Page 5 - Nitish Kumar

Bihar election 2025: Will voters end the state's decade-long liquor ban?

Bihar's decade-old liquor ban has cost lives, drained revenues, and fuelled illicit trade-now it's a central election issue with parties divided on repeal or reform

Dipankar Bhattacharya accuses Nitish govt of crime, corruption, communalism

CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has charged the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar with serving its people a cocktail of crime, corruption and communalism, the three Cs on which the Chief Minister had promised not to compromise. In an interview with PTI here, the Left leader described as scary the situation in the state, where the longest serving Chief Minister claims to have ended jungle raj that allegedly prevailed under the rule of RJD, an ally of the CPI(ML)-L. Nitish ji used to say that he would never compromise on the three Cs crime, corruption, and communalism after joining hands with the BJP. But his rule displays not just a compromise, but a cocktail of the three Cs, alleged Bhattacharya. "It is a scary situation in the state, which seems to be run by a nexus between criminal gangs, politicians, and the police. They form a coalition that rules Bihar, and not the NDA. "Shootouts, reminding one of Bollywood crime thriller Gangs of Wasseypur, have ..

JD(U) announces second list of 44 candidates for Bihar Assembly polls

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Thursday announced its second list of 44 candidates for the assembly polls, with several ministers like Sheila Mandal, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Leshi Singh, Jayant Raj and Mohd Zama Khan featuring among the nominees. The party also fielded turncoats Chetan Anand from Nabinagar and Vibha Devi from Nawad. Both were earlier associated with the RJD. Besides, the JD(U) nominated Kaladhar Mandal from the Rupauli seat. The JD(U), an alliance partner of the NDA in Bihar, has now released the list of all 101 candidates for the upcoming polls. Elections to the 243-member assembly will be held in two phases, on November 6 and November 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.

JDU releases first list of 57 candidates for Bihar Assembly elections

Bihar Assembly elections 2025: JD(U) has announced its first list of 57 candidates for Bihar Assembly elections, including four seats sought by Chirag Paswan's LJP faction

NDA on its way out; Nitish not to return as Bihar CM: Prashant Kishor

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Wednesday donned the political strategist's hat to predict a certain defeat for the ruling NDA in Bihar, citing the inability of the BJP-led coalition to finalise seats and candidates. In an exclusive interview with PTI, Kishor, who recently said the JD(U) would struggle to win even "25 seats" in the 243-strong assembly, claimed that the picture has only grown bleaker for the party headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "The NDA is definitely on its way out and Nitish Kumar will not return as chief minister", asserted Kishor, who has worked closely with the JD(U) supremo, both as a poll analyst and later, for a brief period, as a party colleague. "You do not need to be a psephologist to fathom what is in store for the JD(U). In the last assembly polls, Chirag Paswan staged a revolt just a few days ahead of the announcement of elections and fielded candidates, many of whom were inconsequential, against nominees of Kumar's party, causing its

NDA to announce candidates for Bihar polls today: State BJP chief

The ruling NDA will announce its candidates for the assembly elections in Bihar on Monday evening, state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said. Denying that there are any differences within the NDA over the seat-sharing arrangement announced on Sunday, he said the coalition will fight the elections unitedly. "The NDA has already announced its seat-sharing arrangements. Now, candidates of all NDA constituents, including the BJP, will be announced in the evening," he told reporters. "The five constituents of the NDA in the state are like 'Panch Pandavas', and will unitedly fight the assembly polls to form the government with an overwhelming majority," he added. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and the BJP will contest the elections on 101 seats each, leaving the rest of the 243 seats for smaller allies. Union minister Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) will fight on 29 seats, while Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and RLM of Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha will contest on six seats

NDA's election plan for Bihar: BJP and JD(U) get 101 seats each

Both get 101 seats. Other NDA allies welcome formula. PM announces farm projects worth ₹35,000 cr on JP's birth anniversary

