News Analysis India

Tag: Nitish Kumar

  • Bihar to recruit transgenders up to ASI level

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar will soon recruit transgenders in the state police force up to the level of Assistant Sub- Inspector (ASI). The Nitish Kumar government issued a notification on Thursday facilitating such appointments based on population of the community. As per the 2011 Census, there are 40,287 transgenders among 10.41 crore people of the state.

    According to the resolution of the state government, DIG rank police officers will be empowered to recruit eligible transgenders in the rank of ASI and constable through set norms of appointments.

    According to ADG (HQ) Jitendra Kumar, against the sanctioned strength of 1,30,243 police personnel, appointments of 51 transgenders will be made to the posts of ASI and the constables in the ratio of 0.039% of their population.

    As per the ratio-chart, 41 transgenders will be appointed directly to the post of ASI and 10 of the constable. Like other candidates appearing in exam for jobs in the state police, the transgender aspirants, too, will have to qualify in the written and physical exam. The posts will be reserved for the transgenders in the upcoming police recruitment.

    C’garh was the pioneerChhattisgarh was the first state to allow transgenders in the police in 2018, though K Prithika Yashini in Tamil Nadu was the first transgender to be inducted In in 2017 

  • JD-U to RJD: Cross-defection fears drive Bihar’s political parties into a frenzy

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Despite the end of ‘kharmas’ (a period under which no auspicious work is done as per Hindu calendar) on Makar Sankranti, the fear of cross ‘defection’ continues to plague all political parties in Bihar.

    On Thursday, state’s JD-U chief Umesh Kushwaha dropped a bombshell predicting a major breakup within the RJD-led Grand Alliance in the next few days.

    Recently, an ex-MLA from Congress, Bharat Singh, had also expressed worry that 11 out of 19 MLAs could switch over to the saffron side.

    Senior RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari however denied any possibility of distress in the party and claimed that many from the ruling alliance instead were keen on jumping ship after being disgruntled with the state of affairs. 

    Shyam Rajak also claimed that 17 MLAs of the ruling party were hobnobbing with him to switch over to RJD after January 14, a claim JD-U quashed.

    The NDA has formed the government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar with a thin majority and support of two smaller allies – with 4 MLAs from VIP, another 4 from HAM, and 1 independent.

    Concerns over defection, both in the NDA and opposition, gained momentum after the Arunachal Pradesh incident, and have since caught the parties by a frenzy. 

    For RJD in particular, fear of a split has intensified in the wake of JDU MP of Lok Sabha Rajiv Ranjan Singh’s (alias Lallan Singh) support to Bhupendra Yadav’s claim about major desertion of MLAs from RJD.

    Inside sources from both GA and NDA however claim that all parties are treading with caution.

  • Tejashwi slams Bihar’s law and order situation under CM Nitish Kumar, says goons ‘running the govt’

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Lashing out at the NDA government over an unprecedented rise in crimes in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav slammed the deteriorating law and order system in the state and dubbed Nitish Kumar as the ‘selected and nominated Chief Minister of BJP’ on Wednesday.

    “Bihar has gone into the wrong hands. Goons have a field day and ruling the roots while CM Nitish Kumar wastes his entire energy in editing and hushing up the news of the crime in the media,” Yadav said.

    Interacting with media persons a day after the murder of Patna–based station head of Indigo airlines, Rupesh K Singh, Yadav said that Singh was killed merely two kilometers away from the CM’s residence.

    “Murder, robbery, extortion, rape, and corruption cases have gone out of control but CM Nitish Kumar does not even like to speak to the kin of the victims. Where is PM Narendra Modi now? Why doesn’t he reply as to who is the ‘Maharaja of Mahajangalraj’? Now, only goons are running the government,” he said.

    Yadav also added that Kumar was made the CM “under pressure” and asked him to step away from the Home Department if he cannot manage it effectively.

    He also mocked Nitish Kumar by stating that no district in the state was bereft of crimes and that the situation would differ drastically if the government took requisite actions to curb it.

    Meanwhile, no breakthrough was achieved a day after the killing of the Indigo airlines employee, although ADG (HQ) Jitendra Kumar told the media a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to crack the case.

    CM Nitish Kumar also expressed his condolences and assured of speedy arrest and trial of the accused.

