Internal discord within the INDIA bloc has led to alliance partners contesting against each other in at least eight assembly seats in Bihar. The Congress, RJD, and Left parties are facing challenges in seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming elections.
Filing of nomination papers ended on Monday for the second and final phase of Bihar assembly polls, with the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) appearing fractured, as constituents would end up fighting each other in a number of seats.
Sources said a couple of resolutions are expected to be passed at the crucial meeting, with an eye on the upcoming Bihar polls.
Confusion prevailing in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) showed little signs of let up on Saturday, with just two days to go before the filing of nomination papers for the second and final phase of assembly elections comes to a close.
Opposition INDIA Bloc leaders are considering an impeachment notice against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over concerns about voter roll revision in Bihar and alleged vote theft. The move comes after the CEC addressed a press conference without addressing the opposition's questions.
The BJP's MoSha leadership are past masters in encouraging defections from their allies if it helped their party capture the chief minister's chair. In Bihar, they are not sure if JD-U MPs and MLAs would be willing to cross over to the BJP if the Nitish leadership came on top -- and the NDA crossed the halfway mark together, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai launched a scathing attack on Congress, stating that the party takes "pleasure" in insulting Bihar and its people.
'Traders and exporters will have to explore alternative markets.'
Nowhere are the stories of the coming election better told than on the roads of Bihar.
'The EC should not have let the initiative go into the hands of the political leadership. By allowing this to happen, they have opened a Pandora's box.'
An analysis of the upcoming Bihar elections, focusing on the key players, alliances, and issues that will shape the outcome. The article examines the strength of the ruling NDA coalition led by Nitish Kumar and the challenge posed by the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, as well as the potential impact of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party.
'If the BJP had its way, it would sideline him in favour of someone else. But that's not feasible. There is no vote catcher in Bihar for the BJP.'
'Rahul Gandhi's problem is that he doesn't think big.' 'He looks more like an activist, while politics is like a game of chess. You attack and then defend and have a game-plan.'
Coming down hard on the Election Commission for its response on 'vote theft' allegations, former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi on Sunday said the poll body should have ordered a probe into Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's charges instead of 'shouting' at him in a language that was 'objectionable and offensive'.
'Without our support Nitish Kumar wouldn't have become chief minister.' 'After the government was formed we became ministers, but our agenda remained the same: Amit Shah had promised reservation for Nishads.' 'He wouldn't listen, so we went to UP and contested 52 seats in the 2022 elections. He didn't like the idea of rebellion.' 'He saw that this man, coming from Bombay, is very sharp. He's made four MLAs now, tomorrow he'll make 40. A time will come when they will make it 125.' 'They bought our MLAs and ousted us from the government.'
Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, National Students Union of India and the All India Students Federation showed black flags to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and hundreds of "contractual para teachers" again protested on Thursday and shouted slogans against his government during his Adhikar Yatra in Begusarai district, the police said.
Hundreds of students have been forced to skip school in Patna and neighbouring areas after security forces deployed for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's much-publicised Adhikar yatra -- occupied the premises of nearly twenty schools since Friday. Students of these government-run schools have been asked to come back on Monday as security forces had taken over their class rooms till Sunday evening, an official of the education ministry said.
The Bihar government has constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the large-scale violence and arson by protesters during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Adhikar Yatra to Khagaria district two days ago.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that no government would be formed at the centre after the next Lok Sabha elections without the support of Bihar's 40 members of Parliament.
The move is directed at strengthening Samajwadi Party's weakening hold over a section of the OBCs, who have traditionally remained the most deprived lot. Sharat Pradhan reports
The Samajwadi Party on Sunday backed the withdrawal of case against accused in Muzaffarnagar riots, saying it was "trying to give justice to the victims".
The Congress has so far announced 82 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls beginning April 19.
In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress shocked the BJP by securing 30 of the 47 ST seats, proving that this vote bank has drifted away from the ruling party over some time. Sandeep Kumar reports.
'Nobody wants to run an exploitation factory.'
A group of youths from Haryana has embarked on a march from Bhiwani to New Delhi to garner support for the release of Sarabjit Singh, who is facing death penalty in Pakistan on charges of carrying out blasts in Lahore.
From opposing the NPR and NRC to demanding special status for Bihar to staying out of the Union Cabinet on principle to showing the BJP who was boss in Bihar, Nitish Kumar has wasted no opportunity at cocking a snook at the BJP leadership. But how long can he continue, asks Gopal Krishna.