Indian Haj pilgrim dies on way to Madinah

Jeddah: An Indian Haj pilgrim on the way to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, died following a heart attack, which caused an emergency landing in Riyadh. Sixty-eight-year-old Momina Khatoon, a native of Biraul in the Darbhanga district of Bihar, was travelling to Madina along with her husband Mohammed Sadrul Haque and son Mohammed Meraj on a Flydeal Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Five LS Seats in Bihar See Over 34% Polling Till 1 PM

Five LS Seats in Bihar See Over 34% Polling Till 1 PM Around 34.44 per cent of over 95 lakh voters in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar have exercised their franchise till 1 pm on Monday, officials said. Voting in the five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to decide the fate of 55 candidates began at 7 am in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Munger and Darbhanga and will continue till 6 pm, a senior official said. Over 36.28 per cent of voters have exercised their franchise in Samastipur, 35.09 per cent in Munger, 34.90 per cent in Ujiarpur, 33.13 per cent in Darbhanga and 33.02 per cent in Begusarai till 1 pm. Approximately 95.85 lakh electors are eligible to exercise their franchise across 5,398 polling stations, the official said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh is seeking re-election from Begusarai where his primary opponent is CPI's Awadhesh Rai. In Ujiarpur, which has the lowest number of voters at 17.48 lakh, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term. His principal rival is Alok Mehta, a senior RJD leader and former state minister. Samastipur, formerly known as Rosera, presents a battleground for two debutants - Congress' Sunny Hazari and Shambhavi Choudhary of LJP (Ram Vilas) - both offspring of senior JD(U) leaders and ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. Sunny is the son of Maheshwar Hazari who had won the seat on a JD(U) ticket in 2009, while Shambhavi is the daughter of Ashok Choudhary, a minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.

Over 10% polling recorded in five LS seats in Bihar till 9 am

Darbhanga/Begusarai/Samastipur: Around 10.18 per cent of over 95 lakh voters in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar have exercised their franchise till 9 am on Monday, officials said. Voting for the five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to decide the fate of 55 candidates began at 7 am in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Munger and Darbhanga Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Polling begins in Bihar's five Lok Sabha constituencies

Bihars 5 Lok Sabha seats see voting with 55 candidates, including Union ministers. Polling till 6pm features key contests in Darbhanga, Ujiarpur. Anti-incumbency poses challenges. Young candidates debut in Samastipur.

Voting commences for bypolls in five Bihar Lok Sabha constituencies

Voting commences for bypolls in five Bihar Lok Sabha constituencies Voting for five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to decide the fate of 55 candidates, including two Union ministers, began on Monday morning, amid tight security. Polling commenced at 7 am in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Munger and Darbhanga and will continue till 6 pm, a senior official said. Approximately 95.85 lakh electors are eligible to exercise their franchise across 5,398 polling stations, he said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh is seeking re-election from Begusarai where his primary opponent is CPI's Awadhesh Rai. Singh had defeated former JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the same seat. In Ujiarpur, which has the lowest number of voters at 17.48 lakh but hosts the maximum of 13 candidates, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai aims for a third consecutive term. His principal rival is Alok Mehta, a senior RJD leader and former state minister. Samastipur, formerly known as Rosera, presents a battleground for two debutants - Congress' Sunny Hazari and Shambhavi Choudhary of LJP (Ram Vilas) - both offspring of senior JD(U) leaders and ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. Sunny is the son of Maheshwar Hazari who had won the seat on a JD(U) ticket in 2009, while Shambhavi is the daughter of Ashok Choudhary, a minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.

Son, daughter of two JD(U) mantris locked in Samastipur contest

Prime Minister Modi blessed Shambhavi Chaudhary, the youngest nominee in the country, at a political rally in Darbhanga. Shambhavi, daughter of minister Ashok Chaudhary, is contesting from Samastipur against Sunny Hazari of the Congress party. The seat, reserved for SCs, will go to polls on May 13. Both candidates aim to continue their family legacy in politics.

Darbhanga Bihar Lok Sabha election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates, main parties, schedule

Three Bihar workers die at construction sites in Noida

NOIDA: Three migrant workers hailing from Bihar have died in two separate incidents at construction sites in Noida and Noida Extension, prompting a homebuyers' body to flag concerns over safety standards at such projects. Nazim Ali and Razabul Rahman, both aged around 35, died after they accidentally fell while working on the 10th-floor level at the under-construction Verona Heights Society in Bisrakh area of Noida Extension on Friday, a police spokesperson said. Both hailed from Katihar district of Bihar, the official said. In the other incident on Friday night, four people suffered injuries after a scaffolding fell at a construction site in Noida's Sector 58 due to a dust storm and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to police. One of them, identified as Jai Govind Jha, 50, succumbed to injuries while others are undergoing treatment, the spokesperson said. Jha hailed from Darbhanga district of Bihar and worked as a construction labourer in Noida, the police said. Legal proceedings in both the cases have been initiated, the police said. Meanwhile, homebuyer's body NEFOWA raised concerns over the safety of construction workers at sites. Late last night, two workers died while working from the 10th floor of the high-rise Verona Heights F Tower of Amrapali Leisure Valley, resulting in their death. About eight months ago, in a similar project of Amrapali Group, 10 workers died due to lift collapse, NEFOWA vice president Dipankar Kumar said. Dipankar Kumar, a home buyer at Amrapali Verona Height and also a petitioner in the Supreme Court, questioned the safety standards at the work site. Abhishek Kumar, president of NEFOWA, said that such incidents have a huge impact on the morale of home buyers who are already suffering from delays.

Himanta: NDA Requires Over 400 Lok Sabha Seats to Enact Uniform Civil Code

Himanta: NDA Requires Over 400 Lok Sabha Seats to Enact Uniform Civil Code Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the NDA needs to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country and to construct a grand temple at the Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura. Addressing an election rally in favour of senior BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh in Begusarai, Sarma slammed the Congress and its allies for ''raising question mark'' on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said, ''... The NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to win 400 plus seats to implement the UCC in the country, for the construction a grand temple at Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura and also to ensure PoK, which is a part of India, returns to India.'' The UCC means having a common law for all citizens of the country that is not based on religion. Personal laws and laws related to inheritance, adoption and succession are likely to be covered by a common code. Hitting out at the Congress and its allies, Sarma said, ''Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad, did not attend Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Lalla at Ayodhya. Let me make it very clear that neither Rahul nor Lalu will ever be able to visit Ram temple in Ayodhya ...'' The Assam CM accused the Congress of giving religion-based reservation. ''They (INDIA alliance leaders) are indulging in politics of appeasement and raise issues that support Pakistan. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar recently said that India should not raise the PoK issue and respect Pakistan as it possesses an atom bomb. Even if Pakistan has a nuclear bomb, I am confident that it must have passed its expiry date. ''Our government at the Centre has made it clear that PoK belongs to India and no force can snatch it. We have to give a third term to Modi Ji to ensure that PoK returns to India. Since the NDA government has removed article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, it will ensure PoK returns to India in the coming days,'' said Sarma. The NDA needs to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections to save the quota granted to the OBCs, SCs and STs, he said. ''The Congress gave reservation to Muslims by reducing the quota of OBCs/STs and SCs in Karnataka and other states and it now plans to replicate this across the country. Mamata Banerjee... Congress and RJD are the biggest enemy of OBCs... Religion-based reservation should be given to Muslims in Pakistan, not in India. The NDA will not allow this at any cost,'' he said. ''In Assam, I have made it very clear that Muslims will have to forsake child marriage and polygamy, and encourage women's education. Marrying two or three times is not allowed in Assam. It's very simplethey (Muslims) cannot have three wives. Action has been taken against 6,000 people, belonging to a particular community, who indulged in child marriage. We believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,'' he said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh is seeking re-election from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat as the NDA nominee. Singh is pitted against Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Awadhesh Rai, who is Mahagathbandhan's nominee.. Elections will be held in Begusarai, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger Lok Sabha seats of Bihar in the fourth phase on May 13.

