Page 9 - Rjd

Doors always open for Nitish Kumar, says RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad on Friday said his "doors were always open" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his arch rival who recently ended a short-lived alliance and returned to BJP-led NDA. Prasad, who has maintained a stoic silence ever since his party suffered loss of power as a result of the JD(U) president's volte face, was responding to queries from journalists. The two leaders were on Thursday seen warmly shaking hands inside the Vidhan Sabha premises where Prasad, who stays mostly indoors since his kidney transplant operation two years ago, had gone to boost the morale of Manoj Jha and Sanjay Yadav, both of whom filed nomination papers as RJD candidates for Rajya Sabha elections. When Prasad was asked whether the bonhomie indicated that he was still open to rapprochement with Kumar, who has ditched him for the second time, causing his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav to lose the deputy CM's post on both occasions, the RJD supremo replied "let h

Bihar news highlights: Nitish Kumar wins trust vote, Opposition walks out

Bihar floor test LIVE updates: Catch all the latest updates on JD(U)'s floor test here

What has PM Modi done for backward castes, asks Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha

Manoj Jha told ANI that PM Modi and his party have been unsuccessful in strengthening the backward classes in the country

Land-for-job case: Delhi court grants bail to Rabri Devi, 2 daughters

A Delhi court on Friday granted interim bail to former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav till February 28 in the Railways land-for-job case. Special Judge Vishal Gogne granted relief to the three after the ED claimed that it needed time to file arguments on their regular bail application. The accused appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued by the court in the case after taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the ED. During the proceedings, the court asked the ED why it needed the accused's custody when it had not arrested them during its investigation.

Land-for-Jobs case: Lalu's wife, daughters appear before Rouse Avenue Court

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court here on Friday in connection with the Land-for-Jobs scam case

EC issues notifications for polls to six Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar

The nomination process for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha went underway in Bihar on Thursday with the Election Commission's notification for six seats, terms of which would end early next month. Out of the half-a-dozen seats, for which filing of nomination papers will come to a close on February 15, three each are held by the state's ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan', which has been pushed back to the opposition camp as a result of the latest volte-face by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president. The MPs whose current term is nearing expiry are Vashishth Narayan Singh and Aneel Hegde (JDU), Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP), Manoj Kumar Jha and Ashfaq Karim (RJD) and state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh. Voting for the Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for February 27. As per the established practice, while voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm, the counting will be held on the same day from 5 pm onwards. Given the current composition of the 243-strong assembly, t

White elephant just before the elections: RJD MP Manoj Jha on white paper

This is the last session of the current Lok Sabha before the general elections expected to be held in April-May this year

'PM Modi's 400-seat prediction raises doubts of rigging', says RJD MP Jha

Manoj Jha questioned unfulfilled promises made by the ruling party in 2014 and accused the government of being better at managing headlines than the country

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

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

JDU will be finished in Lok Sabha polls, says RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose party on Sunday lost power following Nitish Kumar's latest volte-face, claimed that the latter's JD(U) will be "finished in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls". The former deputy chief minister described his ex-boss as a "respectable" but "tired" leader and warned the BJP, which has teamed up with the JD(U) chief, that the septuagenarian did not like to share "credit" with allies. "Nitish Kumar seems to have a problem with me getting the credit for many achievements of our government. It should ring alarm bells for the BJP," remarked Yadav. "Nitishji is a respectable leader. He used to mock me when I was in the opposition for promising 10 lakh jobs during the 2020 state elections. I made him work in that direction", said the young leader. He added, "whatever may be the excuses Nitish ji makes for switching sides, his JD(U) is all set to be finished (khatam hone wala hai) in Lok Sabha polls". Yadav, who is RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's younger son, became the

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

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

ED issues fresh summons to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, son Tejashwi Yadav

The ED has issued fresh summons to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav to appear for questioning at its Patna office in connection with the alleged railways land-for-jobs money laundering case, official sources said on Friday. While Prasad has been asked to depose on January 29, Tejashwi has been called the next day on January 30. A team went to the official residence of Prasad's wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi in Patna to deliver the summons, they said. The two have been asked to depose at the Enforcement Directorate office on Bank Road in the capital. The duo had skipped the earlier summonses issued in this case. The alleged scam pertains to the period when Prasad was the railway minister in the UPA-1 government.

Cong turns to civil groups to train cadre; allies hesitant to join Rahul

The BJA, a union of activists and civil society outfits, is currently assisting the Congress in organising the Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

Railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case: ED files charge sheet

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday filed its first charge sheet in the railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case, naming former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her MP daughter Misa Bharti. An alleged "close associate" of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family Amit Katyal, some other individuals and companies have been named in the prosecution complaint (charge sheet), they said. The charge sheet has been filed before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi and the court has listed the matter to be heard on January 16, the sources said. Katyal was arrested in this case by the ED in November last year while Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son and Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav were summoned by the agency but they have not yet deposed. The alleged scam pertains to the period when Prasad was the railway minister in the UPA-1 government. It is alleged that from 2004 to 2009, several people were appointed to Group "D" positions in various zones of th

Lalan Singh vows to sue media for alleging he plotted against Nitish Kumar

Former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan' on Saturday vowed to sue media outfits carrying reports that he had plotted a rebellion against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in favour of the latter's deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Lalan issued a statement to the effect a day after he stepped down from the top party post, following which his proposal that Kumar take over as the national president was unanimously accepted. The strongly worded statement alleged that reports carried in "one major newspaper and some news channels" were "completely misleading, false and aimed at tarnishing my reputation". He pointed out that contrary to the claim made in these reports that on December 20 he had attended a meeting of a handful of JD(U) MLAs at a Bihar minister's residence, "I was in Delhi, to attend the meeting of INDIA bloc, along with the honourable CM. I even attended a meeting of party MPs at his Delhi residence later in the evening". Lalan, whose friendship with Nitish .