Bihar Assembly

BJP blames Speaker for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar

BJP MLAs on Wednesday blamed Bihar assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state on the last day of the budget session

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification rocks Bihar assembly, evokes protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha on Monday evoked furious protests at the Bihar assembly from members of the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', of which his party is also a part. 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) members had made their intentions clear when they reached the assembly with black bands wrapped around their arms and heads and their hands clutching posters with images of Gandhi and captions screaming "democracy and Constitution in danger". Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which had raised many eyebrows last week by staying away from a demonstration against Gandhi's conviction, was also participating this time. When the proceedings began at 11 am, members of the Congress, which has less than 20 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly, trooped to the well, angrily shouting slogans. They were, however, soon joined by a dozen-odd legislators of the ultra-Left CPI(ML) Liberation who support the Nitish Kumar government from outside. The BJP, which has en

Securing absolute majority in Assembly polls top priority: Bihar BJP chief

The BJP's new Bihar unit chief Samrat Chaudhary on Thursday asserted that securing all 40 Lok Sabha seats of the state next year and ensuring an "absolute majority" for his party in the assembly polls of 2025 will be his top priority. Currently the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council, Chaudhary, who was a minister in the Nitish Kumar government till the JD(U) leader remained with NDA, also did not deny that by hedging its bets on him, the BJP has sought to make a dent in the "Luv-Kush" base of the Bihar chief minister. "The BJP cares for all. But, of course, where else would Luv Kush go except the place where Lord Rama abides", Chaudhary replied, tongue in cheek, to questions from journalists about the "Kurmi-Koeri" combine, known by the name of the mythical twins in Bihar's political lexicon. The development is an indication of the challenges faced by the BJP in a state where it has become a force to reckon with but feels hamstrung by the "pro-upper caste ...

BJP creates ruckus in Bihar assembly over attack on migrants' in Tamil Nadu

The opposition BJP on Friday created a ruckus in the Bihar assembly before staging a walkout, demanding that a team of members of the House be sent to Tamil Nadu to verify reports of attacks on Bihari migrants workers in Tamil Nadu. Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary took a grim note of the unruly behaviour of some of the BJP MLAs who had entered the well and placed chairs on the table of the reporting staff. He asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary to advise the Chair on suitable action against the errant members to which the latter assented while lambasting the BJP for trying to derive political mileage. "They have an issue with our Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav having visited Tamil Nadu on a personal invitation from the chief minister of that state. Even if reports of violence against migrants were true, would it have entailed officials and dignitaries from both states snapping all ties, the minister said. Earlier, Yadav, who was present in the House, ...

Nitish Kumar biggest obstacle for Tejashwi becoming Bihar CM: RJD MLA

RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh once again targetted Nitish Kumar by terming him the "biggest obstacle" in the path of Tejashwi Yadav taking over as Bihar Chief Minister

Bihar by-polls: BJP's Kusum Devi wins Gopalganj with over 2000 votes

After an intense poll battle in the Gopalganj Assembly seat in Bihar, BJP's candidate Kusum Devi defeated RJD's Mohan Prasad Gupta with a margin of nearly 2,000 votes.

Bihar Assembly by-polls: RJD candidate Neelam Devi wins in Mokama

RJD candidate Neelam Devi won the battle of Mokama. Neelam Devi is the wife of Bahubali leader Anant Singh, who defeated BJP candidate Sonam Devi with a margin of nearly 17,000 votes.

BJP can be reduced to 50 seats in 2024 polls: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has claimed to reduce the BJP to 50 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

RJD's Awadh Bihari Chaudhary unanimously elected Bihar Assembly Speaker

Veteran RJD leader Awadh Bihari Chaudhary was on Friday unanimously elected as Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. The post had fallen vacant upon resignation of Vijay Kumar Sinha, against whom a no-confidence motion was moved by the 'Mahagathbandhan', after it came to power in the state earlier this month. Chaudhary was seated on the Chair by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Sinha, a senior BJP leader, who has now become the Leader of the Opposition.

RJD's Awadh Chaudhary files nomination for Bihar assembly speaker's post

Veteran RJD MLA Awadh Bihari Chaudhary on Thursday filed his nomination papers for election to the post of the Bihar assembly speaker. Chaudhary filed his nomination papers in presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and a number of other senior leaders of the 'Mahagathbandhan'. The voting is scheduled to take place on Friday, the Vidhan Sabha secretariat said. The post fell vacant on Wednesday following the resignation of Vijay Kumar Sinha, a BJP leader, against whom members of the ruling alliance had moved a no-confidence motion.