Lok Sabha election 2024 full schedule: Darbhanga to vote in phase 4 on May 13

Prominent contenders like Gopal Jee Thakur, Kirti Azad, and Lalit Kumar Yadav vie for the Darbhanga Lok Sabha seat. The 2024 elections, scheduled by the EC, will unfold in 7 phases from April 19 to June 1.

Bihar: 2 Modi ministers lock in tight contest

PATNA : The fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in Bihar will decide the fate of not only the veterans of several electoral battles but also of those making debut in politics. Two Union ministers, Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai, are locked in a neck-to-neck fight in their respective constituencies this time. Five Lok Sabha constituencies, namely Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger will go to polls scheduled to be held on May 13. Giriraj Singh, known to be the BJPs firebrand leader, is contesting election from Begusarai yet one more time. He is pitted against former MLA and CPI candidate Awadhesh Kumar Rai. Singh is seeking a re-election from the seat. Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency is a stronghold of upper caste Bhumihars. Most candidates who have won from Begusarai belonged to Bhumihar caste, including Giriraj Singh, who had defeated CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar by a margin of 4.2 lakh votes in the 2019 election. Similarly, Union Minister of State for Home and senior BJP leader Nityanand Rai is trying his luck from Ujiarpur seat again. While seeking votes for him recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Rai his jigri (favourite) and promised to make him a bada aadmi (big man) in future. He is locked in a direct contest with senior RJD leader and former minister Alok Kumar Mehta, considered close to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. However, Rai who had won Lok Sabha election twice in 2014 and 2019, is facing anti-incumbency. The seat has been held by the National Democratic Alliance ever since it was created after delimitation in 2008. In the 2009 election, Ashwamedh Devi of JD(U) had won the election by defeating Alok Kumar Mehta. Rai is now trying to make a hat-trick from Ujiarpur. The seat has a strong Yadav voter base, a community Rai belongs to. Apart from Yadavs, the constituency also has a good population of upper castes, Kushwahas, SCs, particularly Paswans and Maha Dalits. Similarly, BJP MP Gopal Jee Thakur is contesting election from Darbhanga. A PhD holder, Thakur is pitted against senior RJD leader and former minister Lalit Yadav, a postgraduate in Sociology from Lalit Narayan Mithila University. Yadav is known for his muscle power in the region. RJD had last won this seat in 2004 by defeating BJPs Kirti Azad. In Samastipur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, the son and daughter of two JD(U) leaders are pitted against each other. Bihars rural works minister Ashok Choudharys daughter Shambhavi Choudhary is contesting election on a ticket from the LJP (Ram Vilas). She is pitted against Congress nominee Sunny Hazari, son of senior JD(U) minister Maheshwar Hazari. Recently, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar had warned his cabinet colleague Hazari against seeking votes for his son. In an election rally addressed by Kumar in Samastipur constituency, Hazari was not even present. From Munger constituency, former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh is pitted against RJD candidate Kumari Anita, wife of muscleman Ashok Mahto. Singh, who defeated Congress Nilam Devi in 2019 elections, is eyeing his fourth win from Munger. Lalan Singh had first won the election from the Munger seat in 2009 but lost to LJP leader Veena Devi in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held election rallies in Munger and Darbhanga recently and appealed to voters to vote for NDA candidates in the ongoing elections in the state. All the five seats where elections are due to be held on May 13 are held by the NDA three of them by BJP and one each by JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas). For RJD, there is nothing to lose in this phase. But for NDA, its prestige is at stake as all the five seats going to polls in this phase are held by it, said a political analyst, Pramod Kumar. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats. Elections were earlier held in Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui in the first phase; Purnea, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Kishanganj and Banka in the second, and Madhepura, Araria, Supaul, Khagaria and Jhanjharpur in the third.

NDA eyes fourth consecutive win,RJD plays Yadav card in Darbhanga

Travel tips: There is a gathering of devotees in these temples of Bihar, tourists arrive in lakhs

Bihar also has an important place among various states of India which is known for its rich history, art, dance and heritage. Bihar has a glorious history of more than 3000 years in which temples also have great importance. Bihar is also considered the birthplace of the world's two largest religions, Buddhism and Jainism. Talking about tourism in Bihar, the tourist places here include many temples which reflect the culture and history of this place. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about some such temples of Bihar which are visited by lakhs of tourists every year and there is a gathering of devotees every day. Let us know about these temples... Janaki Temple There is a grand Janaki temple in Punaura village, 5 km west of Sitamarhi city, which is considered to be the birth place of Mother Sita. The story related to this is that once there was a severe famine in Mithila and King Janak was advised to plow the fields. After worshiping Mahadev, when King Janak was plowing, an earthen vessel emerged from the ground, in which Mother Sita was found in her infant state. Now there is a Haleshwar temple at this place and it is believed that a king named Videha built this Shiva temple here for Putreshti Yagya. There is also a lake named Janaki Kund here, bathing in which is said to give birth to a child. Mother Sita's marriage also took place at this place and the ancient Peepal tree is still present as a witness to this. Let us tell you that this place is located at a distance of about 4 hours from Patna where the distance between them is about 138 kilometers. You can reach here by road and train also. Mangala Gauri Temple If you are in the holy city of Gaya, you must visit Mangala Gauri Temple, one of the most famous temples of Bihar. Mangala Gauri Temple is one of the 18 Shaktipeeths of India. It is mentioned in sacred texts like Padma Purana, Vayu Purana, Agni Purana. This holy temple is dedicated to Sati. It is believed that a part of Sati's body had fallen at this place. The architecture and grandeur of this small temple is something that will definitely fascinate you. This temple remains open from 6 am to 8 pm. Ashokdham Temple Ashokdham Temple is also known as Indramaneshwar Mahadev Temple. This temple is located in Lakhisarai, Bihar. On the day of Mahashivratri, lakhs of devotees come here to worship Lord Shiva. According to the official website of Lakhisarai district, on April 7, 1977, a boy named Ashok had discovered a huge Shivalinga from under the ground here. On 11 February 1973, Shankaracharya of Jagannathpuri laid the foundation stone of the temple complex here. The present temple was renovated on 15 November 2002 under the Shri Indradamneshwar Mahadev Temple Trust. Mahavir Temple Mahavir Temple located near Patna Junction is one of the most sacred Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Hanuman. This is one of the best and oldest Hanuman temples in the country. Mahavir Temple is the most famous temple of North India. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple every year. The statue of Sankat Mochan holds a special place in the hearts of the devotees. On the holy occasion of Ram Navami, thousands of devotees come to this temple for darshan and worship. This temple, associated with the faith of millions of devotees, is known for its religious importance and beliefs. There is a belief about this temple that the wishes of every devotee who comes here is definitely fulfilled, no devotee returns empty handed from here. Mithila Shakti Peetha Located in Darbhanga near the border of India and Nepal, this Mithila Shakti Peeth is considered to be one of the 52 Shakti Peethas. This Peetha has great importance in Sanatan Dharma. It is believed that the left shoulder of Goddess Sati had fallen at this place. The idol of Goddess Uma and Lord Mahodar is installed in this temple, people come from far and wide to worship it. In this Shakti Peeth, Uma is worshiped in the form of Mahadevi. Let us tell you that the distance from Patna to Darbhanga is 139 kilometers where you can go by train as well as by road. Vishnupad Temple Vishnupad temple is situated on the banks of Mokshadayini Falgu river in Gaya district which is also described in Ramayana. This temple is also known for its grandeur and splendor. The height of this temple is about 100 feet while the Sabha Mandap has 44 pillars. Vishnupad temple has a 40 cm long footprint of Vishnu with nine symbols including Shankam, Chakram and Gadham. Let us tell you that it is built on a solid rock and silver work has been done on it. Regarding the name of this temple full of grandeur, it is believed that it was named after the demon named Gayasur. There is a long story behind this too. On the occasion of Pitru Paksha, a huge crowd of devotees gather here and people come here to offer prayers to their ancestors. It is believed that by seeing the feet of Lord Vishnu after the tarpan, all the sorrows are destroyed and the ancestors reach the sacred world. Let us tell you that the distance from Patna to here is about 100 kilometers and you can easily reach here by train, bus, taxi. Baba Garib Nath Temple Baba Garibnath Temple of Lord Shiva, located in Muzaffarpur, is one of the ancient temples of Bihar. According to religious beliefs, this temple is three hundred years old. Earlier there used to be a dense forest at this place. There were seven Peepal trees in the middle of this forest. While cutting trees, a blood-red substance started coming out from them and a huge Shivalinga was found inside one of them. After which the worship of Lord Shiva started here. Patan Devi Temple The history of Patan Devi Temple in Patna, the capital of Bihar is considered quite interesting. Local people believe that this temple protects the city of Patna and hence the temple is also known as Rakshika Bhagwati Patneshwari. Patandevi temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths where the thigh of Mata Sati had fallen. Idols of Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali are also installed inside this temple and worship is done here with great pomp during the days of Navratri. After marriage, the new couple comes here for darshan and pray for good luck and happy married life. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Democracy and Constitution under severe strain, says Lalu

