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Lalu Prasad's 'ogle women' remark about CM Nitish Kumar sparks outrage

BJP and JD(U) leaders have called RJD President Lalu Prasad's remark offensive and derogatory to women, as well as an insult to Bihar's dignity

Posters seeking Bharat Ratna for Nitish seen outside JD(U) office in Patna

Posters demanding the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were on Saturday put up by his Janata Dal (United) at several places in the state capital. One such poster was seen right next to the entrance gate of the JD(U) office at Birchand Patel Marg where, incidentally, the party supremo was attending its state executive meeting. A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We cannot say that demand for Bharat Ratna is the JD(U)'s official stand. Maybe, out of a sense of modesty, our leader would even frown upon such vehemence. But deep within every JD(U) worker believes that Nitish Kumar deserves the highest honour". Kumar is the longest-serving chief minister of the state, who has been in the highest seat of power since 2005, except for a few months when Jitan Ram Manjhi, now a Union minister, had occupied the post. Kumar, who is set to lead the NDA in the assembly polls due next year, had formerly enjoyed a successful sti

RJD, CPI(ML) demand inclusion of 65% reservation quota in Constitution

Reservation quota: Holding placards, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of RJD, CPI(ML) raised slogans against the BJP and JD(U) outside the Parliament on Thursday

Nitish expands Bihar cabinet; inducts 21 ministers, including BJP leaders

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday expanded his cabinet, which is less than two months old, by inducting 21 ministers. The new inductees, including senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Renu Devi, were administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at a ceremony in the Raj Bhavan. Other notable persons who were sworn in include Mangal Pandey and Neeraj Kumar Singh 'Bablu', both former ministers, belonging to BJP. Besides, Md Zama Khan, who became the lone Muslim in the cabinet, and the chief minister's confidant Ashok Chaudhary, who held cabinet berths earlier, were back as ministers. The fresh induction raises to 30 the total strength of the cabinet formed after the return of Kumar, who heads the JD(U), to the BJP-led NDA less than two months ago. Chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' by leaders of the BJP, which has returned to power, reverberated through the Raj Bhavan during the ceremony.

Nitish to file nomination on Tuesday for re-election to legislative council

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is seeking re-election to the state legislative council, will file his nomination papers on Tuesday, a senior JD(U) leader said. Kumar, who heads the JD(U), will be contesting for a fourth consecutive term in the Upper House, to which he first got elected in 2006, a few months after becoming the chief minister. The JD(U) president's current term ends in May. However, the Election Commission recently announced biennial polls for 11 seats of the Bihar Vidhan Parishad, including the one held by the chief minister. Of the 11 seats, the JD(U) held four, the largest number for any single party. However, in view of its diminished tally in the assembly, the party is conceding two seats to ally BJP which has grown numerically stronger. JD(U) leaders said that sitting MLC Khalid Anwar was likely to be considered for a second consecutive term. The BJP is yet to announce its candidates, though Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who is also the party's state ...

JD(U)'s Narendra Narayan Yadav elected as Bihar assembly deputy speaker

Senior JD(U) leader Narendra Narayan Yadav was on Friday elected unopposed as the deputy speaker of the Bihar assembly. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated him after he was elected for the post. The post fell vacant on Wednesday after the resignation of his party colleague Maheshwar Hazari. Yadav, a former state minister, has been representing the Alamnagar seat of Madhepura district since the 1990s. According to JD(U) sources, Hazari, who had been holding the post since 2021, is likely to be inducted into the cabinet or considered for a party ticket in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Highlights of the day: Bengal transferring money to 2.1 mn MGNREGA workers

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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

Nitish Kumar ducks queries on rumoured organisational change in JD (U)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday ducked queries about rumours of major organisational change in his Janta Dal (U) ahead of a crucial two-day party conclave which will begin in Delhi later in the day. The JD (U) supremo in a brief interaction with journalists before boarding his flight to Delhi asserted that the party meet in Delhi was 'normal'. "These meetings take place every year. It's normalthere is nothing specific at all. These are routine meetings", said the CM when journalists sought his views on rumours of major organisational change in JD(U) during the two-day party conclave. His remark came in the backdrop of rumours that Kumar's key aide Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' has told the former that he wanted to step down as JD(U) national president. The CM evaded a direct reply when asked whether Lalan was likely to make a formal offer of his resignation at the JD(U)'s crucial meetings scheduled in Delhi on December 29. The CM also evaded questions about rumours of h

All well in party, we are united: Nitish on rumours of turmoil in JD(U)

Dismissing rumours of turmoil in the JD (U), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asserted that all was well in his party and the rank and file were working together to fulfil promises made to the people of the state. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 99th birth anniversary, Kumar denied that he was unhappy with the outcome of the opposition INDIA bloc meeting held in Delhi last week and expressed confidence that seat sharing arrangements will be completed soon. Asked about rumours of turmoil in the JD (U) as recently reported in a section of media quoting BJP leaders, Kumar said, "All are united in our partyall is wellI don't really pay attention to what they (BJP leaders) say about us. Let them say whatever they want... it does not have any value. We are only concerned about the overall development of the state. We have undertaken many development works for the overall growth of .

