News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar CM

  • Rift within NDA in Bihar? VIP chief Mukesh Sahni skips key legislature meet

    Express News Service
    PATNA: All is not well within the ruling NDA in Bihar. The cracks within the allies were evident on Monday when Mukesh Sahni, chief of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), boycotted the NDA legislature meeting chaired by state chief minister Nitish Kumar. The meeting was called to discuss strategies to corner the Opposition during the next four days of Monsoon Session.

    The NDA legislature meeting was convened after the House was adjourned. Mukesh Sahni and his MLAs did not attend the meeting despite being present in the assembly after adjournment.

    The boycott comes a day after Mukesh Sahni was not allowed to unveil the statues of late Samajwadi MP Phoolan Devi on July 25 observed as ‘Shahadat-Diwas’.

    Though, Sahni denied this, he slammed the Yogi government for denying him permission in Banaras. “The VIP has boycotted the NDA meeting just because our party is not heard. Why should we attend if only BJP and JDU are heard and talked about at every meeting,” he told the media, further ruling out the possibility of resigning from the NDA. 

    “The NDA government-led by Nitish Kumar will go on but there should be a platform where every ally gets a chance to sit and talk together on any issue,” the VIP chief said.

    He further stated that the time has come for him and HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi to sit together and think over these meetings, and announced that him and his party MLAs will continue skipping these unless he is heard.

    “But the NDA government will continue to its full term. Our alliance with the BJP is limited only to Bihar. We are free to contest in other states, including UP, either alone or in alliance with any other like-minded party,” he said categorically, further adding that his party is determined to contest on 165 seats in UP assembly elections.

    Meanwhile, sources said that the NDA in Bihar is falling into internecine differences over many issues. The BJP and the JDU are at loggerhead over the new pollution control policy and the caste based census issues with the HAM supporting the JD-U.

    Expressing his anger against UP BJP, Mukesh Sahni said that on one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims to be working for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, but the same is not seen in Yogi government’s state. “When we went to UP to unveil the statues of Phoolan Devi, we were stopped. Only CM Yogi can tell us why he did not allow us. Yogi Adityanath is BJP’s face and we don’t expect him to act like this,” Sahni said.

    Bihar BJP Chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal said that Mukesh Sahni is a part of NDA family and everything will be sorted out soon.

    Meanwhile, Mukesh Sahani has reportedly received an offer from Congress MLA Pratima Kumari to leave the NDA and join the Mahagathbandhan.

    Even Samajwadi Party MP (RS) from Uttar Pradesh Vishambhar Nishad has invited Mukesh Sahni to its fold and fight in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls.

  • Night curfew to continue, shops can stay open till 5 PM: Bihar to unlock from Wednesday

    Express News Service
    With Bihar registering a sharp fall in the coronavirus infection rate, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced ease of lockdown from tomorrow. 

    Kumar made the announcements via Twitter after chairing the Crisis Group meeting of the state government.

    “The coronavirus infection has decreased due to the lockdown. While the lockdown will be eased, the night curfew will continue from 7 pm to 5 am. The shops can remain open till 5 PM and government and private officer can function till 4 PM with 50 percent attendance,” the chief minister tweeted further adding that schools and other learning institutions will continue to function online for the next one week.

    The CM further cautioned the residents to avoid overcrowding. 

  • Nitish Kumar involved in 2009 liquor scam, he will have to face the law, alleges BJP MLC

    By ANI
    SIWAN: Making serious allegations against JD-U supremo and Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday, Bihar MLC Tunna Pandey stated that he will expose Nitish Kumar’s involvement in 2009 liquor scam and then he will have to go to jail.

    Reacting to Pandey’s allegations, the Bihar BJP’s disciplinary committee on Thursday served a show cause notice to him for making a controversial remark on CM Nitish Kumar after the JD-U took a strong stand against the BJP MLC’s remarks.