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying people are apprehensive that Modi would abolish the Constitution and reservation if he returns to power for the third term after the Lok Sabha polls. This election is not about dying but about fighting for survival, Lalu said. The RJD chief claimed that 140 crore people of the country are also uncertain whether democracy would survive if Modi was voted back to power. He said youths are uncertain about their job prospects if Modi becomes PM again. (Youths are uncertain on) whether Agniveer scheme will be implemented in the police and central paramilitary forces and whether due demands of farmers will ever be met. Whether hatred and divisions in the society will increase and whether the autonomy of constitutional institutions be encroached upon in the third term of Modi. he said. Modi in his election rally in Darbhanga reminded people of Godhra training burning incident in which over 60 people were killed in 2002 and alleged that Lalu had tried to save those responsible for the killing of Kar Sevaks. Responding to Lalus remarks, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan said the opposition with an intention to intimidate people was trying to create an impression that reservation and democracy would cease to exist and Constitution would be changed if NDA returns to power. Whether there was any danger to democracy, Constitution and reservation during the last 10 years? he asked. RJD chief Lalu tried to save those behind Godhra train carnage: PM Modi Tejashwi invokes Vajpayee remark on Raj Dharma A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi charged Lalu Prasad with having tried to shield the culprits in the Godhra train burning case, the RJD presidents son Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday recounted the famous Raj dharma remark of Atal Bihari Vajpayee made in the backdrop of communal violence in Gujarat. He (PM) can say whatever he wants. But I remember what Atalji had said at that point of time. Modiji was seated beside Atalji, who advised him to follow Raj dharma, Tejashwi said.

Tejashwi Yadav Recalls Vajpayee's Raj Dharma Remarks

Tejashwi Yadav Recalls Vajpayee's Raj Dharma Remarks A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi charged Lalu Prasad with having tried to shield the culprits in the Godhra train burning case, the RJD president's son Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday recounted the famous ''Raj dharma'' remark of Atal Bihari Vajpayee made in the backdrop of communal violence in Gujarat. Yadav was responding to queries on Modi's speech at a rally in Darbhanga the previous day where Modi had charged the RJD president with having tried to ''shield'' those guilty in two-decade-old Godhra train burning incident and ''put blame on kar sevaks''. ''He (PM) can say whatever he wants. But I remember what Atal Ji had said at that point of time. Atal Ji, the then PM, was addressing a press conference. Modi Ji in his capacity as the then chief minister of Gujarat was seated beside the PM who had advised the former to follow 'Raj dharma' during the 2002 communal riots in the state,'' Yadav told PTI video. Further commenting on the PM's accusation that INDIA bloc and RJD are trying to ''steal'' the reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other backward classes (OBCs) to hand them over to Muslims, Yadav said, ''These are baseless things and far from reality. The ruling NDA has decided to end reservation to OBCs and other classes by privatising the government's several wings and organisations.'' Modi had accused Prasad of having given quotas to Muslims in Bihar and advocating the same in 2007 while serving in the Union government as the Railway Minister. ''The PM should talk about the issues concerning people. People have decided to give a befitting reply to the BJP-led NDA and they will face a humiliating defeat in this election,'' he said. ''Why is the PM maintaining a stoic silence over the Karnataka sex scandal? The accused is involved in abuse of several women in Karnataka. They (BJP) are more into protecting rapists and helping them get away,'' Yadav said. Yadav condemned the militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch in which one Indian Air Force personnel was killed and four injured on Saturday. ''We strongly condemn this terror attack and join the nation in standing together against terrorism. Our deepest condolences to the family of the brave warrior who made the supreme sacrifice,'' he said.

Shambhavi Choudhary, NDA's Youngest Candidate, Expresses Gratitude for Prime Minister's Support

Shambhavi Choudhary, NDA's Youngest Candidate, Expresses Gratitude for Prime Minister's Support Hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ''youngest candidate'' of the NDA, Shambhavi Choudhary is determined to live up to the high expectations from her. A third-generation politician, the 25-year-old is contesting from the Samastipur reserved constituency in Bihar, on a ticket of Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). ''I am overwhelmed by the attention I received from the PM at the Darbhanga rally on Saturday. It shows the respect he has for Dalits, especially women... It also gives me a sense of huge responsibility,'' Choudhary told PTI over the phone. ''I am really thankful to the PM for this love, blessings and affectionThe PM called me daughter, he appealed to the people of Samastipur Lok Sabha constituencyThe youngest daughter in the country is contesting elections. Please bless her and cast your votes in her favour. His daughter's bond with Samastipur Lok Sabha has become unbreakable and I am confident that on May 13, there is going to be record voting on the helicopter symbol of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas),'' she said. Choudhary said she was taking allegations of ''dynasty'' in her stride, which ''anybody whose ancestors are in the same profession, have to say''. ''I was always interested in politics right from the beginning. I was born and brought up in a political family and that has definitely impacted my personality and personal interests. But, let me make one thing very clear that coming from a political family doesn't guarantee a victoryIt's about performance. Winning peoples' hearts is not easy. It's a tough job. One has to deliverI will have to prove myself'', said the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate from Samastipur. She further said, ''In majority of the cases daughters/sons take father's profession. But no father can win the mandate for the daughter. I need to work hard for this. The people of Samastipur will decide whether I get an opportunity to represent this seat in the Lok Sabha or notnot my family. I have to be part of the democratic system which is for the people, of the people and by the people.'' Choudhary's father Ashok Choudhary is in JD(U) and one of the most influential ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. Her father was earlier with the Congress, having headed its state unit. Her grandfather late Mahavir Choudhary had been in the same party and a state minister when the Congress ruled Bihar. While explaining her plan for the overall development of Bihar in general and Samastipur in particular, she said, ''There is a hunger for development in Bihar and same is the case with my Lok Sabha constituency. I have been visiting my constituency for the last 20 daysthere are areas in Samastipur which were never visited by the MP in the past. Such areas need development. I plan to work in the field of education and healthcare. My priority areas will be education, health, employment generation and investment. I have an elaborate plan and vision for modern Samastipur.'' ''I am a student of sociologyI did my Master of Arts (Sociology) from Delhi School of Economics (University of Delhi)For me understanding politics and society is not a difficult job. Joining politics for me is to get practical experience of all those things which I studied only. My academic background will certainly help me in identifying difficulties being faced by the people in my areaand will try my best to resolve them at the earliest,'' Choudhary said. The Lok Janshakit Party (Ram Vilas) candidate said she has learnt a lot from her father-in-law Acharya Kishore Kunal, who had pioneered social reform by introducing Dalit priests to Bihar temples years ago. Shambhavi Choudhary is married to Saayan Kunal, son of philanthropist and scholar Acharya Kunal, who was also a former IPS officer. Elections will be held in Samastipur, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Begusarai, and Munger Lok Sabha seats in Bihar on May 13.