    “Not a single case of crime can be tolerated and police must deal the criminals with strong hands,” Kumar said.

    According to official figures, over 17,000 persons were killed between 2015 to 2020 while more than 7,000 rape cases have been lodged during the same period in the state.

    ALSO WATCH | Bihar Elections Explained: Why Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD got maximum votes but not the CM-seat

    As per another official figure, 252 people were kidnapped for ransom in the last five years while 27 cases of bank robbery were registered as well.

  • Fresh caste math with new JD(U) Bihar chief as Nitish springs another surprise

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday sprung a surprising organisational rejig, preferring Umesh Kushwaha (46) as the replacement for septuagenarian Vashistha Narayan Singh as the state unit president of JD(U).

    The proposal was unanimously approved by the party leaders, signaling JD(U)’s thrust on youth power to blunt the attack from Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) and Chirag Paswan (LJP). Earlier, party veteran Ram Sewak Singh’s name was doing the rounds as Vashistha’s successor.

    Kushwaha’s, a former MLA, elevation marks Nitish’s return to the Luv-Kush equation, which he devised in the 1990s to neutralise Lalu Yadav’s Muslim-Yadav (MY) formula. Nitish proposed Kushwaha’s name on the second day of JDU State

    Executive meeting on Sunday when Vashistha Narayan Singh stepped down over health reasons. Kushwaha is consider close to JD(U) national president RCP Singh, and said to have a stronghold in the Kushwaha community.

    Party MP from Munger Rajiv Ranjan Singh told media that the appointment of Kushwaha was approved by Nitish in a move to encourage youth leaders. Dismissing the opposition speculation, Singh said: “Those fanning rumours of NDA’s disintegration must know that JD(U) is strongly with the NDA.”

    JD(U) going strong in NDA: Senior leader 

    The speculations of JD(U) walking out of NDA were fanned by Nitish’s comments that he could not differentiate between friends and enemies during the recently-concluded Bihar election.

    “While our seats have come down, our vote share has increased,” Singh said, adding that the party is committed to working on Nitish Kumar’s Seven-Resolves (Part-II) on development with justice.

  • Young face Umesh Kushwaha is new Bihar JD(U) president

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Amid reports of the widening rift between BJP and JDU, Bihar chief minister in a surprise move decided to entrust the responsibility of state JDU with former MLA Umesh Kushwaha, a fresh face instead of giving the post to an experienced person. 

    Kushwaha was the JDU MLA from Mahnar assembly seat in 2015 who lost the election to an RJD candidate in 2020. 

    On day 2 of the JDU state executive meeting, outgoing party president Vashistha Narayan Singh stepped down from the post citing health grounds.

    Kushwaha is considered closest to the national president of JDU RCP Singh and is supposed to have a strong hold on the Kushwaha community.

    With the appointment of Kushwaha as state president, JDU again went back to his old-time equation of party christened as ‘Luv (Kurmi-CM belongs to this caste)-Kush (Kushwaha) equation after the poll debacle in 2020.

    Munger MP LS Rajiv Ranjan Singh told the media that appointment of Umesh Kushwaha was approved by Nitish Kumar in a move to encourage more and more youth leaders to the forefront of party. He said that Kushwaha’s name was proposed by Vashishth Narayan Singh.

    Rubbishing the speculation from the opposition side that JDU may exit from NDA, Singh categorically said, “Those, who fan a rumour that NDA may soon get disintegrated, must know that JDU is strongly in the NDA and their daydreaming will never come true.”

    Singh admitted candidly that the number of elected MLAs of the party in 2020 had reduced but the vote bank of the party has grown up.

    He said that the party has decided to work on CM Nitish Kumar’s 7-Resolves Part-II for development with justice.

    A senior party leader said that with the appointment of Umesh Kushwaha as Bihar JDU chief,  Nitish Kumar made it clear that he wants to move on his time-tested political equation called ‘Lav Kush’ after recent elevation of RCP Singh to the national president of JDU. In the 2020 assembly election, Umesh Kushwaha from JDU had a direct fight with RJD’s Bina Singh on Mahnar. However, he was defeated after LJP candidate Ravindra Singh jumped into the fray at the last minute.

    Kushwaha received around 53774 votes while RJD’s Bina Singh was polled 61721 and LJP’s Ravindra Kumar Singh was polled 31315 votes.

