Page 7 - Nitish Kumar

Bihar CM Nitish files his nomination for re-election to legislative council

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday filed his nomination papers for re-election to the state legislative council. Kumar, who is running for a fourth consecutive term, filed his nomination papers in the presence of a host of senior leaders of the ruling NDA, including his deputies Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, who belong to the BJP, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" whom he succeeded as the JD(U) national president. Besides Kumar, nomination papers were filed by his cabinet colleague Santosh Suman and JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar. Suman's father Jitan Ram Manjhi, a former chief minister who heads Hindustani Awam Morcha, was also present. The Election Commission has announced biennial polls for 11 seats of the state legislative council, the terms of which would end in May. Of these, the JD(U) had held four, though following a diminution in its strength in the assembly, the party has given up its claim on two of the seats. Besides Kumar and Anwar, those from the JD(U) whos

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 ...

Nitish releases draft report on strategies to cut carbon emission in Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday released a draft report that proposes strategies to reduce carbon emission in the state. The draft report on 'climate-resilient and low-carbon development pathway for Bihar' is in line with India's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. "The report provides a timely first-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of future growth scenarios for Bihar to understand what a decarbonisation pathway entails and how it can spur economic growth, jobs and sustainability," state environment secretary Bandana Preyashi said at 'Bihar Climate Action Conclave' here. "The underlying principle driving the strategy is to embed climate action -- mitigation and adaptation -- into vision, programmes, policies, and budgets across sectors to lend credence to a net-zero and climate-resilient future," she added. According to the document, "development pathway focuses on choices and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, and

He should stick to his word: Tejashwi slams Nitish on frequent flip-flops

"We wish him (Nitish Kumar) all the best. This time he said that he would remain where he is. At least this time he should stick to his word." said RJD leader Tejshwi Yadav

I will remain with NDA forever: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar assures PM Modi

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he would remain with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forever. Speaking on the occasion of unveiling function of the projects worth Rs 21,400 crore in Aurangabad district by Modi, Kumar said, I am confident that the NDA coalition will win more than 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls. I assure the PM that now I will remain in NDA forever. Kumar dumped the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and returned to his old ally BJP last month. We welcome you (the PM) in Bihar. Lots of developments are taking place in Bihar. I am confident that now things will move faster and Bihar will reach new heights of development. People of Bihar will now feel economically more empowered, said Kumar.

Bihar traders offered 'one-time settlement' for pre-GST era tax liabilities

The NDA government in Bihar on Thursday came out with a 'one-time settlement' initiative for the benefit of traders with tax liabilities dating back to the pre-GST era. The Bihar Tax Disputes Settlement Bill, 2024 was tabled in the state assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who also holds the finance portfolio. The Bill was passed in the assembly through voice vote, and, according to Choudhary, once notified, "it will bring great relief to traders with pre-GST tax liabilities". "The Bill provides traders with an opportunity to settle their pre-GST tax liabilities through the one-time settlement scheme. It would require traders to pay 10 per cent of the penalty and the remaining 90 per cent will be waived. In addition, traders will have to pay 35 per cent of the disputed tax amount to get a waiver of the remaining 65 per cent," said Choudhary. "Traders will have to pay both 10 per cent of the interest and penalty and 35 per cent of the disputed tax to avail this ...

Highlights: Car securing route for CM Yogi's cavalcade meets with accident

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Nitish Kumar maintained a record of turning back, says Tejashwi Yadav

"Nitish Kumar has maintained a record in turning back. At the same time, he called upon people to participate in the RJD rally organised in Patna on March 3."

Nitish return backfired, BJP knows temple not enough to win Bihar: CPI(ML)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's move to return to the National Democratic Alliance has "backfired" and the BJP's keenness to get the JD(U) back shows they realised Ram temple was not enough to win the state, CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya has said. In an interview with PTI, he claimed that since an alternative agenda centred around poverty and livelihood issues was shaping up in Bihar with the Mahagathbandhan in power, the BJP got scared and pushed to break the alliance. The CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary also sought to downplay the impact of Ram temple consecration in Bihar's electoral politics, saying people saw that the event was "politicised". Bhattacharya claimed that people have been saying that if Lord Ram was enough to win the polls then the BJP would not have needed Nitish Kumar. "Obviously the BJP knows this is not enough." "Ram Mandir will awe people... But the same people devoted to Lord Ram didn't like the politicisation of Ram temple at all,

Electricity will not be given for free: Nitish Kumar in state assembly

Pointing towards Bijendra Yadav (Energy Minister in Bihar Government), Nitish Kumar said that he is honest, listens to him. However, the opposition boycotted the budget speech

Can't provide free electricity to consumers in state, says Bihar CM

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday dismissed the opposition's demand for providing at least 200 units of free electricity to the poor and emphasised that electricity is already being supplied to consumers at highly subsidised rates. The CM made the remark in the assembly during a debate on budget allocation for the energy department for 2024-25. A budgetary proposal of Rs 11,422.67 crore of the department was passed by voice vote. "We can't provide free electricity to consumers. I have been saying this for years. We are already providing electricity to consumers at highly subsidised rates," the CM said, rejecting the demands of opposition members that at least 200 units of electricity be given free to 94 lakh families who earn less than Rs 6,000 a month. The demand was first raised by Sandeep Saurav, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation's MLA, during a debate on budget allocation for the energy department. State Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadv while

Highlights of the day: Investments are inclined towards India, says FM

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'Irregularities' took place when RJD was sharing power: CM Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday asserted that he has come to know about many irregularities that took place when the RJD was sharing power with the JD(U) and these were now being investigated. He was responding to media queries about the Bihar government's order to review all decisions taken by the departments headed by former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and two RJD ministers Lalit Yadav and Ramanand Yadav in the previous 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state. "Irregularities (Gadbadiyaan) have taken place ... we will not tolerate this. Things are being investigated", said the CM. In a letter, dated February 16, issued by the Cabinet Secretariat department, headed by the CM, officials of the Health, Road Construction, Urban Development and Housing and Rural Works departments have been asked to review the decisions taken during the previous grand alliance government in the state. These departments were headed by Tejashwi Yadav. Besides, the government has

Bihar govt to review functioning of dept held by former Dy CM Tejashwi

Nitish Kumar further asserted that the Bihar government worked for every section of the society

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

Day after swapping smiles, Lalu Yadav says doors open for ex-ally Nitish

Lalu Prasad Yadav's remark came a day after he was spotted exchanging greetings with Nitish Kumar at the Bihar Assembly. Lalu was accompanied by his son Tejashwi Yadav

Rahul Gandhi led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' to resume with rally in Bihar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will on Thursday pick up the threads of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' with a public meeting in Bihar's Aurangabad district, about 150 km from the state capital. According to senior party leader and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is also likely to address the rally. "Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are likely to reach Gaya by flight and take a helicopter for Aurangabad. Thereafter, Gandhi will resume the Yatra", Mishra told PTI over phone. Notably, Gandhi was last seen in Bihar a fortnight ago when his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra had covered four districts of the Seemanchal region. According to Mishra, after the rally, Gandhi is likely to interact with farmers in Tekari Vidhan Sabha area, which falls in Gaya district but is a part of the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency. "Gandhi will spend the night at Sasaram. On Friday he will travel to Kaimur district from where we will see him off into the adjoining state of Uttar Pradesh"

Highlights of the day: Farmers to go ahead with 'Delhi Chalo' march

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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

Bihar floor test: Nitish Kumar wins trust vote for NDA government

The floor test of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar concluded on Monday, with Kumar securing 129 votes in favour