Tejashwi Yadav claps back on PM Modis Muslim quota remarks

Darbhanga: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said it was during the tenure of former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur that quotas were introduced for backward classes of all sections, including Muslims. Yadav was responding to the prime ministers allegation that in 2007 when Lalu Prasad was the railway minister he had advocated reservations for Muslims. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

RJD chief Lalu tried to save those behind Godhra train carnage: PM Modi

PATNA : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that RJD chief Lalu Prasad tried to shield those who were responsible for burning more than 60 kar sevaks by setting up the Banerjee committee to probe the 2002 Godhra train burning incident. Addressing an election rally in Darbhanga, Modi said the opposition always pursued appeasement politics, and it was the reason the father of Bihars shehzada (referring to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra arson. After all, it was the rule of Sonia madam, PM said. He recalled that Lalu who was the then Railway Minister had constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the Godhra train arson, which under his influence gave a report that exonerated those guilty of the arson. He said that the court dumped the report. PM alleged that Congress was trying to give reservation to Muslims by cutting into quotas of SCs, STs and OBCs, even by going against the sentiments of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and backstabbing B R Ambedkar. Since these deprived sections are disillusioned with INDIA bloc, the alliance is now trying to give reservation to Muslims by cutting into their quotas, he added. Targeting Tejashwi for his comment on X in which he pointed out all three service chiefs of the armed forces are Hindus, PM said that now even the religion of service chiefs was counted and asked whether anybody while remembering the martyrdom of Captain Abdul Hamid looked him from the prism of religion. Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi, PM said, There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their fiefdom. Addressing a rally at Palamu in Jharkhand, Modi said the Pakistan government is praying Congress prince to become PM, but strong India wants strong government only. He said, Leaders of JMM and Congress have collected huge assets through corruption, but I dont even have even a bicycle or house of my own.

Modi Attacks Opposition, Recalls Godhra in Bihar Rally

NEW DELHI: In one of his fiercest election speeches in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson, an issue that he rarely mentions even at such events, to attack the Congress-led UPA and the then railways minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav for practicing appeasement politics at a rally in Bihars Darbhanga. Earlier in the day, the PM addressed two rallies in Jharkhands Palamu and Lohardaga and later in the evening, he held a roadshow in Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur, where he continued his attack on the Opposition over corruption, votebank politics and attempts to change the Constitution for providing reservations to Muslims. Addressing his third rally of the day in Bihars Darbhanga, Modi raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson issue and accused Lalu Prasad of trying to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks. It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's shehzada (allusion to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident, said Modi, adding that after all, it was the rule of Sonia madam. He (Lalu Prasad Yadav), who has himself been convicted (in fodder scam cases), was railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report, which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away, said Modi. Kicking off his gruelling campaign schedule for the day from Palamu, Jharkhand, the PM took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him and said Pakistan wanted him as the Prime Minister, but India wants a strong country with a strong government. Maa Bharati's disrespect won't be tolerated anymore. New India's surgical and air strikes shook Pakistan, which was known for supporting terror attacks on India during the Congress regime The new India knows how to enter enemy territory and strike... Shaken by the surgical and air strikes, leaders in Pakistan are now praying that the Congress' shehzada' becomes PM of India... But our strong nation wants a strong government and leader, Modi said at the rally to campaign for the BJP candidate from Palamu, V.D. Ram. The Prime Minister said that earlier, after any terror attack on the country, the Congress-led governments were helpless. But that has changed under the strong BJP-led government at the Centre. Now, Pakistan is seeking help from the world to save the nation. He told the audience that their one vote had contributed to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya after generations struggled for 500 years, as well as the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress and the INDI alliance want to usurp your land. They want to snatch SC, ST and OBCs' quotas to provide reservations to Muslims by altering the Constitution. Till I am alive, I will not now allow any such design of the Congress to succeed, he asserted. In his address, the Prime Minister claimed that over 25-crore people came out of poverty in the last 10 years of the NDA government. He said: The Congress never bothered for the welfare of people. The party's shehzada was born with a silver spoon and poses for the camera when he visits the house of the poor. But it is my commitment to transform IndiaThere has been no blot of corruption on me in the past 25 years as Chief Minister and Prime Minister. I don't own a home or even a bicycle... The corrupt JMM and the Congress leaders have amassed huge wealth for their children. In Sisai, Lohardaga, Modi said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces and all those who indulged in corruption will face action under law in the next five years. Hitting out at jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren without taking his name, Modi said: The former Jharkhand CM is behind bars for corruption... Modi is committed to wipe out the menace of corruption. In the next five years, all those who indulged in corruption will face legal action, he said. The INDI alliance leaders, neck-deep in corruption, hold rallies, including in Delhi and Ranchi, voicing support for corrupt people, which reveals their true character, the PM said. Modi also blamed the Congress for the backwardness of tribal districts, alleging that food grains used to rot in godowns during the UPA regime from 2004 to 2014, while tribal children died due to starvation. Modi said the NDA government ensured that the poor got access to the internet unlike the Congress, which was against it. Today's youths are the heroes of social media. The Congress had made the internet a thing for the rich, but Modi ensured it became available for the poor. We made mobile data affordable for all, he said. The PM also slammed the Congress for not taking any action against Maoists to preserve the party's votebank. He said: But, as long as Modi is alive, no one will be allowed to put tribal lives at risk. Modi also accused the Opposition parties of trying to rob SC, ST, OBC and tribals of reservations because of the disillusionment these deprived sections feel towards the INDIA bloc. The INDI alliance is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines, Modi claimed. He also slammed Tejashwi Yadav for bringing up the Hindu Muslim narrative at rallies while talking about the Agnipath scheme and said, When we talk about the martyrdom of Captain Hameed, do we think of him as a Muslim? Without referring to Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav by their names, he said, There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their jaagir (fiefdom). He added: Their mindset was exposed when they raised questions about the surgical strikes and spoke ill of the armed forces. A large crowd cheered for the Prime Minister at the Kanpur roadshow in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Modi visited the Gumati Gurdwara before starting his roadshow in support of the BJP's candidates for the Kanpur and Akbarpur Lok Sabha seats.

Will not allow any tampering with SCs, STs and OBCs reservation till am alive : PM

Darbhanga, May 4 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused INDIA bloc leaders of making attempt to dilute existing reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs and give it to Muslims, but he would not allow them to do so till he is alive. Modi while addressing a massive public meeting seeking support in favour... The post Will not allow any tampering with SCs, STs and OBCs reservation till am alive : PM first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Modi's Seventh Bihar Rally Ignites Voter Connection

Modi's Seventh Bihar Rally Ignites Voter Connection Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday seemed to be enjoying himself at a rally he addressed in the north Bihar town of Darbhanga. In a state where the total number of Lok Sabha seats is 40, Modi, the BJP-led NDA's biggest crowd puller, has already addressed seven rallies, with four more phases of voting to go. At the election meeting in Darbhanga, the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Mithila, the PM was presented with a garland made of fox nuts (makhana), which grow in abundance in the area. Donning the ''Mithila paag'', a traditional headgear on which the lotus, the BJP's poll symbol, was boldly printed, Modi spoke for nearly 30 minutes, starting with a few sentences in Maithili, sending the crowd into rapture. A few minutes into his address, the PM set his eyes upon an enthusiastic bystander, who was carrying a mannequin modelled after the leader, waving it furiously to grab attention. ''Aapne Modi ko bahut nacha liya (You have made Modi dance a lot),'' said the prime minister, evoking peals of laughter, before asking the spectator to hand over the figure to the SPG, in an indication that the piece may find itself preserved as a gift. Mithila is known, across Bihar, for its gregarious culture and the prime minister had to repeatedly urge the crowds to be less boisterous so that his voice could be heard. At one point, he noticed a fan of the ''Vishwakarma yojana'' frantically waving a poster of the craftsman deity. ''My dear 'bhakt' (devotee) of Lord Vishwakarma, you have caught my attention with your enthusiasm. Now please take your seat. You may be blocking the view for those sitting behind,'' said Modi with characteristic chattiness. At the rally, those present included local BJP MP Gopal Jee Thakur, and other NDA candidates, from adjoining constituencies. Modi urged the people to vote for all of them, pointing out that the victory of every NDA candidate was important to him. He made a special mention of Shambhavi Choudhary, who is making her debut from Samastipur on a ticket from Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). ''Please do vote for her. She is making a beginning at such a tender age. She is our youngest candidate,'' said Modi, pointing towards the 25-year-old, whose father Ashok Choudhary is in the JD(U), and is one of the most trusted cabinet colleagues of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Original Headline: HIGHLIGHTS Revised Headline: Match Highlights: Key Moments and Plays

