Page 5 - Patna

PM's remarks on opposition reflect panic of BJP following Patna meet: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that his comments on the opposition reflect the panic that has gripped the saffron camp after the non-BJP parties' successful meeting in Patna last week. While addressing a gathering of party workers in Bhopal on Tuesday, Modi attacked opposition parties over corruption, terming their Patna conclave as a mere "photo-op". Last week, leaders of over a dozen parties, some of them from far-off Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu, and several bitter rivals like the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, and the Left, attended the conclave hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and agreed to build on the momentum at the next meeting proposed in Shimla in July. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "We have heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking about the opposition camp. A panic has set in in the BJP camp after the successful opposition meeting in Patna, as it can sense imminent defeat. The PM

PM Modi flags off Ranchi-Patna Vande Bharat Express via video conferencing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off a Vande Bharat Express, which will connect Ranchi to Patna, through video conferencing from Bhopal. This is the first Vande Bharat Express for both Bihar and Jharkhand. It was among five such trains that the prime minister flagged off from Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The semi-high-speed train will start its regular run from June 28, and will depart Patna Junction at 7 am and reach Ranchi at 1 pm, covering a distance of 379 km in six hours. On the return journey, it will start at 4.15 pm from Ranchi and reach Patna Junction at 10.05 pm. The fastest train on the route at present is the Janshatabdi Express, which takes 7.45 hours to cover the same distance, officials said. The Vande Bharat Express will run all days of the week except Tuesdays. The first successful trial run was conducted on June 12, while the second and third trial runs were held on June 18 and June 25, respectively. Of the 379 km r

Opposition parties meeting in Patna: An opportunity to build bridges

Except for the AAP versus Congress showdown over the Ordinance issue, the Opposition meet in Patna was about finding common ground. ADITI PHADNIS writes

Oppn leaders have pledged to defeat Fascist forces: Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said "leaders from Kanyakumari to Kashmir" have pledged to defeat "Fascist forces" at the meeting of opposition parties hosted here by his boss Nitish Kumar. Talking to reporters a day after the meeting that has hogged much limelight, Yadav also downplayed the notes of discord emanating from the Aam Aadmi Party's controversial allegations against the Congress. "There were no problems at the meeting. Every issue came up for discussion in an amicable way", asserted Yadav, who attended the meeting as a representative of the RJD, along with his father and party supremo Lalu Prasad. AAP delegates led by its founder Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi CM, had skipped the press briefing held after the meeting and come out with a statement alleging that Congress "refused" to oppose the Centre's "black ordinance" that left the city government with little power over its bureaucracy. Yadav also rubbished the charge by Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Divided in their thoughts: BJP leader slams opposition party meet in Patna

The BJP leader was responding to the opposition meeting held in Patna on Friday attended by at least 15 political parties to chalk out a strategy to take on the BJP with eye on 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Opposition leaders discuss roadmap for 2024 LS polls in mega meet in Patna

Top leaders of Opposition parties held deliberations here on Friday to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting is being hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD. As the host, Kumar presided over the meeting flanked on either side by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad. Sources said more than 30 leaders of 15 Opposition parties participated in the meeting at the Bihar chief minister's 1, Aney Marg, residence here. The meeting was being seen as a starting point for the Opposition parties to come together to take on the Narendra Modi-led BJP, the sources said. Therefore, a basic outline and roadmap for Opposition unity are likely to be deliberated upon with the contentious issue of seat sharing and leadership questions to be avoided for now, they said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, West .

Rahul, Kharge to address party workers ahead of Opposition meeting in Patna

Leaders of Opposition parties from across the country are set to meet in Patna to chalk out a strategy to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Oppn to start 'Mission 2024' with Patna meet, chart course to take on BJP

Top leaders of Opposition parties will brainstorm at a meeting here on Friday to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, with sources saying that they would look to avoid the prickly leadership question and emphasise on common ground. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Delhi counterpart and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Maharashtra's former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar are among the leaders expected to attend the first high-level opposition meeting. It is being hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav here. Sources said the meeting was being seen as a starting point for the Opposition to come together to take on the Narendra Modi-led BJP. Therefore, a basic outline and roadmap for Opposition unity are likely to be deliberated

Manjhi to decide his next plan in today's national executive committee meet

The national executive committee meeting of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is scheduled to be held in Patna on Monday where Jitan Ram Manjhi will decide the future course of action

Patna administration asks to shut all academic institutions till June 18

The district administration of Patna has issued a notice to shut all academic institutions till June 18 in the wake of an ongoing heat wave

Technical bids of tender open for Patna underground tunnel project: DMRC

Technical bids of a tender floated by the DMRC for the construction of a nearly 1.5-km tunnel connecting Patna Museum and Bihar Museum, have been opened, officials said on Friday. The financial bids of the tender are yet to be opened, they said. The tunnel will be built using the latest technology and will ensure a safe and comfortable journey for visitors, a senior official said. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had released the tender for the construction of the underground tunnel between the Patna Museum and the Bihar Museum on February 23, and bids were accepted till April 27. In addition, the technical bids of the tender have been opened, and the scrutinising and signing process is still going on, officials said. The underground tunnel will be approximately 1.5 km-long and connect the two museums, allowing visitors to easily move between them, they said. The DMRC has been entrusted with the responsibility of executing this project by the government of Bihar in the pos

