Latest news with #Mahagathbandhan
India Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Tejashwi Yadav vs Nitish Kumar? What RJD leader said on chief ministerial hopes
Asked whether he would be the chief ministerial face of Bihar for the upcoming Assembly polls, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday said an announcement on the same would be made when the time is an interview with India Today's sister channel Aaj Tak, Yadav said the decision on the chief ministerial face from the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) would be made after a decision by all opposition will do it (announcement on chief ministerial face) when the right time comes. We have our own strategy. There should be an agreement among all opposition parties. There are no differences among us," said the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly. Bihar, which has 243 Assembly seats, is likely to head to the polls in October or November this YADAV SLAMS NITISH KUMARSlamming the Nitish Kumar-led government, Yadav alleged that no factories and schools were set up in the past 20 years and no employment was generated during the period."If there is any poorest state, it is Bihar. If there is maximum migration, it is from Bihar. If there is maximum unemployment, it is in Bihar. Neither (PM Narendra) Modi nor Nitish ji did anything. As far as sugar mills are concerned, the Prime Minister has not started a sugar mill in the last 11 years. I remember he used to say around 15 years ago, we would drink tea from this sugar mill. But, he has not set up a sugar mill so far," he the decisions he took when he was the Deputy Chief Minister for 17 months in the Mahagathbandhan tenure, Yadav said he got a sugar mill set up in Riga, gave government jobs to five lakh people and gave 4.5 lakh private teachers the status of government employees, among key decisions."We carried out surprise raids at government hospitals. We sacked 700 doctors who did not report for their duties, which had never happened earlier. We increased the limit of 200 free medicines to 600. We got Bihar an MOU worth Rs 50,000 crore by organising an investors' meet," he RJD leader said Bihar was not granted the special status despite the state being ruled by the NDA for the past 20 years."In 20 years, we saw 75 to 100 scams under the Nitish government. The Prime Minister was raising questions about DNA. Well, the BJP is a washing machine. If you stay with them, you will be called sushasan babu (good administrator). If you don't stay with them, your DNA will be bad," he said."There is a double-engine government in Bihar. You did not give special status to Bihar nor provide the state with a special package. You come and give speeches, but they neither fill anyone's stomach nor provide employment," Yadav said in a swipe at PM Nitish Kumar "tired", he slammed his government over what he called the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar."You are sitting in an unconscious state and bullets were fired outside the wall. The person who fired bullets has not been caught yet. That's the safest area of Bihar. If we aren't safe in this safest area, how can the people of Bihar be safe?" Yadav said, referring to an incident where a man was shot at in Patna's Polo Road area, a VVIP zone in the said Nitsh Kumar had no vision left and that there was no newness in his if the NDA would present a fresh chief ministerial face, replacing Nitish Kumar, Yadav said, "Where is the new face? The ministers and officials who have been in the same party for 20 years are the same. People have seen them for 20 years. There are no people capable of doing any work. All are useless."He said the Mahagathbandhan had a vision to take Bihar forward and that he felt "pained" seeing the condition of the state copycat government is copying our agenda and our vision. It is a good thing to copy from others. At least something will be good for the people. But what is the use then?" Yadav said in reference to the state government's decision to raise monthly pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 ahead of Assembly ELECTION COMMISSION'S DOOR-TO-DOOR VERIFICATIONCriticising the Election Commission's door-to-door verification of electoral roll in Bihar, Yadav claimed it was a conspiracy, asserting that it was a sign that NDA will lose the election."Nitish ji and Modi ji are losing. A fresh voter list will be prepared. They (Election Commission) will go door-to-door of eight crore people and are asking for such documents which the poor do not have. The poor have got the right to vote. You are snatching their rights," he said."When the process was done last time, it took two years. How will this be completed in 25 days? What is the mechanism? Why was it needed? If it had to be done, it should have been done after the Lok Sabha elections. It is a conspiracy. These people want to win by doing such nonsense," he said while lashing out at the whether LJP leader and Union Minister Chirag Paswan's decision to contest the Bihar Assembly polls would create any impact, Yadav rebuffed, saying it won't make any difference."Whether he fights or not but what benefit does Bihar get from this? Which portfolio does Chirag ji have? Food processing portfolio. How many people in Bihar know that he is the minister that portfolio? One can wonder what he has done for Bihar so far while being a minister," he said.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Tejashwi Yadav#Rashtriya Janata Dal
