News Analysis India

Tag: NDA

  • Speculation rife after Kanhaiya meets Nitish aide

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Is the ruling JD-U in Bihar working to break the Chirag Paswan-led LJP and the CPI? Recent developments have created such a buzz. LJP MP Chandan Singh recently met JD-U president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It was closely followed by CPI leader and ex-president of JNU Students Union Kanhaiya Kumar’s meeting with the CM’s close aide Ashok K Chaudhary. 

    These meetings set off speculation in the corridors of power in the state. Chandan Singh went to Nitish’s residence with a bouquet of red roses followed by a photo session. This was the second meeting between these two leaders and came after LJP’s lone MLA Raj Kumar Singh met JD-U’s Chaudhary.

    Though the LJP MP clarified his meeting with the CM was related to development work in his constituency, sources said given the damage the LJP did to the JD-U in the Assembly polls, the parleys did have political overtones. LJP spokesperson Mohammad Asharf sought to clear the air by saying the meeting should not be viewed from political perspective.

    Meanwhile, CPI’s firebrand youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar, too, created a buzz as he met Nitish’s political confidant. “Kanhaiya met Nitish when the CPI recently took disciplinary action against him for his “treatment” of party leaders in Patna,” said a political observer. Political analyst Ashok Mishra says such a meeting cannot be ignored in Bihar’s ever changing politics.

    The JD-U may try to embrace Kanhaiya if he changes his stand in line with JD-U’s ideology. Sources say if Kanhaiya were to switch keeping his future in mind, JDU might use him from Begusarai in 2025 in a scenario where the JD-U is no longer able to keep its alliance with the BJP. “The party can use his oratory skills to counter RJD,” said a political observer. 

  • ‘JP to BJP’: A book that speaks about Bihar’s changing politics

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The recent Bihar assembly elections were more meaningful than ever for the all parties in the state, including the NDA and the opposition.  

    A book titled JP to BJP- Bihar after Lalu and Nitish by Patna based senior journalist Santosh Singh has brought in a bunch of ‘less known’ political facts to the readers.

    Singh, based in Patna, in a chapter of the book ‘The Churn-Bihar after Lalu and Nitish’ states that “The NDA had to also face the migration blues, and a not-so-great development index, beyond the basic ‘bijali, sadak and paani in the last three terms of Nitish Kumar as the Bihar CM”.

    The book, written with lucid facts, has proved to be an instant hit in the political as well as academic circles of the state. But what lures the readers to buy this book is its objective narration depicting political profiles and personalities of Bihar. The book also talks about the young political figures, namely Chirag Paswan, Kanhaiya Kumar and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

    Singh has stated that BJP has a compulsion to remain in political alliance with the JD-U but in the near future, BJP may dare to go alone with determination to have full political independence in Bihar.

    As mentioned in the book, “For the BJP, alliance with Nitish may well be political compulsion. Bihar BJP is not daring enough. But it (BJP) wants to dare and has been waiting just for the right time”.

    That means, BJP will never give second thought to take jump in the state independently.

    The book elucidates well that Bihar politics is at the far end of the era of Jayaprakash Narayan’s scions, with Nitish Kumar as the last holding the stand of politics from the socialist camp.

    “He (Nitish Kumar) looks good for a few more years, but the politics in the state in another ten years may have an altogether different templates and political proper nouns. Politics in Bihar is now entering an era that will make it bipolar. It is Saffron versus Socialists”, the book predicts.

    The book broadly claims “Bihar has crossed over the Nitish Kumar phase. Nitish might decorate the chair but he may not hold on to it for a long time”.

    It is a fact that no body honestly can deny that BJP has no leader parallel to Nitish Kumar to project as face to Chief Minister of the party in case it disassociates from the alliance. The BJP has majority of its leaders as well ministers, who feel privileged remaining ‘inaccessible’ to the both media and the common people.

    The same situation, directly or indirectly, goes with JD-U with a majority of its ministers including national president RCP Singh and CM Nitish Kumar, who remain ‘inaccessible’ to the media and the people in general with a few exceptions.

    But what JDU has an edge over the BJP is Nitish Kumar’s face-which carries a credit of ,indeed, transferring the Bihar from ‘backward’ to now somewhat ‘cleaned’ and ‘moving’ in development as a state  as the leader heading the state since 2005 with the political alliance wit BJP.