Original Headline: HIGHLIGHTS Revised Headline: Match Highlights: Key Moments and Plays Following are the top stories at 9 pm NATION ELN92 ELECTIONS-BJP-LD LOVELY ****Former Delhi Cong leaders, including Arvinder Singh Lovely, join BJP New Delhi: Former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely joined the BJP on Saturday along with a few other leaders, including former MLAs Raj Kumar Chauhan, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh.**** ELN91 ELECTIONS-BH-LD MODI ****At Bihar rally, Modi targets Lalu on Godhra incident, oppn parties on quotas Darbhanga (Bihar): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad, the BJPs principal opponent in Bihar, with having tried to ''shield'' those guilty in two-decade-old Godhra train burning incident and put blame on kar sevaks.**** ELN73 ELECTIONS-JH-MODI-LD CORRUPTION **** All those who indulged in corruption will face legal action in next five years: PM Modi Sisai (Jharkhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces, and all those who indulged in corruption would face action under law in the next five years.**** DEL21 CBI-NUH GANGRAPE-SENTENCE ****Nuh gangrapes, double murder case: Four convicts sentenced to death by CBI court New Delhi: A special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula awarded the death sentence to four convicts in the 2016 Nuh gangrapes and double murder case on Saturday, officials said.**** BOM7 MH-SITHARAMAN-ROHITH VEMULA ****Rahul Gandhi should apologise for `politicising' Rohith Vemula's suicide: Sitharaman Pune: Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should apologise for ''politicising'' the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the University of Hyderabad student who died in 2016, as police in a state ruled by his own party has now said that it was not a ''Dalit' issue''.**** DEL19 JK-LD FIRING ****Terrorists open fire on two security vehicles in J-K's Poonch, 5 soldiers injured Jammu: Five security personnel were injured after terrorists opened fire on two vehicles, including one belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF), in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday, officials said.**** MDS17 KA-LD REVANNA ****Karnataka MLA Revanna taken into custody in kidnap case Bengaluru: Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was taken into custody on Saturday by sleuths of the Special Investigation Team, minutes after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea in a kidnapping case, officials said.**** ELN97 ELECTIONS-BJP-RAHUL ****Cong believes in 'beta bachao, beta badhao': BJP on Rahul Gandhi's Rae Bareli nomination New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday took a swipe at the Congress over Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli, saying the opposition party seems to believe in ''beta bachao, beta badhao'' (save son, promote son).**** ELN57 ELECTIONS-OD-CONG-LD CANDIDATE ****Denied party funding, Congress Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns ticket Bhubaneswar: Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party.**** BOM5 GJ-RADICAL-ARRESTED ****Gujarat cops arrest maulvi; unearth plan to kill Hindu leader, threaten TV channel editor, MLA Surat: A man was arrested in Surat in Gujarat on Saturday for allegedly planning to murder the leader of a Hindu organisation and threatening the chief editor of Sudarshan television channel as well BJP's Telangana MLA Raja Singh and the party's former spokesperson Nupur Sharma in connivance with his handlers from Pakistan and Nepal, a senior police official said.**** CAL8 MG-LYNCHING ****Two lynched in Meghalaya after teen alleges rape attempt Shillong: Two persons were lynched in Meghalaya's Eastern West Khasi Hills district for allegedly trying to rape an 18-year-old woman, police said on Saturday.**** MDS18 KL-CUSTODIAL DEATH-CBI-LD ARRESTS ****Tanur custodial death case: CBI arrests four Kerala policemen Malappuram/Kochi: The CBI on Saturday arrested four civil police officers accused of torturing to death a man arrested for alleged possession of synthetic drugs in August last year near Tanur here, police sources said.**** LEGAL LGD5 SCBA-WOMEN'S RESERVATION ****SCBA raises concern over SC order to reserve posts for women in lawyers' body executive committee New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has passed a resolution stating that the Supreme Court's directive to reserve posts for women in the executive committee of the lawyers' body ''impinged'' on its independence.**** LGD4 SC-NITHARI-KOLI ****Nithari killings: SC agrees to hear plea of victim's father against acquittal of Surendra Koli New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging Allahabad High Court's order acquitting Surendra Koli in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case.**** FOREIGN FGN32 LANKA-JAPAN-LD MOUS ****Japan insists Sri Lanka should sign MoUs early for debt restructuring Colombo: The restoration of stability and economic development of Sri Lanka, located strategically in the Indian Ocean, is essential for the stability and prosperity of the entire Indo-Pacific region, the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said here on Saturday.**** FGN27 UK-MAYOR ****Sadiq Khan on course to be re-elected Mayor of London London: Sadiq Khan, the Pakistani-origin Labour Party candidate in the race to be re-elected London Mayor for a third term, looked set on Saturday to register a decisive victory, as the local election results from England and Wales continued to reflect a strong swing in favour of the Opposition party. By Aditi Khanna **** FGN23 PAK-ATC-WARRANTS ****Arrest warrants for 14 suspects in May 9 riots case, Imran Khans party leaders granted pre-arrest bail Lahore: A Pakistan court here has issued bailable arrest warrants for 14 suspects, who are on bail, for skipping trial proceedings of two cases related to the May 9 riots while granting pre-arrest bail to two former leaders of incarcerated former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khans party, a media report said on Saturday.****

At Bihar rally, Modi targets Lalu on Godhra incident, oppn parties on quotas

During an election rally at Darbhanga, PM Modi accuses Lalu Prasad of shielding Godhra culprits, criticizes UPA, RJD's appeasement, and warns against the return of the lantern symbol while praising Nitish Kumar's governance.