Govt's submission to SC on plea challenging caste survey exposes BJP: JD(U)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Monday alleged that BJP's "anti-poor, anti-OBC, anti-reservations" stance stood "exposed" with the Centre's submission before the Supreme Court on a petition challenging the state's caste survey. JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', while citing the submission of Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, also pointed out that "former Attorney General" had appeared as the petitioners' counsel before the Apex Court. "The BJP seeks to project a pro-OBC face for electoral gains. Its boast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi being an ati pichhra (extremely backward class) is a part of this strategy. But its character has been anti-poor, anti-OBC and anti-reservations", Lalan said. "The BJP has always claimed that it is in support of the caste survey, which as the chief minister says, would benefit not just the OBCs but also all sections of the society, including the economically weaker sections. But it has tried to put hurdles befor

Manipur has double-engine govt, still burning for over two months: JD(U)

The JD(U) on Thursday attacked the Centre and the BJP administration in Manipur asserting that the northeastern state is burning for more than two months even though it has a double-engine government. Referring to the incident in which two tribal women were paraded naked and molested by a mob at a village in Senapati district, JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh said it is horrific and shocking. The north-eastern state has the double engine government of BJP. But still, it is burning for more than two months. What happened to the 56-inch chest of the PM? The violence in Manipur shows no signs of stopping, he tweeted. BJP leaders use the term "double engine" to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state. Innocent people are being killed; women are being brutally tortured. The assault on women in Manipur is horrific, shocking and disturbing, Singh said in the Twitter post. Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday sho

Nitish not angry, asserts JD(U) prez who accompanied him to Bengaluru

JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', who accompanied Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the trip to Bengaluru, on Wednesday strongly denied reports of the latter's displeasure with the way things went at the opposition meet. Talking to reporters here, Lalan described as "dushprachar" (canard) of the BJP-led NDA reports of Kumar being unhappy with the acronym 'INDIA' and going into a sulk over not being made convener of the new coalition. "This is all dushprachar and rumour mongering on the part of the NDA led by the country's honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The name INDIA bore the stamp of approval from all leaders present at the opposition meet", said Lalan. About the speculations around Nitish Kumar being made the convener, the JD(U) chief said "This was not on the agenda of yesterday's meeting. It may be thought about when the next meeting takes place in Mumbai". He alleged that BJP leaders like former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi who have claimed that Kumar ...

Centre on political 'witch hunt' against Tejashwi, says JD(U) president

A day after the CBI filed a chargesheet against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others in connection with the land-for-jobs scam, JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Tuesday accused the BJP-led central government of running a "witch-hunt" against the RJD leader. The second chargesheet of the CBI in this case was filed without a shred of evidence against Yadav. The CBI had earlier said there was no proof against him. But when the RJD and JD(U) along with other parties formed the grand alliance government in Bihar in August 2022, the Centre started using its 'parrot' (CBI) and other federal probe agencies against the deputy CM, Singh said in a video message. The CBI on Monday filed a chargesheet against Yadav, his father and former railways minister Lalu Prasad and mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi in connection with the land-for-jobs scam in a competent court in New Delhi. The chargesheet, which also named 14 others, is the second in the case. CBI

Everyone is free to come to Bihar: Nitish Kumar on Amit Shah's visit

Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Lakhisarai on Thursday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said everybody is free to visit the state. Shah's visit to the state later during the day will be the first by any top BJP leader after the June 23 meeting here of opposition parties which was held to discuss and chart out a path ahead of the 2024 general election. Kumar, who was speaking to reporters here, however, evaded questions on the Modi government's strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code. Everyone is free to come here. Everyone has the right to visit Bihar, the chief minister said to questions on Shah's proposed visit to Lakhisarai later in the day. Asked for his comment on the Opposition parties' meeting here, which was hosted by him, Kumar said, The meeting is over We will speak later on this. Shah is slated to arrive at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport here this afternoon and leave for Lakhisarai in Munger district, about 150 km away, in a helicopt

Modi govt adopted rejected design for new Parliament building: JD(U) MLC

The Narendra Modi government has not given the details of the central hall of the new Parliament, said Kumar

JD(U) threatens legal action against Bihar BJP president for liquor remark

The JD(U) on Tuesday threatened legal action against the Bihar BJP chief for alleging that liquor was served at a feast organised by the ruling party's national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, notwithstanding the state's stringent prohibition law. At a meeting chaired by state JD(U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha, a "ninda prastav" (censure resolution) was passed against Samrat Choudhary, the Bihar BJP president, who had on Monday made the allegation. Lalan had organised a feast on Sunday at Munger, his Lok Sabha constituency, where the guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch of rice and mutton curry. However, the number of visitors had reportedly far exceeded expectations, and security personnel had to step in and shove many people away to maintain order at the venue. Choudhary had sneered at the episode and alleged that even liquor was on offer, in an obvious bid to put on the spot Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U)'s supreme leader, who, though not present at the feas

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Parties like JD(U), Shiv Sena were your allies, now they are corrupt: Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'corrupt are coming on one platform' remark, saying parties such as the JD(U) and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) were his allies at one point of time and are now "corrupt", but were not so back then. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating an extension of the BJP headquarters here on Tuesday, Modi linked the coming together of opposition parties against the BJP to his government's campaign against corruption and said "anti-India" forces were attacking constitutional institutions -- the strong foundation of a rising India -- to stall the country's growth. Reacting to the remarks, Sibal tweeted, "PM: Opposition afraidall corrupt now on one platform. But Modiji: Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, JDU, PDP, BSP, were all your allies at one time and you formed government with them!" "Now they are corrupt! Then they were not?" the former Union minister said. In his remarks at the event, Modi said the ...

JD(U) rebel leader Kushwaha likely to address 5,000 supporters today

Upendra Kushwaha and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have been at loggerheads ever since the latter announced that Tejashwi Yadav will lead the Mahagathbandhan in the 2025 Assembly election