    Singh’s book reads “There can be three possibilities, BJP taking the centre–state with its aggressive brand of politics, Tejashwi cobbling a strong anti-BJP alliance, with the Congress and the left. Someone like Kanhaiya Kumar can become the fulcrum of a non-RJD and non-BJP alliance with the support of the Congress”.

    The book also says that caste politics has slowly started losing importance in Bihar. But it can not be easily agreed upon as having seen the recent caste equations mainlined by all parties in ticket distributions to ministerial formations by NDA.

    But, it has rightly been stated that, “Bihar is fast heading towards a BJP versus the rest of the political dispensation contest’. The book also says that Tejashwi, with his reserve of 20-22 per cent base, alone has a chance to give some resistance to the BJP, after Nitish Kumar is out of the race”.

    By going through the books, it goes without saying that the book by a journalist on Bihar politics will certainly prove handy in giving ‘intelligent insight’ on the state politics.

    Another senior journalist, Raj Kamal Jha, has said “To understand the India story today, any journey to and through Bihar is vital-it is both a pilgrimage and a reality check. This book is an invaluable compass for that journey”.

    Indeed, this is the book that speaks about ‘Bihar’s politics’ from past to future as an unputable down one.

  • 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.

  • Will meet President over law and order situation in Bihar: Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav

    Express News Service
    PATNA:   The RJD-led opposition parties in the state have taken up the recent murder of an airline official to slam the NDA government in Bihar. Indigo airline’s Patna airport head Rupesh Kumar Singh was shot dead near his house by unidentified men on last Tuesday.

    Addressing a hurriedly called press meeting on Saturday, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said if the government fails to control crimes in the state in next one month, the entire Opposition, led by the RJD, would go to Delhi and lodge a complaint with the President of India.

    Slamming the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, Yadav alleged that crimes like murder, loot, kidnap and rape have increased to an “unprecedented extent” in Bihar but the state government has refused to accept the “alarming” law and order problem.

    “Bihar is becoming the crime capital of the country but the state government has failed to check it. What to speak about the plight of common people. The state government does not hear even the people’s representatives. Government officials are not picking the calls from anyone including media,” Yadav alleged, adding that if crimes are not checked within next month, the Opposition will meet the President to apprise him of the state government’s failure in maintaining the law and order.

    Citing social media posts, he alleged that hand of influential ministers and other leaders in the murder cannot be ruled out.

  • RJD will never be able to return to power, says RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha

    Express News Service
    PATNA: RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, who was once part of Grand Alliance in Bihar along with the RJD, claimed that the RJD will never be able to return to power in the state. Speaking to local media on Saturday, Kushwaha said that the people have given the mandate to Nitish Kumar to run the government.

    “In such a situation, where the people’s mandate has been given to Nitish Kumar to lead the NDA government, RJD shouldn’t daydream of returning to power,” he said.

    Kushwaha, who recently had met CM Nitish Kumar after his party failed to win even a single seat in the Bihar assembly, further made a prediction that the RJD, even in future, wouldn’t be able to come into power in the state.

    “The RJD leaders should take it from that their party wouldn’t be able to return to power, even in future,” he added vehemently.

    Upon being asked, Kushwaha said that it wouldn’t be prudent politically to predict the fall of a government that has been formed a month ago. “But I think, RJD shouldn’t be daydreaming of coming into power now in Bihar,” he asserted.

    When asked about the defection of six JDU MLAs to BJP in Arunachal Pradesh, Kushwaha very shrewdly refrained from making any comment on it. He only said that it was a matter between JDU and BJP, beyond the concern of RLSP.

    He also said that though his party couldn’t win a single seat in the assembly election, there is no doubt that the RLSP has expanded its political base in the state.

    When he was categorically asked about the speculation of his return to NDA after he met Nitish Kumar, Kushwaha denied it far from the fact.

  • Shah arrives at Nadda’s residence, congratulations for victory in Bihar assembly elections and by-elections

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday congratulated BJP President JP Nadda at the residence of BJP President JP Nadda for winning the Bihar Assembly Elections and the grand success achieved in the by-elections in various states. He congratulated the visiting National President JP Nadda at the residence of the BJP in the victory. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nadda, all of us activists are dedicated to the overall development of the country.

    In a very exciting contest in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieved a magical figure of majority by sweeping 125 seats out of 243 seats, while the Grand Alliance had The account came to 110 seats. Even though the NDA has won a majority in the election, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is leading the opposition ‘Grand Alliance’, has emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the second largest party with 74 seats after counting of votes for nearly 16 hours.