    Kushwaha, elated at his appointment, said that he will try his best to take the political ideologies of Nitish Kumar to the people working for development with justice for all. He said that JDU will work with BJP and all allies for the betterment of the state.

    Before the name of Kushwaha announced, the name of senior party leader Ram Sewak Singh was floating on priority in the race of the state president.

    Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition from RJD Tejashwi Yadav taunted that Nitish Kumar should have looked into the background of Kushwaha also before appointing him as party head in Bihar.

  • 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”.

  • ‘No question’ of approaching him: RJD says no to CM Nitish Kumar even if latter leaves NDA

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Putting an end to all political speculations, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that his party has not made any offer to CM Nitish Kumar, even if the latter deserts the NDA.

    Replying to a media query,  Yadav categorically denied that any offer has been made to Nitish Kumar from his party adding that there was ‘no question’ of approaching him (Nitish Kumar).

    “It is wrong to ask such a question. Bihar’s mandate is against Nitish Kumar.  They have no policy, no ideology.  They are neither for the poor nor for the labourers, ” he asserted.

    “We are ready to go for mid term polls in Bihar, ” he said, adding the state government’s days are numbered.

    ALSO READ | ‘Political jealousy’: Ex dy CM Sushil Modi accuses Lalu Prasad Yadav of ‘destabilising’ Bihar govt

    He also added that there has been a big loss of Bihar within the last 16 years.  “The NDA government is a curse for the state. They have increased unemployment. The JDU-BJP combine stole the mandate of people, that had been given to the Mahagathbandhan,” he alleged.

    Yadav also dubbed the NDA as “greedy for power”.

    Former CM and Tejaswi’s mother, Rabri Devi, and many other senior RJD leaders including Uday Narayan Choudhary and Shyam Rajak had said that if Kumar comes quits the NDA and wants to join the Mahagavabdhan, the alliance will consider him but on a condition that he must support Tejashwi’s candidature for the next Chief Minister of the state. 

    Kumar was offered to be projected as the opposition’s PM face for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    But JDU has refused to accept any such offer and dubbed it a desperate move by the opposition to consolidate power.

  • Haven’t discussed cabinet expansion with BJP leaders: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday asserted that the issue of his Cabinet’s expansion did not figure during the talks he had with top BJP leaders at his official residence here the previous evening, amid reports that efforts were being made to thrash out the matter.

    The JD(U) leader said his conversation with BJP national general secretary in-charge of the state Bhupendra Yadav, state unit chief Sanjay Jaiswal and deputy CMs Tarkishor Prasad and Renu Devi was “sahaj aur samanya” (normal and cordial), but it did not centre around political issues.

    “As of now, we have a 14-member-strong state cabinet. The issue (of expansion) was not taken up for discussion at yesterday’s meeting,” Kumar told reporters emerging from the secretariat where he had reviewed, among other things, implementation of prohibition in the state which went dry close to five years ago.

    BJP leaders had met Kumar at 1, Anney Marg shortly after calling on the newly elected national president of the JD(U), RCP Singh, at the party’s Birchand Patel Marg office.

    Speculation is rife that leaders were trying to arrive at a decision on the issue of cabinet expansion, which has been hanging fire on account of contesting claims, reportedly, by the BJP and the JD(U), with regard to the parties’ respective representation in the council of ministers.

    The BJP is said to be insistent on having a bigger share of the pie since it has emerged as the larger NDA constituent in the recently held assembly elections, winning 74 seats as against the JD(U)’s tally of 43.

    The chief minister’s party, however, is said to be keen on a 50-50 formula for the JD(U)-BJP, the contention being that its tally fell not because of a dip in its leader’s popularity but due to the rebellion of Chirag Paswan’s LJP which caught the NDA unawares.

    As per rules, the state cabinet can have up to 36 members.

    The 13 cabinet members, other than the CM, include seven from the BJP, four from the JD(U) and one each from smaller allies — the HAM and the VIP.

    Replying to a query on Sushil Kumar Modi, his former deputy who was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar said, “We share a very close relationship. Our rapport has been excellent. But it is for the BJP to take a call on what responsibility to assign to which of its leaders.”