At Bihar rally, Modi slams Lalu over Godhra, blasts oppn parties for quotas

At Bihar rally, Modi slams Lalu over Godhra, blasts oppn parties for quotas Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad, the BJPs principal opponent in Bihar, with having tried to ''shield'' those guilty in two-decade-old Godhra train burning incident and put blame on kar sevaks. Addressing an election rally at Darbhanga, Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat where riots had erupted after the incident, also alleged that the RJD supremo had acted in connivance with the Congress, which headed the UPA, in power at the Centre. This is probably the first time Modi raised the Godhra issue during the ongoing elections. Without mentioning Prasad by name, Modi described the RJD supremo, who was the Railway minister in the first UPA government, as one serving sentences, out on bail (in fodder scam cases)''. He had tried to shield those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident in which more than 60 kar sevaks were burnt alive. Was it not the reign of Sonia (Gandhi) madam, remarked PM, referring to the former Congress president and UPA chairperson. Modi recalled that the Banerjee Commission, although headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, was often called ben raazi (the sister is willing), and ''under pressure'' from Prasad it submitted a ''bogus'' report that ''tried to exonerate those who were guilty and put the blame on kar sevaks themselves''. ''But the court consigned the report to the dustbin. Those who were guilty got punished, some of them even getting death sentences,'' said the prime minister. Modi alleged that all constituents of the opposition bloc INDIA had a propensity towards appeasement and lambasted the RJD for ''counting Muslims among armed forces''. The remark seemed an oblique reference to Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD presidents son and heir apparent who has spoken of all the three armed forces being headed by Hindus while slamming the ruling BJP at the Centre for repeatedly claiming that the faith of the majority community was in danger. In his speech which lasted for more than 30 minutes, Modi also took potshots at Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, mentioning neither by name but observing ''there is a 'shehzada' (crown prince) in Delhi. Likewise there is a 'shehzada' in Patna. Both have had a dismal track record''. ''Their tendency for appeasement makes them behave in this fashion. Earlier, they had insulted the armed forces by raising questions on surgical strikes. We never think in terms of Hindus and Muslims while talking about our armed forces and our martyrs,'' the prime minister said. Modi also alleged that in 2007, when Prasad was the railway minister, ''he had advocated reservations for Muslims'' and that the RJD supremo and Congress ''want to divert quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs, who feel disillusionment towards them''. ''These parties are going against Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and even Jawaharlal Nehru, both of whom were opposed to reservations along religious lines but let me assure you, as long as Modi is alive, nobody can snatch away reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs,'' said the PM at the rally here. Slamming the INDIA bloc for ''spreading lies that I want to change the Constitution, which I worship'', Modi said, ''I have been challenging them for 12 days to give in writing that they will not snatch away quotas meant for deprived people and provide these along religious lines. They are yet to do so''. The prime minister also noted that the Mithila region, named after an ancient kingdom of which Darbhanga was the capital, was the land of Goddess Sita, and therefore, had special sentiments for Ram temple at Ayodhya. ''India was first attacked on its western boundary about 1,000 years ago. It led to a millennium of enslavement. When we freed Ayodhya after a nearly-500-year-long fight, I had said that for the next 1,000 years, India will script a new history,'' said Modi who also asserted that the country had begun to get its rightful place in the comity of nations. ''When bad days fell on the nation, Bihar was among the worst sufferers. We must not allow the state to return to the era of the lantern'', said Modi, referring to the RJDs poll symbol. He also made an indirect reference to the land-for-jobs scam under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in which Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav have been named, saying the people of Bihar have been made to do away with their land to get jobs. The people of Bihar must also not forgive constituents of the INDIA bloc, which ruled Delhi and Maharashtra when mass exodus of labourers took place during the COVID pandemic, asserted the prime minister. He also lauded ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister who heads the JD(U), for his governance track record. Modi added, We had been occupying the 11th spot among economies of the world. Now we are the fifth largest economy. Referring to the inheritance tax controversy, the prime minister alleged that the Congress wants to bring in a law by which one will be deprived of 55 per cent of whatever one's parents have earned and saved. They wish to place a fatwa on one's inheritance. In keeping with his penchant for connecting with locals wherever he goes, the prime minister addressed the rally wearing the traditional headgear Mithila paag, on which the lotus, the BJPs poll symbol, was printed. He also took note of an enthusiastic supporter who brought a cut-out of the PM to the venue. ''I appreciate that you have made Modi dance. Now you please hand it over to the SPG people'', said the PM.

Key Highlights: Unveiling the Notable Aspects

Key Highlights: Unveiling the Notable Aspects Following are the top stories from the Eastern Region at 5.10 pm. ELN 59 ELECTIONS-BH-MODI ****At Bihar rally, Modi rakes up Godhra train arson to accuse oppn of appeasement Darbhanga: Raking up the 2002 Godhra train arson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad with having tried to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks during the rule of Sonia madam.**** ELN 58 ELECTIONS-JH-LD MODI ****Shaken by surgical strikes, Pak leaders praying Cong shehzada becomes India's PM Palamu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted his governments surgical and air strikes had shaken Pakistan, and the neighbouring countrys leaders are now praying that the Congress shehzada becomes Indias PM.**** ELN 57 ELECTIONS-OD-CONG-LD CANDIDATE ****Denied party funding, Congress Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns ticket Bhubaneswar: Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party.**** ELN 44 ELECTIONS-SANDESHKHALI-TMC-VIDEO ****Sandeshkhali incidents conspiracy by BJP to defame Bengal: TMC Kolkata: Amid the row over incidents in Sandeshkhali where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have surfaced, the party on Saturday released a video on social media, claiming that the episode was a ''conspiracy'' by the BJP to defame West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.**** ELN 35 ELECTIONS-JH-MODI-CORRUPTION ****All those who indulged in corruption will face legal action in next five years: PM Modi Sisai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces, and all those who indulged in corruption would face action under law in the next five years.**** CAL 3 WB-GOVERNOR-POLICE-LD-PROBE ****Police constitute team to probe woman's complaint against Guv; to speak to witnesses Kolkata: Kolkata Police have constituted an inquiry team to probe a woman employee's allegation of sexual molestation by Governor C V Ananda Bose, a senior officer said on Saturday.****

At Bihar rally, Modi highlights Godhra incident to emphasize opposition's alleged appeasement policies

At Bihar rally, Modi highlights Godhra incident to emphasize opposition's alleged appeasement policies Raking up the 2002 Godhra train arson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad with having tried to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks during the rule of Sonia madam. Modi, who addressed an election rally at Darbhanga in north Bihar, recalled the incident that took place while he was the chief minister of Gujarat, alleging that the opposition parties always practice politics of ''appeasement''. It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's 'shehzada' (allusion to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident, said Modi, adding after all, it was the rule of Sonia madam, referring to the UPA chairperson who was also the president of the ruling Congress. He (Lalu Prasad), who has himself been convicted (in fodder scam cases), was then the Railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report made which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away, said Modi. Modi accused the opposition parties of trying to rob SCs, STs and tribals of reservations because of the disillusionment these deprived sections felt towards the INDIA bloc. The INDIA bloc is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines, Modi claimed. He also slammed Tejashwi Yadav for bringing up the ''Hindu Muslim narrative'' at rallies while talking about Agnipath scheme and said when we talk about the martyrdom of Captain Hameed, do we think of him as a Muslim? Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav by name, he said, ''There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their fiefdom (jaagir).'' Their mindset was exposed when they raised questions about the surgical strikes and spoke ill of the armed forces, said Modi.

Bihar B.Ed CET 2024: Registration Opening Soon, Mark Your Calendars

Exciting opportunities await aspiring educators! Lalit Narayan Mithila University has announced the Bihar B.Ed Combined Entrance Test (CET) 2024. This entrance test opens doors to the prestigious B.Ed and Shiksha Shastri programmes offered by LNMU, Darbhanga. Read on to discover the key details and application process for Bihar CET B.Ed 2024.

Railways announces summer special trains for summer holidays, see full list

Summer Special Trains: For the convenience of passengers and to meet their travel demand, Western Railways has decided to run 4 pairs of summer special trains on special fares. Train No. 09191/09192 Bandra Terminus-Darbhanga Special Train No. 09191 Bandra Terminus-Darbhanga Special will depart from Bandra Terminus at 19.00 hrs on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 and [] The post Railways announces summer special trains for summer holidays, see full list first appeared on informalnewz .

Indigenously-built Vande Metro trial run to begin from July, say officials

NEW DELHI : Indian Railways will launch indigenously designed and developed Vande Metro trains and run more Amrit Bharat trains, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday. The Vande Metro train will have a very swift run between one major city to another covering a shorter distance of nearly 100 to 150 kms. Designed on the concept of European regional train, the first new train set of Vande Metro is likely to roll out from the railway manufacturing unit by July this year for test run on a selected route, an official of the railway ministry said, wishing not to be named. Non-AC high-speed Amrit Bharat passenger trains will run from one state to another covering a longer distance of over 1,000 kms. Orders for the manufacture of 50 Amrit Bharat trains, out of a target of running at least 400 in next few years, have been placed with the manufacturing units concerned, a senior railway ministry official said. The Vande Metro train has been designed in such a way that it would bring a new kind of revolution in metro journey because of its technically advanced swift acceleration-driven movement and comfortable accommodating facilities form one city to another situated within a distance of 100 to 250 kms, the official said. The first train set of Vande Metro, akin to the European concept of regional rail connectivity, will cater to intercity passenger services covering a distance of 100 to 250 kms at the maximum speed of 120-130 kmph, the official said. The prototype of first Vande Metro train set will have initially 12 air-conditioned coaches. After successful test run of Vande Metro train, the ministry will run more such trains in its 100 days of action plan from July this year onwards, the official said. The ministry is also planning to roll out 1,000 Vande sleeper trains in next 5 years connecting all cities, he said. Presently two sets of Amrit Bharat trains, connecting Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar terminal and Malda -Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru), are operational.