    Speaking to ANI, Pandey said, “Let the right time come, I will come with all the facts, figures and proof on how Nitish Kumar gave birth to the 2009 liquor scam through his own people. This is the reason why he put a ban on liquor in Bihar. Once these charges are proved, as Lalu ji went to jail in fodder scame, Nitish Kumar too will go to jail for the liquor scam. My allegations are true. You can even open an inquiry into this matter, everybody will come to know about the truth.”

    Continuing his blistering attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said “circumstances made him the chief minister” and stated that he is not capable of being the chief minister, but enjoys the position because of ‘favourable circumstances’.

    The BJP MLC said, “I am in politics because of my parents, not because of Nitish Kumar. I am not a leader who lives on the mercy of Nitish Kumar. The people of Siwan voted me, I will serve them in whatever way needed. Who is Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar is a chief minister of circumstances. He was right. Last time his party came second and he became the chief minister, this time his party came third, yet he became the chief minster. Is he able to become a chief minister?

    “Neither he fought the elections, nor he win one, just became the chief minister due to favourable circumstances, everybody assumes him to be the leader. Nothing can be bigger irony than this. Honourable Shahabuddin saheb paid a price for speaking the truth. Now even I am afraid because I have spoken the truth,” he further said.

    Refusing to accept Nitish Kumar as his leader, Pandey further said, “This is a truth that Nitish Kumar is JD-U leader and Bihar Chief Minister but he is not our leader. NDA, BJP are differet parties. There are several parties who keep on joining the BJP alliance and leaving. I don’t have to do anything with NDA. I am BJP leader, BJP MLC. Our leader would only be from BJP. Nitish Kumar cannot be our leader.”

    He stated that he has not been elected as people’s representative for only serving and praising senior leaders, adding that it is his responsibility to speak up if a senior leader does something wrong.

    The BJP MLC also mentioned that Former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Mohammad Shahabuddin who was serving a life sentence for murder at the Tihar Jail was sent to jail through a consipracy.

    “Shahabuddin saheb was getting so much love of the pubic. When he ruturned from Bhagalpur, other leaders who were having a good time in his absence started making an issue out of it. They felt that now Shahabuddin has arrived, now they will no more be able to run their businesses.”

    He further questioned,”When Shahbuddin went to Tihar jail, did murders and deaths stop taking place in Siwan? He was sent to the Tihar jail through a conspiracy.”

    The RJD leader had passed away on May 1 at a hospital in Delhi where he was undergoing treatment for COVID-19. A court in Bihar had convicted Shahabuddin to 10 years of imprisonment for his involvement in an arms act case.

    Challenging the Bihar court’s order, Shahabuddin then filed an appeal before the Supreme Court and sought appropriate orders. Later, the Supreme Court had sought a detailed response from the state government after hearing the petition filed by the former MP, challenging his conviction.

    Shahabuddin’s senior lawyer submitted to the apex court that his client has been in jail for the last 14 years in a murder case. The 53-year-old was serving a life sentence in a 2004 double murder case. 

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar directs strict COVID test of people coming from Bengal by trains and buses

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday told officials to strictly conduct COVID test of passengers coming to the state by trains and buses from West Bengal having high positivity rate.

    Kumar gave this direction while conducting a virtual high-level meeting on the COVID situation with the health department officials as well as the district magistrates during the day.

    According to official sources the positivity rate of Bengal is more than 10 per cent.

    The Bihar chief minister said positivity rate is falling in the state but still clinical examination for coronavirus should be further scaled up.

    Positivity rate in Bihar which was in the excess of 10 per cent in the beginning of the month has dropped to around 3 per cent now.

    The chief minister emphasised on aggressive testing for infection in the rural areas.

    He told officials to pay special attention to spread of ther virus in rural areas.

    He instructed officials to conduct household survey for the infection in the rural areas.

    The chief minister said there should be no leniancy in providing medicines and taking carer of COVID patients recuperating in home isolation.