    Earlier in the day, chairing the meetings attended by ministers and top officials, the chief minister issued instructions for speeding up irrigation with focus on methods like sprinkle or drip which do not involve heavy consumption of water.

    He also called for a comprehensive survey of farm holdings so that pieces of land which are not sufficiently irrigated could be identified for remedial action.

    He also ordered a firm crackdown on “big fish” involved in illicit liquor trade, which, in turn, would break the “distribution and supply chain”.

    He said there should be tight patrolling of roads and highways, which are usually preferred by liquor smugglers, with a special focus on areas bordering adjoining states and Nepal.

    Also, keep a close watch on those who were previously known to be involved in liquor trade but now appear to have taken up other business, he said.

  • JDU MLA claims Nitish will leave CM post after six months, Tejashwi will form government

    By ANI
    BHAGALPUR: JDU MLA Gopal Mandal has claimed that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will step down from his post after six months and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav will form the government in the state.

    On Wednesday there was a phone conversation between Gopal Mandal and Bihpur MLA E Shailendra in which it was alleged that Gopal Mandal was abusing and using casteist slur. About this, the Navagachiya JDU held a press conference at the local hotel in Bhagalpur on Thursday.

    During the press conference, JDU MLA Gopal Mandal from Gopalpur denied the allegations in the viral audio and said that the viral audio was not correct.

    During this, he said that it was made viral by E Shailendra. “What kind of coalition is this,” he said.

    He even said, “After 6 months, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will step down from his post and the government of Tejashwi Yadav will be formed.”

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar chuckles over demand for ‘Bharat Ratna’ to Sonia Gandhi

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday chuckled over the demand for conferring Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country, on Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

    Kumar remarked that the Congress could have done the needful while the UPA, led by it, ruled the country for two consecutive terms.

    “All have the right to raise any type of demand”, he said with a barely suppressed laugh when asked about the suggestion made by former union minister and ex-chief minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat that Gandhi, besides BSP supremo Mayawati, be considered for the civilian honour.

    Rawat said in support of his demand that while the Congress president has taken the honour of Indian womanhood to new heights, the BSP chief had inspired millions of oppressed.

    “I wonder why they did not do the needful when they were in power. No need for raising such a demand would have remained in that case, Kumar quipped.

    The Bihar Chief Minister was talking to reporters outside the police headquarters which he had visited to take stock of the law and order situation in the state.

    Kumar, who is the JD(U)s de facto leader, however, chose to remain non-committal over speculations of a split in the Congress with many of its MLAs poised to cross over to his party.

    “Nobody (from the Congress) has spoken to me (expressing such an intention). These things do keep taking place in political parties, though”, said Kumar, who relinquished the post of JD(U) national president less than a fortnight ago.

    Speculations of a split in the Congress have intensified with the claim made by a former MLA that 11 of the party’s 19 legislators in the current assembly were ready to change loyalties.

    Bharat Singh, a former Congress MLA who is seen as a stormy petrel in the political circles here, made the claim, alleging that many veterans, including key office-bearers, were also planning to take flight in search of greener pastures.

    The Congress has accepted plea of senior party leader Shaktisinh Gohil and relieved him from his duties as the AICC’s Bihar in-charge and appointed Bhakta Charan Das in his place.

    “We have a precedent in Ashok Choudhary”, Singh said referring to the former BPCC chief who joined the JD(U) three years ago causing a split in the legislative council and is currently an influential member of the state cabinet and working president of the JD(U)s Bihar unit.

    Senior Congress leader and former state minister Chandan Bagchi said he was “not sure with what authority and on feedback of which sources he (Bharat Singh) is making the claims”.

    He,however, agreed with the disgruntled former MLA’s contention that the party suffered in Bihar on account of its alliance with the RJD and distribution of tickets in the recent assembly elections raised many questions.

    “Candidates were decided by a select group of people sitting in Delhi. The meeting of the state election committee, which used to deliberate on names of prospective nominees for hours, was never convened.

    “The high command must inquire as to how such an anomaly took place”, Bagchi said.

    “It is no surprise that we performed dismally in the elections though we are not a spent force in Bihar, contrary to popular belief”, said the Congress leader, whose party had contested 70 seats of the 243-strong assembly.

    He also said, “we have been the losers wherever we have chosen alliances as an easy route. This has been the story in Bihar as well”.