Six People Killed as Wedding Pandal Catches Fire in Bihar's Darbhanga

The deceased were identified as Sunil Paswan (26), Lila Devi (23), Kanchan Devi (26), Siddhanth Kumar (4), Shashank Kumar (3) and Sakshi Kumari (5). Three cows were also killed in the fire, police said

Six killed as wedding pandal catches fire in Bihar's Darbhanga

The pandal caught fire during the bursting of firecrackers, eyewitnesses said.

Union Minister Nityanand Rai owns movable, immovable assets worth Rs 15.45 crore: Affidavit

Union Minister Nityanand Rai, seeking re-election from Ujiarpur Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, declared movable and immovable assets totaling Rs 15.45 crore in his affidavit, with his wife's assets amounting to Rs 2.47 crore. Elections for Ujiarpur, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Begusarai, and Munger Lok Sabha seats are scheduled for the fourth phase on May 13.

Three Special Trains to be Operated Due to Full Trains in Summer Vacations

Jaipur : The North Western Railway has announced the operation of three summer special trains to meet the additional passenger rush during the summer vacation season. These trains will connect Pune-Dehgaon ka Balaji, Darbhanga-Daurai, and Sabarmati-Patna. Pune-Dehgaon ka Balaji Special Train: This weekly train will depart Pune on April 24 and May 1 at 9:45 ... Read more

Union Minister Giriraj Singh declares assets worth Rs 10.16 crore

Union Minister Giriraj Singh declares assets worth Rs 10.16 crore Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who is seeking re-election from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat as the NDA nominee, owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 10.16 crore, as per the affidavit filed by him. His wife owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 4.15 crore. Singh filed his nomination papers from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat as the NDA nominee on Friday. Elections will be held in Begusarai, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger Lok Sabha seats of Bihar in the fourth phase on May 13. In the affidavit filed before the Returning Officer along with the nomination paper, Singh has declared that he has movable assets worth Rs 2.09 crore and immovable assets owned by him are worth Rs 8.07 crore. His wife owns movable assets worth Rs 1.25 crore and immovable assets of Rs 2.90 crore. According to the affidavit, the union minister has Rs 1.96 lakh cash in hand whereas his wife has 1.46 lakh cash in hand. Singh has two bank accounts and gold jewellery worth Rs 1.10 lakh. His wife has six bank accounts, gold jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh and silver jewellery worth Rs 50,000. As per affidavit, Singh's immovable assets also include some ancestral property. His income for the year 2023-2024 is Rs 16,61,990. Singh is pitted against Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Awadhesh Rai, who is Mahagathbandhan's nominee. Rai has already filed his nomination paper from the seat. Speaking to reporters after submitting his documents on Friday, the firebrand BJP leader asserted that India was on its way to becoming 'Vishwa Guru' (world leader) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which the ''tukde-tukde gang'' was finding hard to stomach. ''I believe in Modi's motto of 'sabka saath sabka vikas'. The NDA will get more than 400 seats this time. I do not need votes from those who have a problem with our nationalism,'' Singh said.

NHAI Identifies 33 Highway Stretches For Monetisation Through ToT/InvIT Modes

The identified stretches include Lucknow-Aligarh, Kanpur-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur, and Bareilly-Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Gurugram-Kotputli-Jaipur bypass and Jaipur-Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Panikoili-Rimuli in Odisha, Chennai bypass in Tamil Nadu, and Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga-Purnia highway in Bihar.

Punjab: Several trains affected as farmers squat on track demanding release of fellow protesters

Punjab: Several trains affected as farmers squat on track demanding release of fellow protesters Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Wednesday squatted on a rail track in Patiala district near the Punjab and Haryana border, demanding the release of three farmers who had been arrested by the Haryana Police. The movement of more than 30 trains was impacted as they were either diverted, cancelled or short-terminated because of the blockade at the Shambhu Railway Station, railway authorities said. The disruption in rail movement also caused inconvenience to rail passengers on the occasion of Ram Navami. KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Haryana administration had given them an assurance that the arrested farmers would be released by April 16. ''When our farmers were not released, we decided to squat on the rail track,'' Pandher said. Three farmers, including Navdeep Singh, were arrested during the ongoing farmers' stir. Though the Punjab Police had erected barricades to prevent protesters from heading towards the rail track, farmers forced their way and sat on the Ambala-Ludhiana rail track. Farmer leaders said they will not end their protest until the protesters are released. ''If the government releases them now, we will vacate the rail tracks within 10 minutes,'' said another farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. The farmer leaders said they were forced to sit on the rail track as the Haryana government failed to accept their demand. Pandher threatened to squat on more rail tracks if the three farmers were not released in the coming days. According to railway authorities, trains from Amritsar to New Jalpaiguri, Amritsar to Kathiar, Pathankot to Old Delhi, Amritsar to Tata Nagar, Kolkata to Amritsar, Delhi to Amritsar, Haridwar to Amritsar and Darbhanga to Amritsar were diverted. While trains from Ludhiana to Churu and Churu to Ludhiana, Ambala Cantt to Jalandhar City, Ludhiana to Ambala Cantt, and Patiala to Ambala were cancelled, they said. The SKM (non-political) and the KMM are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands which include that the Centre should give a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. The farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by the security forces.

This movie based on Widow remarriage grabs eyeballs in Mithila region

Based on the plight of widows and social obstacles in their remarriage, Milan a Maithili film has proved to be an all-time hit, simultaneously running in several cinema halls of the Mithila region of Bihar, the movie is attracting huge crowds from all sections of the society. The charm of Maithili cinema shines through in Milan . For the first time, a Maithili film is making waves, marking a record in its history by running in a dozen theaters simultaneously in the Mithila region. The fervour of Milan has become a celebration across Mithila since its release on March 22 in Darbhanga. Film buffs especially women, are coming in large numbers to see the movie wholeheartedly. What sets this film apart, is its popularity among all age groups- women, children, and the elderly. Directed by Shashi Pathak under the banner of RSJ Productions, Milan, has been produced by, Shyam Sundar Jha and Ram Sundar Jha, along with co-producer Manorama Ram Sundar Jha, who has contributed significantly to this cinematic endeavour. The music for the movie is composed by Aman Shlok, and the cinematography is skillfully handled by Rajesh Mishra. Milan is not just another film, as it delves into various social issues while advocating for women's empowerment. Director Pathak believes this film will pave the way for establishing the film industry in Mithila, providing employment opportunities for local youths and attracting tourists with its picturesque locations. The lead actor Sanjeev Mishra says, The film ' Milan ' illuminates the indomitable spirit of women and the imperative of their empowerment. Through our narrative, we confront the entrenched injustice of our society, raising the question of why blameless women should bear the burden of archaic customs, says Mishra He further says, Residing within Mithila's embrace, endowed me with an intimate understanding of its culture, lifestyle, and traditions, which also enabled me to do justice to my character and performance The heartwrenching tale of Milan delves into the life of a newlywed woman who is thrust into widowhood on the very cusp of marital bliss as her husband meets an untimely demise on suhagraat. Within this poignant narrative, Mishra emerges as the stalwart protagonist, embodying the essence of the film's ethosa poignant portrayal underscoring the imperative of women's empowerment and the often overlooked concept of widow remarriage, deeply entrenched in the cultural fabric of Mithila. The script earnestly confronts the pernicious practices prevalent within our society, he remarks. It implores us to question why blameless women should bear the brunt of archaic customs. Even as an IPS officer, the protagonist champions the cause of a widow, epitomising the essence of compassion and equity. Beyond its cinematic scope, Milan, a low-budget (1 Cr) film seeks to catalyze socio-economic transformation within Mithila, leveraging its scenic locations to promote tourism and create employment opportunities. Moreover, Milan's narrative unveils the insidious ramifications of stagnation of thoughts in society, as confronted by the heroin's father-in-law's progressive stance on women's autonomy. The lead actress Megha Saxena has played her role perfectly and is getting profuse appreciation from the viewers. Mishra questions the rationale behind depriving women of life's joys, following her widowhood, rooted in archaic mores.In essence, Milan transcends the confines of celluloid, serving as a clarion call for all stakeholders for deep introspection and progress. The entire shooting of Milan took place in various locations across Mithila, including the university campus in Darbhanga, the banks of the Ganga river near Simariya Ghat in Barauni, Begusarai city, and several villages and ghats in Darbhanga district. What makes Milan special is its ensemble cast, with actors predominantly hailing from Mithila. Sanjeev Poonam Mishra, the lead actor from Darbhanga district's Ramoli village, expresses high hopes for the film's success. Madhubani district's Sagar Jha, portraying the comedic role of Naurangi, and Vipin Kumar Jha, playing the role of the lead actor's father, add depth to the narrative The movie features six songs, including an item number, with tracks like Gori Ki Galau Ay Dil Chura K Katto Lay Gelo, Bin Aaha E Holi Fika, Har Har Bum Bum Bholenath in the main lineup. (UNI)