Oppn meet in Patna on June 23; Rahul, Mamata, Stalin to attend: Tejashwi

A meeting of opposition parties, organised by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will be held in Patna on June 23, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav said on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference with JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh by his side, Yadav said that top leaders of most opposition parties, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal have agreed to attend the meeting. The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on June 12, but was put off after some of the parties, including the Congress and the DMK, requested a change in date. Nitish Kumar had recently said he was opposed to parties sending any leader except their respective heads to the meeting where the anti-BJP players will chalk out a strategy for the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Mamata Banerjee likely to attend opposition meet in Patna next month

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is likely to attend an opposition meeting to be held in Bihar next month, party sources said on Monday. The much-awaited meeting of parties opposed to the BJP may be held in Patna on June 12, according to hints that have emanated from a meeting of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD (U). "Mamata Banerjee is likely to attend the meeting of opposition parties next month in Bihar. She will place her ideas of forming an opposition unity and strengthening it in the fight against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," a senior TMC leader told PTI on the condition of anonymity. The idea of hosting a meeting of opposition leaders in Patna was floated by Banerjee, who had invoked the memory of Jayaprakash Narayan upon meeting Kumar in Kolkata last month. After the Congress' massive victory in the Karnataka polls earlier this month, Banerjee had said that the TMC would support the grand old party in states, where it is strong, in t

Demolition of old Patna Collectorate was a mistake, says Bihar BJP MP

The demolition of the centuries-old Patna Collectorate to make way for a new complex was a "mistake" and the historic landmark should have been preserved and conserved for future generations, BJP MP from Bihar, Sushil Kumar Singh said. Citing the example of the new Sansad Bhawan which was built without harming the old Parliament building, the Lok Sabha member said the Nitish Kumar government "could have built the new Patna Collectorate complex elsewhere" while saving the heritage structures of the old one. Singh, a four-time MP from Aurangabad, made the remarks during an interaction in Delhi, soon after attending the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday amid a boycott by several opposition parties, including Kumar's JD(U) and its ally the RJD. The Bihar chief minister on Saturday asserted that there was "no need" for a new Parliament building and had dubbed the function as an attempt to "change history by those who had made no ...

Opposition parties' meeting in Patna likely to take place on June 12

The much-awaited meeting of parties opposed to the BJP may be held here on June 12, according to hints that have emanated from a meeting of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) here on Sunday. While no significant office bearer confirmed or denied the same, many present at the meeting said on condition of anonymity that the disclosure was made by the chief minister himself. Kumar, the JD(U)'s supreme leader, has been pitching for "opposition unity" ever since he snapped ties with the BJP in August last year, following accusations that the ally was trying to create fissures in his party and diminish his standing. Kumar, who is now heading an alliance government in Bihar which includes RJD, Congress and the Left, has reached out to leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, all of whom are opposed to BJP but not very comfortable with the grand old party either. In fact, the idea of hosting a meeting of opposition leaders in Patna was floated by Banerjee, who

Patna police may fine Baba Bageshwar, Manoj Tiwari for traffic violation

Patna police are likely to impose a fine on Bageshwar Dham chief and self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri and MP Manoj Tiwari for violation of traffic rules, an official said.

Go First travellers create chaos at Patna airport over flights reschedule

Passengers of Go First created a ruckus at the Patna airport on Wednesday after the Wadia group-owned airline suspended all its flight for three days from May 3 to May 5

Bihar Police detain one person for hoax bomb call to Patna airport

Bihar Police has detained one person on Wednesday after a hoax call was made claiming that an explosive was planted at the Jayprakash Narayan International Airport here earlier in the day. The caller was detained by the police in Samastipur, senior superintendent of police of Patna Rajeev Mishra told PTI. Initial investigations have revealed that the caller was in an inebriated state when he made the call, he said. "The entire area was scanned thoroughly but no suspicious object was found. The search operation was carried out without inconveniencing the passengers," Mishra said. The matter is being investigated, he said. Security was beefed up at the airport after the call was made to a landline number on Wednesday morning, an airport official said. "As the information given by the caller was non-specific, the entire terminal building, parking area and office building was scanned by security forces. But no explosive was found," he said. Bihar is a dry state. Chief Minister Nitis

Hoax call claiming bomb at Patna airport sends staffers into tizzy

A hoax call claiming that a bomb was planted on the premises of the Jayprakash Narayan International Airport in the Bihar capital sent security personnel into a tizzy on Wednesday. Security was beefed up at the airport after the call was made at a landline number in the morning, a senior official said. "As the information was non-specific, the entire terminal building, parking area and office building was scanned by security forces but no bomb was found," the airport official said. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra told PTI that the call turned out to be a hoax and nothing was found so far. "The entire area was scanned thoroughly but no suspicious object was found. The search operation was carried out without inconveniencing the passengers. The matter is being investigated further," he said.

Patna court summons Rahul Gandhi on April 25 in Modi surname case

A court in the Bihar capital has asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on April 25 in a defamation suit filed over his purported remark on Modi surname. The defamation case in the MP/MLA court here was lodged by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The MP/MLA court of Special Judicial Magistrate Aadi Dev had passed an order on March 18 asking Gandhi to appear before it on April 12. However, during hearing on Wednesday, the defence counsel sought another date stating that the entire team was busy with the Surat case, in which Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from the Lok Sabha. To this, the judge asked Gandhi's counsel to ensure his physical appearance before the court on the next date of hearing in the case on April 25. Prosecution lawyer Priya Gupta told reporters that statements from the complainant's side have been recorded and all evidence submitted to the court and now only the statement of Gandh