JD-U leaders have backed a proposal to rename the party Janata Dal Nitish, putting Nitish Kumar's political legacy at the centre of the party's identity.
Taking dim view of the ongoing war of words between Janata Dal-United and BJP, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi said the two estranged allies were orchestrating a 'friendly fight' with each other to distract attention from the real issues.
The Janata Dal (United) is considering a proposal to rename the party as 'JD(U)-Nitish' to honour its leader Nitish Kumar, a move supported by key aides but criticised by the RJD, which suggests it indicates an impending split within the party.
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar and his son Nishant Kumar made a joint appearance at a party orientation programme, sparking speculation about Nishant's political future and potential leadership roles within the party. The event, aimed at training parliamentarians and legislators, also saw Nishant urging attendees to uphold his father's principles of "zero tolerance for crime, corruption and communalism."
JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh openly defied his party by supporting a rival candidate, Anuj Singh of the Jan Suraaj Party, for the Bihar legislative council elections. This move is seen as a direct challenge to JD(U)'s official candidate, Neeraj Kumar, with whom Singh has a long-standing rivalry. The JD(U) leadership is reportedly considering action against Singh.
Following the horrific Jamui molestation case, new incidents of harassment have been reported in Bihar's Samastipur and Muzaffarpur districts, leading to five arrests and prompting strong criticism from opposition leaders against the BJP-led NDA government over the state's law and order situation.
'Nitishji as CM never supported the UCC and publicly expressed his strong reservations over UCC.'
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary stated that the JD(U) will thoroughly study the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill before deciding on its stance, indicating they will not oppose it without valid reasons. This position contrasts with the RJD's strong opposition and highlights the JD(U)'s independent approach within the NDA.
'Nanandan Yadav was hiding in the Madwa Pahari locality when the police surrounded him. He tried to flee, and was shot during the encounter.'
Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder of Karni Sena leader Himanshu Singh in Jamshedpur, who was stabbed after protesting alleged eve-teasing. Prohibitory orders have been imposed across parts of the city, and a Jamshedpur bandh has been called by opposition parties for July 3.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers and leaders of the National Democratic Alliance allies on Tuesday attended the ruling coalition's weekly meeting of parliamentarians, where the absence of three Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) MPs stood out amid signs of differences within the 20-member group of Trinamool Congress rebels over its association with the alliance.
Senior JD(U) leader K C Tyagi has resigned from the party after a long association, stating his commitment to ideological principles and respect for Nitish Kumar remain unchanged. He plans to decide his future course of action soon.
Newly-elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party legislative party in Bihar, Samrat Choudhary, met Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) at Lok Bhavan on Tuesday and staked a claim to form the government in the state.
Hours before his plunge into politics, Nishant met senior JD-U leaders and young MLAs to understand the party's future plans.
The BJP-led government in Bihar secured a vote of confidence in the state assembly, with Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary pledging economic development and significant investments. The motion was passed amidst heated debates and accusations between the ruling NDA and the opposition, highlighting political tensions and differing views on issues like women's reservation.
Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, is poised to enter Bihar politics by joining the Samrat Choudhary government, marking a significant development in the state's political landscape.
Political activity in Bihar is all set to intensify once the inauspicious kharmas period ends on April 14. Will Nitish Kumar pull another rabbit out of his hat? M I Khan reports.
Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a stunning electoral debut by winning Bihar's Bankipur assembly seat, a long-held BJP bastion. Concurrently, the Congress retained the Datia assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, while the BJP successfully held onto the Manjalpur seat in Gujarat, showcasing mixed results for the ruling and opposition parties in these crucial by-elections.
'Shivraj Chauhan is coming with a secret slip in which the next chief minister's name is mentioned, it will be known on Tuesday.'
Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday sent a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to Prashant Kishor and described the allegations as baseless and 'blatant lies'.
'Har haal mein ghar khali karna hoga, koi mai ka lal nahi hai jo sarkari ghar khali nahi karega'.
Recent BJP organisational moves and Rajya Sabha nominations have sparked speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may soon undertake a ministerial reshuffle.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed anger when a group of women left an event where he was speaking about government initiatives for women's empowerment.
Tejashwi Yadav and Prashant Kishore claim that a group of senior Janata Dal-United leaders and retired bureaucrats, locally dubbed the 'Bhunja Party', manages the state administration on Nitish Kumar's behalf.
'Nearly 80 of 85 JD-U MLAs are not in favour of a CM from the BJP.'
'This combination of immaturity and desperation somehow becomes lethal; it is unhealthy for democracy'
Lobbying has intensified among NDA partners in Bihar for the post of Speaker in the assembly, with BJP MLA Prem Kumar considered a frontrunner. A special assembly session will be convened soon to elect the Speaker.
Mokama will witness one of this Bihar assembly election's hottest battles as Janata Dal-United candidate Anant Singh takes on the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Veena Devi, whose husband Surajbhan Singh, like her JD-U rival, is considered one of the state's tough guys or as they say in these parts, a Bahubali.
'If you want a bright future of Bihar and your children, I urge you not to vote for anyone with a criminal background or corrupt candidates even if they belong to your caste.'
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has named Jyotiprakash Chatterji as its new president, a development that follows the merger of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel Lok Sabha faction with the party. This announcement by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a key figure in the dissident camp, comes amidst speculation about the party's leadership after its founder stepped down. However, details about Chatterji and the party's internal workings remain unclear, with some existing members expressing unawareness of the change.
Petitions have been filed in the Patna High Court challenging the election of 45 members of the Bihar legislative assembly, including Speaker Prem Kumar.
'The seats which we would be contesting have been identified. Respective candidates have also been finalised. Four non-performing sitting MLAs will be replaced with fresh faces.'
The JD(U) stated that it supported the BJP for the Bihar chief minister's post to reciprocate past support, as the new government prepares for a vote of confidence.
Omar Abdullah has so far laboured hard to make best of a bad bargain. Even so, the ground reality is anything but reassuring. The Opposition parties, including notably the PDP, appear to be gaining ground, though more by default. Public patience with Omar's government has nearly run out, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and J P Nadda, met with party leaders and allies to discuss the upcoming Bihar polls. Seat-sharing arrangements with NDA partners are expected to be announced soon.
Nitish Kumar was chosen as the leader of the JD(U) legislature party and is expected to be chosen as the leader of the NDA alliance in Bihar. He will take oath as Bihar CM for a record 10th time.
Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi has been allotted a new residence by the Nitish Kumar government, requiring her to vacate the bungalow she has occupied for years. The decision has sparked reactions from RJD leaders and family members.
Will Nitish Kumar file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday morning?
The BJP will use Samrat Choudhary to make a dent into Nitish Kumar's traditional social support base of Kurmi and Koeri/Kushwaha communities.
There is no cause for concern, as the overall situation arising out of the crisis is firmly under control, the Centre informed while briefing political parties at the all-party meet.