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
INDIA alliance leaders hold press briefing in Patna Bihar election 2025
The INDIA Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) held a significant press conference in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly Elections. Key leaders from RJD, Congress, CPI, and other Left parties came together to showcase unity and declare their intention to contest all 243 assembly seats jointly. Tejashwi Yadav emerged as a central figure, with strong backing from alliance members, though a formal CM face is yet to be announced. The alliance criticised the BJP-led government for its handling of unemployment, inflation, and poor governance, promising a development-focused alternative rooted in social justice, youth empowerment, and women's welfare. Show more Show less
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
No dispute in Mahagathbandhan on Tejashwi being CM face: Kanhaiya Kumar
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday said if the ' Mahagathbandhan ' gets a majority in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, the chief minister will be from the RJD, and added that there was "no confusion or dispute" over Tejashwi Yadav being the main face for the CM's post. Kanhaiya Kumar, however, asserted that issues would be paramount in the polls and there was "a conspiracy" by rivals to divert attention by raking up the matter of the coalition's CM face. Claiming that as soon as the BJP gets a chance it will remove Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and replace him with its own leader in Bihar, Kumar alleged that the BJP is following its standard template -- to first take the support of a regional party and then "slowly swallow it". In an interview with PTI, he claimed that "winds of change" are stronger than in the last assembly polls in Bihar and the BJP is not raking up Operation Sindoor as a poll plank because it knows that the people of Bihar will respond negatively to it as they believe it to be a matter of the country's honour and no party should politicise it. Explaining the dynamics of the 'Mahagathbandhan' and rejecting the notion of senior and junior partners, Kumar said, "If you look at a car, the clutch is as important as the brake and the rearview mirror." "It is true that the RJD is the bigger party, has more MLAs, it provides leadership to the 'Mahagathbandhan', they have the post of leader of the opposition. Naturally, it is their responsibility. "But all the constituent parties - now Mukesh Sahani of the Vikassheel Insaan Party is also part of the 'Mahagathbandhan' - everyone has their own role," said Kumar, who is among the most prominent faces of the Congress in Bihar," he said. Asked how many seats the Congress will contest in the polls, Kumar said every party of the 'Mahagathbandhan', even the Congress, will contest on all 243 seats as a unit. "The RJD, the Congress, Left parties and Sahani ji's party will all contest on 243 seats together. If the alliance is natural and issue-based, then it is not a matter of our and your seats. We will all contest the elections together. Whoever has a bigger responsibility will fulfil it and whoever has a smaller responsibility, it is also important to discharge that," Kumar said. "If there is a pinch of salt less, the food will be tasteless and if there is a pinch of salt more, the food will not taste good. So everyone will play their role," he added. On whether RJD's Tejashwi Yadav was the top contender for the post of chief minister if the 'Mahagathbandhan' comes to power, Kumar said, "There is no doubt about it. The public decides who will become the chief minister. The one who has the numbers will become the chief minister. "Naturally, the RJD will contest on more seats and will win more seats. It will have the numbers and naturally, it will have a claim to the post of the chief minister, there is no doubt about this," he said. It will happen automatically as per the process and there is no confusion on this in the alliance, Kumar said, adding that instead, there is confusion in the NDA ranks as to whether Nitish Kumar will be the CM face or not, and which party will contest how many seats. He said people's issues are important for the election and there is an attempt to divert from those issues by repeatedly raising questions on the CM face. "This is a conspiracy which we understand. There is no confusion and no doubt that the chief minister will be from the bigger