Page 32 - Nitish Kumar

No more Deputy CM, new faces likely from RJD, Congress: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar categorically ruled out the possibility of appointing another deputy, other than Tejashwi Yadav, ending speculations that a top leader of his JD(U) was being considered for the job. New faces may, however, be inducted in the council of ministers from the allies RJD and the Congress, he told reporters during his visit to Madhubani on Wednesday as part of his 'Samadhan Yatra'. "We are a seven-party coalition and each constituent has a fixed share. Those whose ministers vacated posts may be accommodated accordingly. We may have some more from the Congress as well," Kumar said. Two ministers from the RJD quota - Sudhakar Singh and Kartik Kumar resigned within a couple of months of the formation of the Grand Alliance government in August last year. Moreover, the Congress, which has been given two berths, has been seeking a representation commensurate with its numerical strength in the assembly. The Congress has 19 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly. The R

Bihar CM Nitish likely to expand his Cabinet after Makar Sankranti

Kushwaha's name as a deputy CM may not be accepted by RJD and is being seen as a reason for souring of relations between the RJD and JD(U)

Trying to set up one engineering, medical college in all districts: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the 'Mahagathbandhan' government is trying to set up at least one medical college and hospital in every district and "working tirelessly" to augment health infrastructure so that people do not have to go outside the state for better treatment. Efforts are also underway to ensure that each district gets at least one engineering college, he said. While interacting with media persons during his 'Samadhan Yatra' in Saran district, the CM said, To ensure that the people get the best medical facilities, the government is working tirelessly to augment health infrastructure in the state. "Efforts are being made to boost the sector so that the people need not go outside the state for treatment. We are planning to have at least one medical college and hospital in every district to make sure that medical education and facilities remain in reach of everyone," he said. The government's aim is that the boys and girls of Bihar do not need to go ...

BJP accuses Nitish of making indecent remark at function attended by women

The BJP in Bihar on Sunday hit the roof over what it considered to be an "indecent remark" made by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his speech on population growth, at a programme attended by a large number of women. Kumar had on Saturday visited Vaishali district, along with cabinet colleagues including his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, on the third day of his state-wide 'Samadhan Yatra', aimed at assessing the status of ongoing welfare programmes and pending works. While interacting with self-help group volunteers, Kumar had spoken about the role played by educated, empowered women in controlling population growth. The JD(U) leader, who has been opposed to the BJP's pitch for a population control law, much to the annoyance of the former alliance partner, also hinted that men often did not show the same sense of responsibility as their wives in controlling population. A small video clip of Kumar's speech has gone viral in which the CM could be heard as having said "the men are often ..

Air India peeing case LIVE: Court sends accused to 14-day judicial custody

A selected group of cities and harbors have been asked to send test samples of infected travelers for genome sequencing at the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention

Govt fully prepared to conduct caste census, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said that the government is fully prepared to conduct caste-based census in the state.

LIVE: Wells Fargo sacks man who urinated on woman on Air India flight

Latest LIVE: The next date will be announced later, BJP councillor Satya Sharma, the presiding officer overseeing the process, said

RJD MLA's remark against Bihar CM unacceptable, says Tejashwi Yadav

Taking strong exception to RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh's objectionable remarks against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, party leader and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said the comment was "unacceptable" and tantamount to supporting the BJP. The matter has been brought to the notice of RJD president Lalu Prasad, Yadav said. Interacting with reporters on Monday, Singh, the former agriculture minister, compared Kumar to Shikhandi -- a eunuch character in Mahabharata -- and said he has no standing of his own. "Making such comments against the person who is leading the Grand Alliance government in Bihar is simply supporting the BJP and its policies. Whatever he has said about the CM is highly objectionable," Yadav told reporters on Tuesday. When asked whether the party would take disciplinary action against Singh, he said, "The matter is serious. That is why it has been brought to the notice of the party supremo." Party leaders are advised to desist from making such statements, Yadav said. Si

Trouble in Bihar's ruling alliance as RJD ministers skip Nitish's event

All does not seem well between ruling allies JD-U and RJD in Bihar in the New Year, with one such example cropping up in an event of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Tuesday

Nitish 'ignoring' Sudhakar's statement, Tejashwi calls him 'BJP agent'

This comes in wake of RJD leader Sudhakar Singh's "Shikandi" remark against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh courts controversy statement against Nitish Kumar

