Page 7 - Nitish Kumar

Don't want anything for myself, just keen on uniting oppn parties: Nitish

Dismissing all speculations over his candidature in Lok Sabha polls from Phulpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said "he is only interested in uniting opposition parties ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls". Kumar also asserted that his efforts should reap benefits for the younger generation, "for people like (his deputy) Tejashwi Yadav". "These are mere speculations and there is no basis for such talks. I don't know the source of such reports. I am only interested in uniting all opposition parties ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections," said the CM when asked if he had plans to enter the Lok Sabha contest from UP. "I don't want anything for myselfwhatever I am doing, it is for the younger generationfor people like Tejashwi Yadav," he added. Speculations about Kumar eyeing the Phulpur seat became rife after JD(U)'s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh on Saturday said that party workers and leaders in three constituencies

Nitish Kumar denies plans to contest 2024 LS poll from UP's Phulpur

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar denied speculations that he may contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh's Phulpur, saying he only has ambition to unite opposition parties in the country

Irani mocks Nitish's 'national ambitions', says Modi will return to power

Union minister Smriti Irani on Sunday mocked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "national ambitions" and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP leader was here to attend a party symposium based on the book "Modi@20" where her cabinet colleague Giriraj Singh, former minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi were among those present. "In this state, barbs are being hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by those who always lean on others to form a government," said Irani, in an obvious reference to Kumar, whom she did not mention by name. Kumar snapped ties with the BJP last month, accusing it of trying to break his JD(U), and retained power by aligning with the RJD, Congress and Left combine. "Modi's political rivals desperately want power in 2024. But they do not realise that there are many aspirants for the post of Pradhan Mantri but only one who is happy to remain Pradhan Sevak," said th

BJP responsible for fertiliser crisis: Bihar Agri Minister Sudhakar Singh

Bihar Agriculture Minister Sudhakar Singh on Saturday squarely blamed the BJP for the fertiliser crisis in the state, and alleged that the saffron party leaders were protecting those indulged in hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers. The RJD leader, while speaking to reporters, alleged that the BJP leaders at the Centre and those who were part of the previous NDA government in the state were responsible for the crisis. "The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government came to power in Bihar barely a month ago. BJP leaders who had earlier held the Agriculture portfolio allowed hoarding and black marketing of fertilisers in the state," he said, referring to his predecessor Amrendra Pratap Singh. Farmers in certain districts of Bihar including Khagaria, Katihar, Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, Purnea, Araria, Rohtas, Darbhanga, Buxar and Patna have been facing a shortage of fertilisers for quite some time due to its unavailability at designated fertiliser dealer shops, a senior offici

Spl status to backward states if non-BJP alliance comes to power: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that special category status will be granted to "all the backward states" if the united opposition that he seeks to build comes to power at the Centre. The JD(U) leader made the remark in reply to a query from journalists on the sidelines of a function here. "If we get an opportunity to form the next government, all the backward states will be granted the special category status. There is no reason why it cannot be done," said Kumar, who snapped ties with the BJP and joined the seven-party 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) comprising RJD, Congress and the Left.

Nitish upset with RJD minister, admits to having met Prashant Kishor

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday frowned upon the recalcitrance shown by his Agriculture Minister Sudhakar Singh, who belongs to the RJD, but sought to put the ball in the court of his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, the party's de facto leader. Talking to reporters here, Kumar, who is the de facto JD(U) chief, confirmed having met poll strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor the previous day but insisted that the meeting was "normal and not of any political significance". "I had tried to enquire from him (Sudhakar) about his grievances. Instead of replying, he stormed out," said Kumar when asked about reports of the agriculture minister having created a scene at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Sudhakar Singh, whose father Jagadanand Singh is the state RJD president, had spoken about rampant corruption at a public meeting in Kaimur district a couple of days ago. The minister, who is said to be upset with bureaucrats in his department, has reportedly threatened to resign upon .

Some life in Oppn: For first time, Left parties & Mamata on the same stage?

It doesn't bear thinking about. But Nitish Kumar may have managed the impossible feat of bringing the two together

Nitish Kumar claims his Delhi visit was successful, visits Lalu on return

After the three day visit to Delhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday returned to Patna and went straight away to Rabri Devi's residence to meet former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Age catching up with Nitish: Prashant Kishor hits back at Bihar CM