    Kumar ordered that ex-gratia amont of Rs 4 lakh should be paid to families of coronavirus victims without delay.

    Additional chief secretary Health Pratyaya Amrit briefed the meeting about latest situation of coronavirus in the state.

    Meanwhile, Bihar recorded 104 fresh COVID deaths on Tuesday, taking the toll to 4746.

    Total 3306 new cases were registered in the past 24 hours in the state spiking the tally of coronavirus cases to 6,95,726.

    Recovery rate of COVID patients has risen top 95.27 per cent in Bihar.

    The state has a total of 35129 active caseload at present.

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar visits residences of party leaders to spread Holi joy

    By Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accompanied by his senior cabinet colleague Vijay K Choudhary, adhering to all safety protocols of COVID-19, celebrated Holi with a difference on Monday. He paid surprise visits to the residences of some senior party leaders and greeted them on the occasion of Holi. He also placed tilak on their foreheads.

    Kumar, without any prior planning, visited the party’s most aged and senior leader Vashishth N Singh, greeted him with sweets and spent some time at his residence. Before Kumar’s visit, Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha had visited Singh’s residence which has also triggered a speculation of Kushwaha’s home coming back to JDU. At present, Kushwaha is in LJP.

    After visiting Singh’s residence, the CM paid a surprise visit to the residence of senior leader and Minister of Building Construction Dr Ashok K Choudhary. “It was a great gift and blessing to us on Holi from a leader like Nitish Kumar ji, who with our senior leader Vijay K Choudhary and others, visited our residence. We felt sentimental as well as extremely grateful to the chief minister, who blessed us like a guardian”, Dr Choudhary said.

    The chief minister ate some”pakban”(cuisines) cooked on the occasion of holi at Choudhry’s residence.

    “We wish all a very happy, healthy and colourful life with peace, prosperity and brotherhood”, the CM was heard saying while speaking to other colleagues.

  • CM Nitish Kumar loses cool at RJD MLC, asks him to follow decorum of the House

    Express News Service
    Bihar Chief Minister lost his cool at RJD MLC Subodh Rai who reportedly interrupted the state rural development minister during supplementary questions in the assembly on Monday.

    The incident, that left everyone surprised, took place when the minister was replying to a supplementary question raised by RJD MLC Mohammad Farooq. Even as the answer was underway, Rai stood up and tried to raise another supplementary question, leading CM to lose his cool. 

    Citing the rules and decorum of the House, the chief minister chided Rai by stating that one should till the answer to one question is completed before raising another supplementary query. 

    Kumar further got irritated when Rai started arguing with him. “You know the rules first and follow the decorum of the House,” the chief minister said. 

    Kumar also asked senior RJD MLC Ram Chandra Poorve, sitting next to Rai, to explain to the new members how to talk in the House.

    Despite all this, when Rai did not follow the CM’s suggestions, Nitish Kumar angrily asked him, “We are still speaking and you are interrupting us. Is this the way?”

    After the Chairman’s intervention, Subodh Rai sat down. 

    “I have explained the rules of asking questions in the House. I have no problems with anyone. You have questions, but follow the rules of the House,” CM said. 

    Earlier in the session, the chief minister was also angry with RJD MLC Sunil Kumar Singh. 

    Speaking to the media, Rai said that the RJD will boycott the presence of the chief minister in the council and protest against his attitude towards the Opposition. 

  • Nitish Kumar dodges answering question on fuel price hike

    By ANI
    PATNA: Refraining from commenting over the fuel price hike, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that it is true that prices are rising and it is clearly visible.

    Responding to a question on rising prices of diesel and petrol in the country, Nitish Kumar told reporters, “Everyone would like it if the prices do not rise but right now the prices are on a rise. Everybody can see that.”

    Petrol and diesel prices in the national capital stand at Rs 89.29 a litre (increase by 30 paise) and Rs 79.70 per litre (increase by 35 paise), respectively.

