Page 21 - Nitish Kumar

Bihar CM seeks time to meet Governor today amid reports of resignation

Notably, the Bhartiya Janata Party will also hold a meeting with its MLAs and MPs in Patna at 9 am today to chalk out the strategy over the latest political situation in the state

See what happens next: Anurag Thakur takes a jibe over rift in INDIA bloc

Thakur also said that the INDI alliance was meant to be scattered as the Congress failed to do justice to its allies

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

People may not consider it appropriate: Cong on Nitish's imminent switch

With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's return to the BJP-led NDA imminent, Congress' Bihar in-charge Mohan Prakash on Saturday said this time the people of the state may not consider this an appropriate step and will give their verdict in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He also exuded confidence that the Congress MLAs would not switch and stay united, asserting that "no one will be able to take even a twig away from the Congress". Bihar is witnessing a political storm with the JD(U) president appearing to be inching towards his second political volte face in less than three years that will also impact the opposition INDIA bloc and its fight against the BJP in the general elections. Asked about the Bihar political developments, Prakash said, "There's no 'shunyata' (vacuum) in politics. The people of Bihar are more politically aware than in other states and they will decide on this matter in the polls." On Kumar's imminent switch from the 'Mahagathbandhan' camp to that of the BJP, he

INDIA bloc on verge of collapse, Cong insulted Nitish Kumar: K C Tyagi

Janata Dal (United)'s political adviser and spokesperson K C Tyagi on Saturday made it all but clear that the grand alliance government in Bihar is on the verge of collapse and accused a section of the Congress leadership of repeatedly "insulting" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "The INDIA bloc is on the verge of collapse. The alliance of INDIA bloc parties is almost over in Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar," he told reporters. The goal and intentions with which Kumar, the JD(U) president, succeeded in bringing non-Congress parties with the Congress have come unstuck, Tyagi said, asserting that their leader was "misunderstood". Kumar never hankered after a position in the alliance but a section of the Congress leadership repeatedly insulted him, he said. Tyagi said he could not see as to how the INDIA bloc parties could fight the "all-powerful" BJP. The Bihar chief minister succeeded in bringing together several parties in Patna but the entire process became so limp that the INDIA bloc

Chirag Paswan meets Amit Shah; BJP, RJD, JDU hold separate meetings

BJP National President JP Nadda was also present at the meeting at Shah's residence today

BJP will form government in Bihar in 2025: Union Minister Giriraj Singh

The Union Minister also said that BJP has no role in the current political development between RJD and JD(U)

Baghel appointed Cong senior observer in Bihar amid political turmoil

This comes amid speculation that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may rejoin the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

BJP central leadership monitoring situation in Bihar: Giriraj Singh

Amid speculations about the return of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday said the BJP central leadership is "monitoring the political situation in Bihar". Talking to PTI on Saturday, Singh said "Our Central leaders will take decision accordingly". "Nitish Kumar is currently the Chief Minister of Bihar. Lalu Prasad's led RJD and Congress are the alliance partners of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. Our Central leadership is monitoring the situationOur Central leaders will take decisions accordingly", the Union Rural Development minister said. Senior BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday said "politics is about probabilities". "In politics, doors can never be closed", he had said in response to journalists' queries about JD(U)'s return to the NDA. "Whatever the central leadership decides, we will abide by it", he had said. Echoing

BJP calls meeting of party MPs, MLAs, Cong leaders to meet in Purnea

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

22 IAS, 79 IPS, 45 Bihar Administrative Service officers transferred

The Bihar government on Friday transferred 22 IAS, 79 IPS and 45 Bihar Administrative Service (BAS) officers. The transferred officers included five district magistrates (DMs) and 17 SPs. According to a notification by the general administration department, Patna DM Chandrasekhar Singh, a 2010-batch IAS officer, has been made special secretary in the chief minister's secretariat. Singh was recently in the news for his war of letters with the state education department over closure of schools in Patna in view of cold wave conditions. He has been replaced by 2011-batch IAS officer Shirsat Kapil Ashok, who is currently the IG (prisons). Naval Kishor Choudhary (2013-batch IAS officer), currently Gopalganj DM, will take over as the new Bhagalpur DM. Bhagalpur DM Subrat Kumar Sen (a 2013-batch IAS officer) has been appointed as Muzaffarpur DM. Arvind Kumar Choudhary (1995-batch IAS officer), presently posted as principal secretary (finance), has been given additional charge of principa

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

Bihar coalition govt on tenterhooks amid rumours of Nitish returning to NDA

The trouble was out in the open when Kumar attended the high tea ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of the Republic Day but his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD skipped the function

Nitish's ties with INDIA bloc worsen, Sushil Modi hints at coalition

Senior BJP leaders held consultations among themselves and with allies on Friday amid signs that the party is open to joining hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yet again as his ties with INDIA bloc partners nosedive. Former Bihar deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi, who has been among the state leaders consulted by the BJP top brass, told reporters that doors are never closed permanently for anyone in politics. They open and close as per the necessity, he said, when asked about the party's earlier stand that its doors were closed for Kumar forever after he snapped ties with the BJP in August 2022. Modi said, "As far as Kumar or the JD(U) are concerned, doors are never permanently closed in politics. Closed doors open when the time comes but whether they will open or not is for our central leadership to decide." However, BJP sources declined to comment on whether a decision has been taken to join hands with the JD(U). Home Minister Amit Shah an

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

Doors never permanently closed: Sushil Modi on Nitish Kumar's return to NDA

After Nitish Kumar split away from the NDA in 2022, the BJP said that its doors w ere permanently closed to Bihar's longest-serving chief minister

Firmly with INDIA bloc but would like Congress to do introspection: JD(U)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Friday asserted that the party was "firmly with INDIA coalition" but wanted the Congress to do "introspection" with regard to alliance partners and sharing of seats. State JD(U) president Umesh Singh Kushwaha made the statement, refuting rumours that his party, headed by the chief minister, was thinking of a return to the BJP-led NDA. "All is well in Bihar's ruling Mahagathbandhan and the media speculations are driven by some agenda," Kushwaha told reporters. He also said, "I met the CM yesterday as well as today. It is a routine affair. There is no truth in the rumours doing the rounds. We also reject the rumours that party MLAs have been asked to rush to Patna". He also made light of Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who is in RJD, sitting far from each other at the Republic Day parade, asserting that "we are firmly with INDIA coalition". Kushwaha, however, said, "We want the Congress, which is our alliance partner, to do some ...

Book on life, legacy of 'Jan nayak' Karpoori Thakur to hit stands in May

A new book on the life and legacy of former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, commemorating the birth centenary of the political luminary, will hit the stands in May, Penguin Random House India has announced. Written by Santosh Singh and Aditya Anmol, "The Jannayak Karpoori Thakur: Voice of the Voiceless" focusses on his politics that introduced groundbreaking concepts such as "quota within quota, or equity within equity". Thakur had played a pivotal role in bifurcating reservation among OBC, EBC, EWS and women in 1978 -- a model that significantly influenced the recommendations of the Mandal Commission. "I am greatly elated and excited about Penguin bringing out our book on socialist legend and former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur. And my happiness has just doubled with the announcement of Thakur getting the Bharat Ratna. Thakur's lasting legacy is not just pioneering the OBC quota but his inclusive and cohesive politics," author Singh said in a statement. Earlier this week, Presid

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar unfurls national tricolour on 75th Republic Day

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday unfurled the national flag at his residence in Patna, on the occasion of the 75th Republic Day