Governance, not caste: The investment strategy that keeps CMs in power

Glib talk of caste explains only part of why some chief ministers stay in power for decades

Every household to have a member with govt job: RJD's big poll promise

Tejashwi Yadav announced at a press conference, declaring that within 20 days of forming the government, they would pass a new law to ensure the enactment of this guarantee

Liquor ban to land ceilings: Bihar's reform story resurfaces before polls

As Bihar gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections, the 2016 Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act has again taken the spotlight amid criticism over its outcomes and impact on governance

Bihar elections 2025: Key parties, issues, and electoral shifts explained

From Nitish Kumar's 'sushasan' to Tejashwi's job promise, Bihar's elections since 2005 tell a story of shifting alliances, changing issues and the state's long battle between caste and governance

Bihar election dates announced: Polling on Nov 6, 11, result on Nov 14

The last date for making nominations for the first phase will be October 17, whereas nominations for the second phase should be made by October 20

Inside Bihar's silent agricultural revolution: What has changed, and how

In a state where nearly 75 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, Bihar has been steadily revolutionising its rural economy by improving yields, diversifying crops, and empowering women

BJP urges EC to verify identity of burqa-clad voters during Bihar polls

The BJP on Saturday urged the Election Commission to hold the upcoming Bihar assembly elections in one or two phases, and to ensure that women in burqas are properly verified against their voter ID photographs at the polling booths. The BJP found itself on the same page as the RJD, its principal rival, on the issue of non-staggered elections, but got charged with "political conspiracy" for raising the issue of female voters wearing veils. After a meeting with the visiting EC team, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said, "We have urged the Election Commission to conduct the elections in one or two phases. The election process need not be staggered. Also, tallying of faces of voters, especially burqa-clad women, must be ensured with respective EPIC cards so that only genuine voters get to exercise their franchise." The EC, which is on a two-day tour of the state, held talks with representatives of recognised political parties ahead of

Nitish Kumar inaugurates first phase of Patna Metro: Check route, fare

Passengers can travel on the 4.3-km corridor between ISBT, Zero Mile, and Bhoothnath stations from October 7; minimum fare for a single station ride is ₹15, and the entire stretch will cost ₹30

PM Modi slams Congress, RJD for 'devastated' education system in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the NDA government for improving the education system in the State

Nitish Kumar transfers ₹10,000 each to 2.5 mn women in poll-bound Bihar

On September 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the scheme under which an initial amount of ₹10,000 was provided as financial assistance

Bihar Dy CM Choudhary misrepresented age to escape trial: Prashant Kishor

In the 1995 case, Samrat Choudhary claimed in the Supreme Court that his age was 14 years and was let off since juveniles could not be put on trial, Prashant Kishor alleged

₹10,000 direct transfer for 7.5 mn women as PM Modi launches Bihar scheme

The ₹7,500-cr scheme, launched ahead of the Bihar polls, will provide ₹10,000 each to 7.5 million women, aiming to boost self-employment, livelihoods, and financial empowerment

Nitish govt can't fulfil promises as it will need ₹7 trillion: Tejashwi

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday claimed that the Nitish Kumar government will not be able to fulfil the promises it made in the run-up to the elections, as it would cost the exchequer a staggering Rs 7 lakh crore Speaking to reporters, Yadav reiterated that the announcements made by the government in the last few days have all been imitations of promises he had made earlier, maintaining that the opposition has a backup plan to outsmart the ruling NDA after the elections are announced. "They have announced so many sops in view of the upcoming polls. It would cost the exchequer a staggering Rs 7 lakh crore. They do not have enough revenue to fulfil the promises," he said. Calling the Nitish Kumar government "copycat" for "imitating his promises", Yadav said, "We, however, have a backup plan to outsmart the ruling NDA. We will reveal our cards once elections are announced and the model code of conduct is in place." He also played an old video clip in which Prime Minister Narendra