party, it will be done automatically as part of the process. But what is important in the polls, are issues and not the face," Kumar told PTI. Pressed further on the matter, the Congress leader said there was no doubt or dispute in the Mahagathbandhan on Tejashwi being its main CM face. "There is absolute clarity on by one things are happening in the 'Mahagathbandhan' as part of the process. A media group has been formed by all the parties, a manifesto committee has been formed, all the parties will decide the seats together. "After the election, when the public will give a majority to the 'Mahagathbandhan', the RJD will contest more seats and win more, the chief minister will also be from that party," Kanhaiya Kumar said. On speculation over Nitish Kumar's health and the BJP's strategy going forward, the Congress leader alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is an expert in finding "opportunities in disaster (aapda mein awsar)". "See what happened in Maharashtra. He brought (Eknath) Shinde ji from the Shiv Sena and made him the chief minister. Then he removed him and made his own person the CM. It is not that he is trying this when Nitish ji is ill, he has tried it earlier also. "For the last several decades, the BJP has wanted to do the same thing in Bihar which it has been successful in doing in Uttar Pradesh. That means, first take the support of a regional party and then slowly swallow it," he said. The BJP has been trying to do this continuously in Bihar but has failed, he claimed. "They are helpless that they cannot push Nitish ji behind.... This is an alliance of opportunities for power. As soon as the BJP gets a chance, they will remove Nitish ji and bring their own face. They are continuously attempting to do that," he said. Exuding confidence that the 'Mahagathbandhan' would get a clear majority, Kumar said issues of unemployment, migration, education, farmers, rigging in examinations, and poor health infrastructure are paramount. Kumar claimed that he expects the people to vote for change as the government is now being run by bureaucrats in a "dictatorial manner". In the last assembly polls, the RJD, the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan', contested 144 seats and won 75 seats in the 243-seat assembly. The Congress had contested 70 seats, but it won only 19 seats. The CPI (ML) Liberation contested 19 seats and won 12 as part of the alliance. The Bihar Assembly polls are likely to take place around October-November.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
No confusion, dispute in Mahagathbandhan on Tejashwi being face for CM's post: Kanhaiya Kumar
Kanhaiya Kumar (Image credit: ANI) NEW DELHI: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday said if the 'Mahagathbandhan' gets a majority in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, the chief minister will be from the RJD , and added that there was "no confusion or dispute" over Tejashwi Yadav being the main face for the CM's post. Kanhaiya Kumar, however, asserted that issues would be paramount in the polls and there was "a conspiracy" by rivals to divert attention by raking up the matter of the coalition's CM face. Claiming that as soon as the BJP gets a chance it will remove chief minister Nitish Kumar and replace him with its own leader in Bihar, Kumar alleged that the BJP is following its standard template -- to first take the support of a regional party and then "slowly swallow it". In an interview with PTI, he claimed that "winds of change" are stronger than in the last assembly polls in Bihar and the BJP is not raking up Operation Sindoor as a poll plank because it knows that the people of Bihar will respond negatively to it as they believe it to be a matter of the country's honour and no party should politicise it. Explaining the dynamics of the 'Mahagathbandhan' and rejecting the notion of senior and junior partners, Kumar said, "If you look at a car, the clutch is as important as the brake and the rearview mirror." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "It is true that the RJD is the bigger party, has more MLAs, it provides leadership to the 'Mahagathbandhan', they have the post of leader of the opposition. Naturally, it is their responsibility. "But all the constituent parties - now Mukesh Sahani of the Vikassheel Insaan Party is also part of the 'Mahagathbandhan' - everyone has their own role," said Kumar, who is among the most prominent faces of the Congress in Bihar," he said. Asked how many seats the Congress will contest in the polls, Kumar said every party of the 'Mahagathbandhan', even the Congress, will contest on all 243 seats as a unit. "The RJD, the Congress, Left parties and Sahani ji's party will all contest on 243 seats together. If the alliance is natural and issue-based, then it is not a matter of our and your seats. We will all contest the elections together. Whoever has a bigger responsibility will fulfil it and whoever has a smaller responsibility, it