    The Bihar CM was talking to reporters after offering prayers on the occasion of Saraswati puja.

    ALSO READ: Petrol soars to Rs 99.87 in Rajasthan; LPG, ATF prices up

    Extending greetings to the people Nitish Kumar said, “Today is Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja and I give my best wishes to the people on the occasion of these festivals. Today we performed Saraswati puja which is done to obtain knowledge.”

    Basant Panchami, also known as ‘Vasant Panchami’, marks the arrival of the spring season in India.

    Basant Panchami is also dedicated to the goddess of knowledge, Goddess Saraswati who bestows her devotees with wisdom, learning and knowledge.  

  • BJP senses growing affinity between former allies after Nitish wishes Lalu for speedy recovery

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s wish for a fast recovery from illness to his political bete noire RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday sparked a speculation about growing affinity again in Nitish Kumar for Lalu Prasad Yadav.

    After Kumar’s wishes, the BJP’s political circle in Patna have started to analyse the situation, albeit silently, and reading between the lines.

    “Kumar has tried his best to kill two birds with one stone by wishing for the fast recovery of ailing RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. The first, Nitish Kumar has given a strong message shrewdly to BJP not to take his alliance for granted and the second, Nitish Kumar showing a soft corner for Lalu Prasad Yadav, who once was with him and called as ‘chhote Bhai'( younger brother)”, said some keen observers of Bihar politics.

    Sources also said that whenever Nitish Kumar feels “uncomfortable” in alliance with any party, he tries to convey a message in this manner. “Recall, how he had done the same with the RJD when he felt interference in governance”, said a source.

    Nitish Kumar’s admission that he had been taking “haal-chaal”(information on wellness) of Lalu Prasad over phone but now stopped it because of some people who started speak otherwise.

    In 2017, Nitish Kumar had surprised everyone and alliance partner RJD when he took an abrupt decision to walk away from the Mahagatvandhan citing corruption charges against Tejashwi Yadav.

    HOwever, in the assembly after forming the government, Nitish Kumar had exhibited his affection for Lalu Prasad Yadav when he had chided Tejashwi Yadav over his astatement.

    Kumar had said that he had been overlooking Tejashwi Yadav for long time just because of he (Tejashwi Yadav) was the son of his “bhai saman dost” (brother like friend).

    Meanwhile, some BJP sources said Nitish wishing Lalu  will not hamper the continuation of the alliance but admitted that they will read between the lines ofevery statement of Nitish Kumar.

    A source from the NDA said, “How delicate the alliance of BJP with JDU is going on this time can be understood from the fact that even a wish by CM Nitish Kumar is learnt to have worried the BJP silently”.

  • JD-U blames BJP for delay in Bihar cabinet expansion as seat sharing formula still ‘unclear’

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The ruling JD-U held a grudge against BJP for continued delay over the issue of Bihar cabinet expansion.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, not long ago, had expressed his dismay over inordinate delay in the cabinet expansion saying that it is was the first time such a long delay is being carried out in NDA history.

    JDU MLC Devesh Chandra Thakur, on Thursday, directly blamed the BJP for delay in the state  cabinet expansion. The three-time MLC said “as a result of the delay in cabinet expansion, the functioning of many government departments is getting affected.” 

    ​ALSO READ | Shahnawaz Hussain, Mukesh Sahni elected unopposed to Bihar legislative council

    He further reminded that cabinet expansion used to place just three days after a new government is formed.

    Almost two months have gone by since Nitish Kumar-led NDA government was elected in Bihar, but the cabinet has not been expanded despite heavy work pressure on 14 ministers. Thakur said that the delay in the cabinet expansion is sending a wrong message to people of Bihar.

    A speculation floated that the cabinet expansion will be held after January 26 as BJP leader Shahanwaz Hussian and VIP leader Mukesh Sahni were elected unopposed to the state council as MLCs.

    Sources close to both the JD-U and BJP said that “the Bihar unit of BJP has already sent a list of MLAs and MLCs for their inclusion in the cabinet to the central leadership of BJP in New Delhi.”