Senior RJD leader Sudhakar Singh has courted controversy by making objectionable remarks against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Interacting with reporters on Monday, Singh, the son of RJD state president Jagadanand Singh, compared Kumar to 'Shikhandi' a eunuch character in Mahabharata and said he has no standing of his own. The former state agriculture minister demanded that Kumar should immediately step down and offer the CM's post to Tejashwi Yadav. "People will not remember him (Nitish) once he steps down. Nitish has done nothing great for the statethere are people like former CMs -- late Krishna Sinha and Karpoori Thakur -- who will always be remembered by the people of Bihar for their contribution. "Same is the case with our leader and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad ji, who has done a lot for the state...but Nitish Kumar's name will not be there in history. He will not be remembered at all. He is like 'Shikhandi', who has no standing of his own," he said. Singh had resigned as

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar owns movable, immovable assets worth Rs 75.53 lakh

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 75.53 lakh, a marginal rise of around Rs. 18,000 from a year ago, according to his latest disclosure of assets. According to details of assets of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues uploaded on the Bihar government website on December 31, Kumar has Rs 28,135 in cash and nearly Rs 51,856 deposited in different banks. The Bihar chief minister and his cabinet colleagues on Saturday declared their personal assets and liabilities. The Nitish Kumar government has made it mandatory for all cabinet ministers to disclose their assets and liabilities on the last day of every calendar year. As per the disclosures, several ministers are richer than the CM. According to the disclosures made by the CM on the website of the Cabinet Secretariat Department, Kumar has total movable properties worth around Rs 16.68 lakh, while he has immovable assets worth Rs 58.85 lakh. The CM has only one residential flat at a ...

No problem with Congress pushing for Rahul as PM candidate: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear that he had "no problems" with the Congress, his ally in the state, pushing for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) leader also reiterated that he was "not a claimant" for the top post though he reaffirmed his commitment to galvanising parties opposed to the BJP with which he had snapped ties nearly five months ago. Kumar was responding to queries from journalists about the recent averment of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath that Gandhi will be the "opposition's PM face" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Nitish Kumar trapped in Lalu Yadav's 'chakravyuh': Bihar LoP Vijay K Sinha

Opposition leader in Bihar Assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha has slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said that he was trapped in the 'chakravyuh' of his party ally RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to skip 'Namami Gange' event chaired by PM Modi

In place of Kumar, his Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will attend the event

Bihar on alert, daily testing on large scale: CM Nitish Kumar on Covid-19

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that every day almost 45,000-50,000 COVID-19 tests are being conducted in the state.While talking to the media, Kumar said, "We are conducting COVID tests and administering vaccines. Every day almost 45,000-50,000 tests are being conducted."Bihar is on alert, and patients are being provided treatment. The Centre is also careful. We have to be careful with those coming from outside," he added.Earlier on Saturday, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) wrote to all the States and Union Territories of the country and directed them to ensure a functional and regular supply of medical oxygen for Covid-19 pandemic management.In its letter, the Ministry emphasised the importance of medical oxygen and vital resource in all clinical settings, particularly during the pandemic.A reliable oxygen supply is critical for saving lives during patient care and COVID-19 management, it said.Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on ...

Reading the tea leaves in Bihar amid political pulls and pressures

Separated by age, experience and politics, yet joined by a shared purpose: taking on BJP in 2024. Satyavrat Mishra analyses the political pulls and pressures in the state

Nitish Kumar needs glue that holds a divided Opposition together in Bihar

He has got the backing of his party to push ahead with Opposition unity. But that may not be enough

Fumes of failure

Prohibition is damaging Bihar in multiple ways

Nitish govt draws flak over refusal to compensate victims of hooch tragedy

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Saturday drew flak, from adversaries as well as allies, over its adamant refusal to give compensation to family members of those who have died in the Saran hooch tragedy. The administration has confirmed only 30 deaths since Tuesday night, following suspected consumption of spurious liquor, making it the biggest hooch tragedy in the state since it went dry over six years ago. However, the opposition BJP has claimed, inside the state assembly as well as in a memorandum submitted to Governor Phagu Chauhan that the number of deaths was "more than 100", a view echoed by Chirag Paswan, an NDA sympathizer and strident critic of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "I visited Saran today to meet the bereaved family members and was appalled to learn that the administration was putting pressure on them not to report deaths caused by hooch or attribute these to other causes so that the magnitude of the tragedy is downplayed. I am told that the number of those w