is also important to discharge that," Kumar said. "If there is a pinch of salt less, the food will be tasteless and if there is a pinch of salt more, the food will not taste good. So everyone will play their role," he added. On whether RJD's Tejashwi Yadav was the top contender for the post of chief minister if the 'Mahagathbandhan' comes to power, Kumar said, "There is no doubt about it. The public decides who will become the chief minister. The one who has the numbers will become the chief minister. "Naturally, the RJD will contest on more seats and will win more seats. It will have the numbers and naturally, it will have a claim to the post of the chief minister, there is no doubt about this," he said. It will happen automatically as per the process and there is no confusion on this in the alliance, Kumar said, adding that instead, there is confusion in the NDA ranks as to whether Nitish Kumar will be the CM face or not, and which party will contest how many seats. He said people's issues are important for the election and there is an attempt to divert from those issues by repeatedly raising questions on the CM face. "This is a conspiracy which we understand. There is no confusion and no doubt that the chief minister will be from the bigger party, it will be done automatically as part of the process. But what is important in the polls, are issues and not the face," Kumar told PTI. Pressed further on the matter, the Congress leader said there was no doubt or dispute in the Mahagathbandhan on Tejashwi being its main CM face. "There is absolute clarity on by one things are happening in the 'Mahagathbandhan' as part of the process. A media group has been formed by all the parties, a manifesto committee has been formed, all the parties will decide the seats together. "After the election, when the public will give a majority to the 'Mahagathbandhan', the RJD will contest more seats and win more, the chief minister will also be from that party," Kanhaiya Kumar said. On speculation over Nitish Kumar's health and the BJP's strategy going forward, the Congress leader alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is an expert in finding "opportunities in disaster (aapda mein awsar)". "See what happened in Maharashtra. He brought (Eknath) Shinde ji from the Shiv Sena and made him the chief minister. Then he removed him and made his own person the CM. It is not that he is trying this when Nitish ji is ill, he has tried it earlier also. "For the last several decades, the BJP has wanted to do the same thing in Bihar which it has been successful in doing in Uttar Pradesh. That means, first take the support of a regional party and then slowly swallow it," he said. The BJP has been trying to do this continuously in Bihar but has failed, he claimed. "They are helpless that they cannot push Nitish ji behind.... This is an alliance of opportunities for power. As soon as the BJP gets a chance, they will remove Nitish ji and bring their own face. They are continuously attempting to do that," he said. Exuding confidence that the 'Mahagathbandhan' would get a clear majority, Kumar said issues of unemployment, migration, education, farmers, rigging in examinations, and poor health infrastructure are paramount. Kumar claimed that he expects the people to vote for change as the government is now being run by bureaucrats in a "dictatorial manner". In the last assembly polls, the RJD, the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan', contested 144 seats and won 75 seats in the 243-seat assembly. The Congress had contested 70 seats, but it won only 19 seats. The CPI (ML) Liberation contested 19 seats and won 12 as part of the alliance. The Bihar Assembly polls are likely to take place around October-November.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar Assembly polls: No confusion or dispute in Mahagathbandhan on Tejashwi being face for CM's post, says Kanhaiya Kumar
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday (June 27, 2025) said if the 'Mahagathbandhan' gets a majority in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, the Chief Minister will be from the RJD, and added that there was 'no confusion or dispute' over Tejashwi Yadav being the main face for the CM's post. Mr. Kumar, however, asserted that issues would be paramount in the polls and there was 'a conspiracy' by rivals to divert attention by raking up the matter of the coalition's CM face. Claiming that as soon as the BJP gets a chance it will remove Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and replace him with its own leader in Bihar, Kumar alleged that the BJP is following its standard template — to first take the support of a regional party and then 'slowly swallow it'. In an interview with PTI, he claimed that 'winds of change' are stronger than in the last assembly polls in Bihar and the BJP is not raking up Operation Sindoor as a poll plank because it knows that the people of Bihar will respond negatively to it as they believe it to be a matter of the country's honour and no party should politicise it. Explaining the dynamics of the 'Mahagathbandhan' and rejecting the notion of senior and junior partners, Mr. Kumar said, 'If you look at a car, the clutch is as important as the brake and the rearview mirror.' 