Will Chirag Paswan contest Bihar Assembly elections? Union Minister drops a clear hint
Addressing a public rally in Bihar's Saran district, the Union Minister said that he would contest the elections for his brothers, sisters and mothers and also vowed to put the state on the path of development.
Paswan said that whenever he comes to Bihar, he is asked this question, and today he is declaring that he and his party will take up this electoral challenge.
In the 'Nav Sankalp Mahasabha' organised at Rajendra Stadium in Chhapra, the Union Minister said that he will contest elections on all 243 seats of Bihar. He said that he would contest elections on all seats as 'Chirag'.
The LJP chief also shared a video clip of his election address and wrote on X, 'Today, from this sacred land of Saran, I am declaring before all of you that yes, I will contest the election. I will contest the election for the people of Bihar, for my brothers, for my mothers, for my sisters, and we will create a system in Bihar, we will build a Bihar that will truly take the state forward on the path of development.'
He, however, clarified that LJP will remain a part of the NDA alliance.
Without taking anyone's name, Paswan alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to stop him from coming to Bihar, but added that he is not going to be afraid of anyone.
He said that he wouldn't compromise on the idea of 'Bihar First, Bihari First' and was also ready to sacrifice his life for this.
On the issue of caste reservation, Paswan said that for a long time, rumours have been spread that it will be abolished, but as long as he is alive, no power in the world can abolish it.
Targeting the Opposition, he said that those who talk about development in Bihar today are the same people who ruined Bihar in the 1990s.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
40 minutes ago
- Mint
India's mega shipbuilding plan unfolds; 5 greenfield and 3 brownfield facilities taking shape on both sides of coastline
India is working to dramatically expand its domestic shipbuilding capabilities, with plans to establish eight such clusters along its expansive coastline. While five of these facilities will be built from the ground up, the rest three will involve expansion of existing facilities. The government has finalized the locations with pre-secured land parcels and necessary clearances, Union shipping secretary T.K. Ramachandran said. The mega-initiative, a cornerstone of the nation's Atmanirbhar Bharat drive, aims to transform India into a global shipbuilding powerhouse. States have made rapid progress in developing maritime clusters, Ramachandran said in an interview. "All state governments have formed special purpose vehicles to implement the project with approved and identified land parcels and access network connecting the clusters with roads and railway infrastructure. Seaside infrastructure is being developed along with breakwater facilities," he said. Nations are increasingly looking at shipping as a strategic sector, given Chinese dominance of the sector. US president Donald Trump has called for revitalizing shipbuilding, viewing it as crucial for both national security and economic prosperity. He has signed an executive order to create a Maritime Action Plan, established a new Office of Maritime and Industrial Capacity within the National Security Council, and proposed measures like imposing fees on Chinese-built vessels entering US. The five greenfield clusters that will come up in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra will host the entire spectrum of ship manufacturing to equipment production, vendors, bunkering stations, insurance and ship leasing, said Ramachandran. These sites will house everything from ship manufacturing and equipment production to vendors, bunkering stations, insurance, and ship leasing entities. India's push is driven by a desire to significantly increase India's miniscule share of global shipbuilding, currently below 1%. The Maritime India Vision 2030 and Vision 2047 plans aim to elevate India into the top 10 and then top five shipbuilding and ship-owning countries worldwide, respectively. The target is to raise the share of Indian-built ships in India's fleet from the current 5% to 7% by 2030 and a substantial 69% by 2047. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have commissioned techno economic feasibility reports, and the government is exploring tie-ups with global shipbuilders for these clusters. While the secretary did not comment on the required investment for these projects, it is estimated that about ₹2 trillion would be required to develop the infrastructure over five to six years. The investment is part of the broader Maritime India Vision 2030, which anticipates a total investment of ₹3-3.5 trillion across ports, shipping, and inland waterways. In addition, three brownfield facilities will be developed: two in Gujarat (a ship repair facility in Vadinar and a shipbuilding facility in Kandla) and one shipbuilding facility near Cochin Port in Kerala. Shipping ministry officials have visited shipbuilding hubs in South Korea, Japan, and Scandinavian countries to explore partnerships and joint venture agreements. Ramachandran indicated that some tie-ups between global shipbuilders and Indian private and state-owned companies could materialize soon. "While we're seeing progress, the global market is still dominated by China, South Korea, and Japan," commented Pushpank Kaushik, CEO & head of business development (subcontinent, middle east and South East Asia) at Jassper