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor hit back at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, a day after the JD(U) supremo accused him of trying to help BJP and not knowing "ABC" of politics and governance. Kishor, who has launched "Jan Suraaj", a campaign that is likely to evolve into a political party, said it was "laughable" for Kumar to issue "certificates" given that he was with the BJP till a month ago. "Age is catching up with him. If he has divined that I want to help the BJP, it is his intellectual greatness (vidvata)," Kishor told reporters here sarcastically. "Nitish Kumar must be the only educated person around to have said people like me do not know ABC. He knows from A to Z. He should share the knowledge with NITI Aayog which keeps counting Bihar among the least-developed states," the IPAC founder said, tongue in cheek. Kishor also said that if Kumar was able to deliver on his promise of creating 10 lakh jobs, which he made after ruling the state fo

There is Janta Raj, not Jungle Raj in Bihar: Nitish rubbishes BJP's claim

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday rubbished the BJP's jibe that 'Jungle Raj' (lawlessness) has returned to Bihar with the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government coming to power, and asserted that there is 'Janta Raj' (people's rule) in the state. "Stray incidents are not a reflection of the overall law and order situation in the state. What Jungle Raj? Maintaining law and order has been the priority of our government. There is Janta Raj," Kumar said when asked about the saffron party's jibe. Attacking senior BJP leaders in the state, he said such comments do not affect the government as it is committed to working for the people of Bihar. "If Sushil Modi (former deputy CM) or Sanjay Jaiswal (state BJP chief) criticise me, they may get plum posts in the party or the central government," he said. On his recent meetings with opposition leaders in Delhi, Kumar said, "My focus is on bringing together all opposition parties in the country. My meetings with opposition leaders we

It should be 'main front', not 'third front': Nitish on opposition unity

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday pitched for uniting all non-BJP parties, saying it will be the "main front" and not the "third front". Speaking to reporters after meeting several non-BJP leaders here, Kumar said he had "very good and long discussions". "If all non-BJP parties in various states come together, then an atmosphere will emerge for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where things would not remain one-sided. With whomever I talked to, there were positive discussions," he said. On talks of the third front, he said, "Whenever someone says there is a need to create a third front, I always say let's make the 'main front'. Whenever it happens, it will be the main front, not the third front." Kumar held deliberations with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar earlier in the day and also met CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. The Bihar chief minister met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday. He had on Tuesday met CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general .

BJP leaders scared of Nitish Kumar's popularity: Bihar minister

Bihar Cabinet minister Shravan Kumar on Wednesday said that the BJP leaders are rattled with the growing popularity of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the country.

Nitish Kumar's Delhi visit explored policy-oriented alternative: RJD leader

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha has said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's visit to Delhi was an effort to explore "policy-oriented political alternative"

Nitish 'neither claimant nor desirous' for PM post, calls for united Oppn

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said he is neither a claimant for the prime minister's post nor desirous of it, his assertion coming amid speculation that his visit to Delhi is to claim leadership of the opposition parties. It is time for the Left parties, the Congress and all regional parties to come together to form a united opposition, Kumar told reporters after meeting CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D Raja at their respective party offices. The Janata Dal (United) leader, who severed his party's ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last month, is in the capital to meet key opposition leaders. "I have had a long association with the CPI(M) from my younger days. You all have not seen me, but whenever I used to come to Delhi, I used to come to this office. We were separated but today, all of us are together again. Our entire focus is to unite all the Left parties, the regional parties and the Congress. This will b

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Nitish meets Rahul Gandhi to plan for 2024 polls; denies PM candidature

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the national capital and discussed the strategy for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Delhi: Nitish Kumar's meeting with Rahul Gandhi goes on for nearly an hour

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who reached the national capital to confer with opposition leaders on taking on the BJP together, had a nearly one-hour-long meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

BJP's doors permanently shut on Bihar CM Nitish, says Sushil Modi

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday asserted that the doors of his party were "permanently shut" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who dumped it last month, causing the saffron party to lose power in the state. Modi, widely perceived to have been sidelined in his party on account of his proximity to Kumar, came out with a statement claiming that it will not be long before the JD(U) leader did yet another volte face. The former Bihar deputy CM, who has transitioned into a virulent critic of his ex-boss, alleged, "Nitish Kumar has put chameleons to shame in changing colours." Modi, often credited with having wooed back Kumar into the NDA five years ago, was peeved at the chief minister having told his party workers on Sunday that aligning with the BJP again in 2017 "was a mistake". The Rajya Sabha MP raked up the short-lived chief ministership of Jitan Ram Manjhi, who replaced Kumar when the latter stepped down in 2014, only to be elbowed out to facilitate the return of

CM Nitish Kumar to visit Delhi today, likely to meet Opposition leaders

Meanwhile, various posters of Nitish Kumar projecting him as a prime ministerial candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election were seen in Patna on Thursday

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on two-day visit to Delhi, to meet Opposition leaders

After holding the customary Janata Darbar programme in Patna, Nitish Kumar will go to Delhi and stay there for two days