the NDA to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all welcome him," the RPI (A) chief said. On the opposition calling Kumar an opportunist, Athawale said, "He is not an opportunist but the Congress is." Kumar on Sunday had .

Poster war in Patna on Nitish's move; Rahul Gandhi's yatra enters Bihar

Several members of the INDIA bloc continued their attack on Nitish for joining the BJP-led NDA. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Bihar on Monday

Neither any policy nor any intention: Ravi Shankar Prasad on INDIA bloc

Of the eight ministers who were sworn in along with Kumar were three each from the BJP and the JD-U, one from HAM and one independent

Speed dating by Nitish and why the BJP embraced him

It is quite likely that Kumar expects to benefit as member of the NDA from the religious fervour built by the inauguration of the Ram temple, Centre's welfare schemes and PM's larger-than-life persona

Lalu to appear before ED in connection with 'Land for Job scam' case

The RJD has accused the BJP of politically targeting its rivals usuing government agencies

'Aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'?: Congress slams Nitish, says people will reply

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 ...

'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' to enter Bihar, brings Rahul to state after 2 yrs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will on Monday reach Bihar through Kishanganj, a district with a heavy Muslim population which is also a party stronghold. Gandhi's Bihar tour comes a day after the Congress was left high and dry with former ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister, making a return to the BJP-led NDA. This is Gandhi's first visit to Bihar since the assembly poll campaign of 2020. Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Kishanganj, followed by a big rally in the adjoining district of Purnea on Tuesday and another one in Katihar a day later, according to Congress legislature party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan. He will be leaving for West Bengal on Thursday via Araria district and will return to Bihar a few days later via Jharkhand, said state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh. According to leaders of the state Congress, the party's alliance partners in Bihar like RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(ML)-L general secretary Dipanka

Saamana editorial slams Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for returning to NDA

Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana in its editorial has criticised Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for returning to NDA fold

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

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

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Nitish's Bihar switch: Tharoor takes dig with word of the day snollygoster

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday took a swipe at JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar over his latest volte-face in Bihar, posting what he said was the word of the day snollygoster, which means a shrewd and unprincipled politician. 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 staked claim to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Tharoor shared his social media post from 2017 when Kumar had broken away from the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress and returned to the BJP despite being foes for a long time. "Word of the day! Definition of snollygoster US dialect: a shrewd, unprincipled politician. First Known Use: 1845. Most recent use: 26/7/17," Tharoor had tweeted in 2017. Tagging that post, the former Union minister said on Sunday in a post of X, " Didn't ...

We tolerated Nitish's Hindi push for cordiality in INDIA bloc: DMK leader

JD(U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said 'only Hindi should be spoken' and the party tolerated it for the sake of cordiality in INDIA alliance, DMK leader T R Baalu said here on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after holding seat sharing talks with Congress leaders here, Baalu, when asked on exit of Nitish Kumar from INDIA alliance said it appeared that right from the beginning he had 'some issues' and there would not be any electoral 'damage' due to his move. To a question about the 'Bihar Chief Minister's statement that nothing worked as per his plan in the INDIA bloc,' Baalu asked: "What did he plan? He did not spell out any plan, he said only Hindi should be spoken and only that (message) remains." Elaborating, Baalu, a Lok Sabha member said: "He (Nitish Kumar) said everyone should talk in Hindi. We tolerated it. Even then, we kept quiet, as a compromise, for the sake of cordiality in the alliance. It was said that English must not be spoken. This is an ordinary .

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 ...