    A reliable source told The New Indian Express that the cabinet expansion is getting delayed because JD-U is not agreeing to the seat sharing formula proposed by BJP.

    Meanwhile, BJP leader Mithilesh Tiwari told the media that cabinet expansion is the chief minster’s prerogative. “The expansion of the cabinet will be held at an auspicious time and the NDA government will run smoothly to complete its full term,” Tiwari said. 

    He rebuked at the opposition for creating uproar over the cabinet expansion.

    Both JD-U and BJP are mulling over whether to include young faces in the cabinet instead of the old faces or those who were the ministers earlier.

    Bihar Deputy CM Tarkishor Prasad also claimed that the cabinet expansion will take place at the earliest. But when asked when, he refused to make any direct comments.

    ALSO READ | Bihar cabinet expansion likely soon, assures CM Nitish Kumar

    Some officials of the state government, posted at the secretariat, admitted that the functioning of the government has been affected due to delay in the cabinet expansion.

    “At present 14 ministers, against sanctioned 44 departments, are bearing heavy work load of multiple departments. The date of the budget session has also been announced. In such a situation, if cabinet is not expanded it will certainly create a major problem,” some senior officers said.

    Among 14 ministers, seven are from the BJP, five from JDU and one from each Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and the VIP parties.

    As per sanctioned norm, only 36 ministers, including the Chief Minister, can be in the cabinet out of a total 243 seats. After the 2020 electionss, the NDA has got only 125 seats, out of which BJP has got 74 seats, JD-U has 43, HAM and the VIP each has got four seats.

    It is said that the BJP is demanding more ministerial berths on the basis of seats won this time. 

    Last time, the total number of JD-U MLAs was 71 while BJP had 54. But this time BJP has 74 MLAs and JDU has 43, so the BJP is reportedly claiming for more ministerial berths in the cabinet but the JD-U wants ministerial posts on the basis of 50-50 formula.

  • Forget assembly poll results and look ahead: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar tells JDU workers

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday urged workers of his Janata Dal (United) to look at the future banishing memories of the recent assembly elections in which the party suffered humiliating losses.

    The JD(U) de facto leader, who relinquished the post of the partys national president earlier this month, also asserted that the government in the state will “complete its five-year term”, in an indirect rebuff to opposition leaders who have been speaking of political instability.

    Kumar was addressing the partys state council and state executive meetings here, in presence of leaders like RCP Singh, who has succeeded him as the national president, and state unit chief Vashishtha Narayan Singh.

    The JD(U) could win only 43 seats in the October-November polls, down from 71 in the last elections in 2015.

    The Chief Ministers assertions of completing the term came at a time when opposition leaders like Tejashwi Yadav and ally turned adversary Chirag Paswan have been speaking of the possibility of “mid-term polls” pointing towards the changed equations in the NDA in which the BJP now seems to have gained the upper hand.

    Moreover, the BJPs failure to rein in the rebellion by Paswan, who continues to swear by his loyalty towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has riled the JD(U) cadre.

    “We must strive to work for all those who voted for us as well as those who did not. I would urge the candidates who fought and lost in the recent elections to devote themselves to serving the people with gusto,” Kumar said.

    He also asked party workers to “make use of the social media to spread positivity and counter those who misuse the virtual mediums for spreading falsehoods”.

    The 69-year-old, who returned as the Chief Minister for the fourth consecutive term after the elections, reiterated that he was reluctant to hold on to the seat of power “but agreed only because you all insisted that I continue working”.

    Addressing the function, JD(U) president RCP Singh cautioned the rank and file against the hubris that comes from being the party in power.

    Vashishtha Narayan Singh said “we are incapable of treachery though we might ourselves get cheated sometimes. But we have held our own in the face of adverse circumstances and there is no alternative to our leader (Nitish Kumar) nor can anybody match his calibre”.