'It is true that the RJD is the bigger party, has more MLAs, it provides leadership to the 'Mahagathbandhan', they have the post of leader of the opposition. Naturally, it is their responsibility. 'But all the constituent parties — now Mukesh Sahani of the Vikassheel Insaan Party is also part of the 'Mahagathbandhan' - everyone has their own role,' said Kumar, who is among the most prominent faces of the Congress in Bihar,' he said. Asked how many seats the Congress will contest in the polls, Mr. Kumar said every party of the 'Mahagathbandhan', even the Congress, will contest on all 243 seats as a unit. 'The RJD, the Congress, Left parties and Sahani ji's party will all contest on 243 seats together. If the alliance is natural and issue-based, then it is not a matter of our and your seats. We will all contest the elections together. Whoever has a bigger responsibility will fulfil it and whoever has a smaller responsibility, it is also important to discharge that,' Mr. Kumar said. 'If there is a pinch of salt less, the food will be tasteless and if there is a pinch of salt more, the food will not taste good. So everyone will play their role,' he added. On whether RJD's Tejashwi Yadav was the top contender for the post of Chief Minister if the 'Mahagathbandhan' comes to power, Mr. Kumar said, 'There is no doubt about it. The public decides who will become the chief minister. The one who has the numbers will become the chief minister. 'Naturally, the RJD will contest on more seats and will win more seats. It will have the numbers and naturally, it will have a claim to the post of the chief minister, there is no doubt about this,' he said. It will happen automatically as per the process and there is no confusion on this in the alliance, Mr. Kumar said, adding that instead, there is confusion in the NDA ranks as to whether Nitish Kumar will be the CM face or not, and which party will contest how many seats. He said people's issues are important for the election and there is an attempt to divert from those issues by repeatedly raising questions on the CM face. 'This is a conspiracy which we understand. There is no confusion and no doubt that the chief minister will be from the bigger party, it will be done automatically as part of the process. But what is important in the polls, are issues and not the face,' Mr. Kumar told PTI. Pressed further on the matter, the Congress leader said there was no doubt or dispute in the Mahagathbandhan on Mr. Tejashwi being its main CM face. 'There is absolute clarity on by one things are happening in the 'Mahagathbandhan' as part of the process. A media group has been formed by all the parties, a manifesto committee has been formed, all the parties will decide the seats together. 'After the election, when the public will give a majority to the 'Mahagathbandhan', the RJD will contest more seats and win more, the chief minister will also be from that party,' Mr. Kumar said. On speculation over Nitish Kumar's health and the BJP's strategy going forward, the Congress leader alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is an expert in finding 'opportunities in disaster (aapda mein awsar)'. 'See what happened in Maharashtra. He brought (Eknath) Shinde ji from the Shiv Sena and made him the chief minister. Then he removed him and made his own person the CM. It is not that he is trying this when Nitish ji is ill, he has tried it earlier also. 'For the last several decades, the BJP has wanted to do the same thing in Bihar which it has been successful in doing in Uttar Pradesh. That means, first take the support of a regional party and then slowly swallow it,' he said. The BJP has been trying to do this continuously in Bihar but has failed, he claimed. 'They are helpless that they cannot push Nitish ji behind.... This is an alliance of opportunities for power. As soon as the BJP gets a chance, they will remove Nitish ji and bring their own face. They are continuously attempting to do that,' he said. Exuding confidence that the 'Mahagathbandhan' would get a clear majority, Kumar said issues of unemployment, migration, education, farmers, rigging in examinations, and poor health infrastructure are paramount. Mr. Kumar claimed that he expects the people to vote for change as the government is now being run by bureaucrats in a 'dictatorial manner'. In the last assembly polls, the RJD, the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan', contested 144 seats and won 75 seats in the 243-seat assembly. The Congress had contested 70 seats, but it won only 19 seats. The CPI (ML) Liberation contested 19 seats and won 12 as part of the alliance. The Bihar Assembly polls are likely to take place around October-November.