Shipping. "To bridge that gap, what's really needed now is a clear push for foreign investment and technology transfer. If policy can make space for that, it'll not only attract global players but also strengthen our position in the international market." Mint had earlier reported about the government's plan to identify locations on both east and west coast of India as part of its ambitious global ship hub plans. The Union budget for FY26 outlined several measures to bolster domestic shipbuilding, including a ₹25,000 crore government-industry partnership Maritime Development Fund; revamping the existing Shipbuilding Financial Assistance to address cost disadvantages; and providing credit notes for shipbreaking to help purchase made-in-India ships. The budget also included large ships in the infrastructure harmonized master list, allowing their purchase on easier terms, while providing basic customs duty exemption on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for 10 more years. India's shipbuilding initiative would also address a concern of the trade about the uncertainty and variability of shipping costs impacting their competitiveness. With better availability of domestic shipping lines at affordable prices, the freight rate volatility due to shock events like covid-19, the Russia-Ukraine war, Red Sea crisis and the Iran-Israel conflict could also be checked.
India Gazette
44 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chairs review meeting on education in Odisha's 4 aspirational districts
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 7 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level review meeting on education (school and higher) and other priority sectors in the four aspirational districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri at Koraput. Odisha's Minister of School and Mass Education, Nityananda Gond, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, senior officials from the district administrations, and Superintendents of Police from the respective districts participated in the meeting on Sunday. The review focused on improving educational infrastructure, ensuring quality education, and accelerating development in these aspirational districts. Further sharing the details of the meeting, Pradhan, in a post on X, said, 'Conducted a comprehensive review of the educational ecosystem in the undivided Koraput region covering the four aspirational districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur in the presence of Odisha Education Ministers Shri @NityanandaBJP and Shri @suryabanshibjp.' 'We had detailed discussions on improving the school and higher education landscape and addressing issues related to GER, drop-outs, expansion and development of school infrastructure, residential facilities, availability and capacity building of teachers among others. Also, took stock of implementation and progress of welfare schemes in priority sectors like nutrition, health, women and child development and skill development. We also discussed to lay more emphasis on covering a child's educational journey from 0-18 years while addressing nutritional and health aspects,' he added further. Later, speaking to the media, Pradhan said, 'The Central government has identified Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur as the four aspirational districts. Over the past eight years, new initiatives have been taken in these districts. Education and Skills are being given special central and state governments are taking various steps for the development of Koraput...' A day ago, Pradhan inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 480 crore aimed at boosting the infrastructural development of the Central University of Odisha (CUO) in Koraput district. At the event, six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between leading educational institutions. The collaborations involved IIT Bhubaneswar, NIT Rourkela, NISER Bhubaneswar, IIM Sambalpur, Central Sanskrit University, and Central University of Odisha. (ANI)
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman among speculated names for BJP's top post
NEW DELHI: Amid growing speculation over the new BJP national president, the names of three women leaders — including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman — have suddenly emerged alongwith other prominent figures such as Bhupendra Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Pralhad Joshi, and others. Though many senior BJP leaders have not firmly backed the likelihood of any one of the three women being chosen for the top post, the names currently in circulation include former Andhra Pradesh BJP chief Daggubati Purandeswari — often referred to as the "second Sushma Swaraj"— Vanathi Srinivasan (currently the national president of the BJP Mahila Morcha), and Nirmala Sitharaman, the current Finance Minister. Sources have indicated that Purandeswari may not be eligible, as she has not yet completed 15 years in the party following her defection from the Congress — a requirement according to the BJP's constitution, which mandates that a candidate for the national president post must have been a primary member for at least 15 years. However, the party may make an exception in her case. Vanathi Srinivasan, widely recognised within the organisation for the numerous outreach programmes conducted by the Mahila Morcha across the country is another highly placed candidate. However, a key drawback in her case is the limited fluency in the Hindi language, which is considered essential for the role.