Wherever BJP is not in power, it sends CBI, ED and I-T, says Tejashwi

Stung by raids on a number of RJD leaders, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Wednesday called the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax (IT) department three jamaai" (sons in-law), which the BJP sent to states where it was not in power. Taking part in a debate on the motion of confidence moved by the new 'Mahagathbandhan' government, Yadav accused the BJP of having tried to "break" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party in a bid to "wipe out socialist ideology". "My father Lalu Prasad, mother Rabri Devi, my sisters and I are all paying the price for our commitment to socialism. The CM and I have the same ideology. You (BJP) cannot reap what we socialists have sown," said Yadav. The RJD heir apparent also expressed dismay over a section of the media saying that a mall being raided by CBI in Gurugram belonged to him. "These media outlets should do some research. It belongs to someone based in Haryana, and was ...

'People are watching and they understand': Rabri Devi on CBI searches

The ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar on Wednesday cried foul over raids conducted at a number of premises owned by leaders of the RJD, the largest constituent of the seven-party coalition. The CBI raids, in connection with a railway land for jobs scam, commenced barely a few hours before the new government was to prove its majority on the floor of the state assembly. "I do not wish to comment on merits and demerits of the case. But the timing of the raids is a clear indication that the investigating agencies are trying to help the BJP," alleged Upendra Kushwaha, parliamentary board president of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U). The BJP has been stripped of power on account of the volte-face earlier this month by Kumar, who has now aligned with the RJD, Congress and Left combine. Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, whose own residence here was raided by the agency in connection with the case a few months ago, told reporters, "The people are watching and they can understand what is

CBI, paramilitary forces conduct raids on five RJD leaders in Bihar

With the floor test in Bihar Vidhan Sabha scheduled, the CBI accompanied by paramilitary forces raided the premises of five legislators and parliamentarians in Bihar

As speaker refuses to resign, Bihar assembly braces for stormy session

Sparks are set to fly at the Bihar assembly on Wednesday when the BJP, now stripped of power and politically isolated, will try to hold its own against the mighty seven-party ruling 'Mahagathbandhan'. The special session is set to commence on a stormy note on account of Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha's stout refusal to resign despite the new ruling dispensation's motion of no-confidence against him. If the assembly is not adjourned following the vote over the motion against the speaker, the new government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will also face the trust vote during the day. Sinha, a senior BJP leader, evidently enjoys the backing of his party which has vowed to take on "Paltu Kumar", a pejorative it has coined for the chief minister and his many volte faces, and the new government which has been formed through "back door", a charge the party has, ironically, been facing since 2017. "We have not taken a decision on leader of the opposition in the assembly. That does not top

Lalu's son-in-law spotted at Bihar govt meetings; BJP condemns presence

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar was on Friday embarrassed as video footages surfaced wherein a son-in-law of Lalu Prasad, founding president of the RJD that helms the new ruling coalition, was seen at two official meetings. Notably, both the meetings were presided over by Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, who was sworn in as a minister earlier this week with environment, forestry and climate change portfolio. According to video clips, at the first meeting of officials that Yadav attended in his capacity as minister on July 17, Shailesh Kumar, married to his eldest sister Misa Bharti, a Rajya Sabha MP herself, was seen seated in the back row. However, a day later, Kumar was again present at a meeting of the pollution control board, seated next to his brother-in-law minister. The course of events drew strong condemnation from the BJP, which has lost power following the volte-face by the chief minister last week. "Tej Pratap Yadav remains in news for all the wrong reasons. No

Bihar Cabinet expansion: 31 ministers take oath, Nitish retains Home

RJD gets lion's share of portfolios; Tejashwi gets Health

Bihar cabinet expansion: 31 ministers inducted, more than half from RJD

The newly formed cabinet in Bihar expanded when 31 ministers took oath, with the RJD getting a lion's share

CM Nitish Kumar to prove majority in Bihar Assembly on August 24

After taking the oath as Bihar Chief Minister for the eighth time, Nitish Kumar called for first cabinet meeting on Wednesday

Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar CM for 8th time, Tejashwi to be his deputy

No BJP MLA was present at the swearing in, and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi said the BJP was 'not invited'

RJD MLA Anant Singh, convicted in arms case, disqualified by Bihar assembly

Anant Singh, the MLA of Mokama in Patna district, was convicted by a special MP-MLA court in June under different sections of the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the IPC.