  • PM Modi in Sasaram – people of Bihar not confused, NDA government will be formed again

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PM Narendra Modi) has landed in the political battle of Bihar. Addressing the first election rally in Sasaram, he recalled the late Ram Vilas Paswan and the late Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. PM Modi started his address with Bhojpuri. During this, PM Modi said that the people of Bihar are very clear. I want to congratulate you that you have made your stand clear so many days before the election. In all the surveys that are coming, it is a matter of all that the NDA government is coming once again in Bihar.

    The central government has introduced the ownership plan. In this scheme, everything is happening through technology. After all the action, the people of the village are being given ownership cards of every citizen of their house, their land.

    Along with convenience, concerted efforts are being made to give maximum opportunities to all sections of Bihar. The reservation for Dalits, backward, tribals has been extended for the next 10 years.

    Friends, today all the parties of NDA are working together to build a self-reliant, self-confident Bihar. Bihar still has to go miles ahead in the journey of development. Have to fly towards new highs.

    When the people of Bihar ousted him from power, he gave a chance to Nitishji, he was shocked. After this, for ten years these people took their anger out on Bihar, the people of Bihar while under the UPA government.

    These are the people who stuck and hanged every plan of development of Bihar which continuously looted Bihar during their 15 years of rule. You entrusted the power with great confidence, but they made power a means to fill their coffers.

    When the people of Bihar ousted him from power, he gave a chance to Nitishji, he was shocked. After this, for ten years these people took their anger out on Bihar, the people of Bihar while under the UPA government.

  • Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Launches Congress Theme Song For Bihar Polls

    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday launched Congress theme song for the Bihar polls at the party headquarters in Patna.

    The song “Bole Bihar Badle Sarkar” has been prepared by the party’s social media team, a statement from the Bihar unit of the Congress said.

    In the song, the grand old party has highlighted poor condition of education, huge unemployment, rising corruption, uncontrolled crime and failure to deal with surging coronavirus cases in the state during 15 years rule of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    The song emphasised on change of government in the state to bring allround development. Congress has been fighting the ongoing Bihar elections as a partner of Grand Alliance spearheaded by the RJD.

  • I am PM Modi’s Hanuman, says LJP chief Chirag Paswan

     Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday claimed that he is “Hanuman” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said that he does not need to use PM Modi’s photos for his party’s campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar as ‘his prime minister resides in his heart’.

    “I don’t need to use PM Modi’s photos for campaigning. He lives in my heart, I am his Hanuman. If needed, I’ll tear open my chest and show it,” LJP chief Chirag Paswan said

    Paswan, whose party is contesting polls outside the NDA in Bihar, also said that the next government in Bihar will be formed with BJP leader as Chief Minister and LJP will be part of it.

    “I have full faith on the Prime Minister and I have confidence that after November 10, BJP and LJP will form a government together in Bihar,” he added.

    “Even if they include my criticism in PM Modi’s speeches in the upcoming rallies in the state then also I will not mind that. But I reaffirm that on November 10, I will make a BJP leader as the Chief Minister of Bihar and LJP would be part of the government. I will never put candidates against any BJP candidate in the assembly elections,”
    Paswan told media persons.

  • PM Modi takes charge of Bihar election campaign, from this day he will hold shankhanad

    For the Bihar Assembly Election, now all the political parties are trying hard for their victory. All political parties have started fielding their top leaders. In this episode, now Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PM Narendra Modi) is going to take charge of the election campaign from BJP (BJP) and NDA. PM Modi is going to have rallies in Bihar in the next few days. Prime Minister Modi will address 12 rallies in Bihar assembly elections. His first rally will be held on October 23 in Sasaram. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three rallies every day. All the leaders of the allies will be present in the rallies of Prime Minister Modi in Bihar. Apart from this, the special thing is that JDU National President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will also be present on every platform. Devendra Fadnavis gave information about this while talking to the media. Fadnavis told that on 23 October, PM Modi will hold three rallies in Sasaram, Gaya, Bhagalpur.Let us tell you that both the NDA and the Grand Alliance have started a campaign in Bihar. CM Nitish Kumar is also holding public meetings continuously. They are also doing a virtual rally as well. This time too, JDU and BJP together have entered the electoral fray in Bihar. However, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is not part of the NDA in Bihar this time.