Amrit Bharat Train: Railways is preparing to run 50 new Amrit Bharat trains, fare will be less than Rajdhani

Amrit Bharat Train: The official said that currently two Amrit Bharat trains are being run between Anand Vihar-Ayodhya and Delhi-Darbhanga. There are preparations to increase their number to 52 in a phased manner. Amrit Bharat Train: Railway Board has decided to run 50 Amrit Bharat trains for common rail passengers in the current financial year. [] The post Amrit Bharat Train: Railways is preparing to run 50 new Amrit Bharat trains, fare will be less than Rajdhani first appeared on informalnewz .

RJD releases list of 22 candidates for LS polls in Bihar

PATNA: In a late evening development, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) released a list of its 22 candidates, including party president Lalu Prasads two daughters, for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. The elections are to be held in seven phases in the state and the first phase of voting will take place on April 19. Lalus daughters Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya have been fielded from Patliputra and Saran Lok Sabha seats. Rohini, who remains active on social media platforms, came into limelight after she donated one of her kidneys to his ailing father. She is making debut in electoral politics from Saran from where Lalu had earlier been elected to Lok Sabha. Misa, a Rajya Sabha member, has unsuccessfully contested parliamentary elections from Patliputra twice. She was defeated by former union minister Ram Kripal Yadav. While Misa is pitted against Ram Kripal once again from Patliputra, Rohini is fighting against former union minister and BJP sitting MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran. The party has given tickets to a turncoat Bima Bharti from Purnea. A don-turned politician Vijay Kumar Shukla alias Munna Shukla, whose name had figured in the killing of former state minister Brij Bihari Prasad, has been fielded from Vaishali. He is pitted against LJP (Ram Vilas) nominee Veena Devi. Shahnawaz Alam has been fielded from Araria while Ritu Jaiswal will contest from Sheohar. Kumar Sarvajeet has been fielded from Gaya, Shravan Kushwaha from Nawada, Archana Ravidas from Jamui and Abhay Kumar Kushwaha from Aurangabad, respectively. All the four constituenciesJamui, Nawada, Aurangabad and Gayawill go to polls in the first phase on April 19. Jai Prakash Yadav will be party nominee from Banka , Lalit Yadav from Darbhanga, Sudhakar Singh from Buxar, Chandrahas Chaupal from Supaul, Shivchandra Ram from Hajipur, Surendra Prasad from Jehanabad, Anita Devi Mahto from Munger and Alok Kumar Mehta from Ujiarpur seats. Similarly, Arun Rai has been nominated from Sitamarhi, Md. AA Fatmi from Madhubani, Dipak Yadav from Valmikinagar and prof. Kumar Chandradip from Madhepura seats. Notably, RJD is contesting 23 seats. Grand alliance in Bihar, which is part of opposition INDIA bloc, comprises RJD, Congress, VIP, CPI-ML, CPI and CPI(M). Congress has been given nine seats under seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of grand alliance.

Heartbreaking Tragedy: Two Brothers Burnt Alive in House Fire

Patna: In a heart-wrenching incident, two young brothers lost their lives in a devastating fire that engulfed their home in Sahani Tola of Haat Gachi, located in Supaul Bazaar, Darbhanga. The fire, sparked by the stove, claimed the lives of Ashok Sahni's sons, Ankush (01) and Ankit (01). Their mother, Geeta Devi, suffered severe burns and is currently receiving treatment at DMCH. The incident occurred late on Wednesday night, sending shockwaves through the community. Eyewitnesses recounted that the family had retired for the night after dinner around 10 pm. However, as they awaited a nearby wedding procession, flames were spotted emanating from Ashok's house. Despite frantic efforts to douse the fire, Ankush tragically perished on the spot, while Ankit succumbed to his injuries during hospital treatment. The devastating news halted the nearby wedding festivities, with authorities swiftly offering assistance to the grieving family. SDO Umesh Kumar Bharti provided immediate relief in the form of a Rs 12,000 check and polythene to the victims' family. Additionally, a Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia grant was extended to the fathers of both deceased children. The community was plunged into mourning upon learning of the tragedy, with condolences pouring in for the bereaved family. The sight of grieving relatives, including the aunts Sita Devi, Amala Devi, and Geeta Devi, moved onlookers to tears. The incident has left Ashok Sahni's family devastated, with the loss of the young brothers leaving a profound impact on the community. As investigations continue into the cause of the fire, authorities are providing support to the affected family during this difficult time. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations, as efforts are made to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. Rouse Avenue Court Grants Interim Bail to Three Accused in Chinese Visa Scam Money Laundering Case Shivraj Singh Chouhan Denounces Congress, Branding it as an Endangered Party Congress Urges PM Modi for Clarification on Constitution Amendment Claims

Yusuf Pathan and Kirti Azad: Two cricketers from TMC seemingly on sticky wicket

KOLKATA: Two cricketers, who are contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Trinamool Congress are seemingly on a sticky wicket . While Yusuf Pathan, the TMC candidate from Behrampore, takes on seven time MP from Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Kirti Azad takes on BJP strongman Dilip Ghosh from Burdwan East. These two former cricketers are now in an alien wicket as they are outsiders. When it comes to advantages, both Pathan and Azad have nothing to lose because Pathan is new in politics, but Azad has got some dabbling in politics. He was previously associated with Congress for a brief stint. They are new in politics and so if they lose it does not matter to them. But on the down side, both Adhir Chowdhury and Dilip Ghosh are Goliaths. Adhir is a seven-time MP. Dilip Ghosh is also an MP and former state president and tough contender. They are also ready to bet their political career on this election as well. On Tuesday, Chowdhury said, If I lose Behrampore , I will quite politics altogether. The internal conflicts within the Party also playing bad for the cricketers. TMC is riddled with factional fights in Burdwan Eastso much so that a few days back, during a rally,two groups of TMC clashed with each other in front of the candidate and Azad had to stop the rally and seek refuge in the temple. Few days back BJP alleged that Yousuf Pathan used the picture of Sachin Tendulkar to woo the voters. Outsiders The BJP on Sunday picked up the Lok Sabha candidates list of the Trinamool Congress to counter the ruling partys charge that the BJP was anti-Bengal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was an outsider to the state. Speaking on the sidelines of the BJPs rally in Sandeshkhali, BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar tore into Trinamuls choice of outsider candidates, including former Indian cricketers Yusuf Pathan and Kirti Azad. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar pointed out that TMC candidates Kirti Azad and Yusuf Pathan arent from the state. Just half an hour before TMCs list was announced, Abhishek Banerjee was making statements like the BJP is anti-Bengal. Now, when the candidates are announced, its clear that TMC is bringing people from outside. I dont know if Kirti Azad and Yusuf Pathan are Bengali, Yusuf Pathan is from Gujarat, and so is PM Modi, but for them, PM Modi is an outsider, he said. According to BJP, INDIA alliance is nothing but a ship without a captain. Its CM Mamata Banerjees strategy and also she is in fear that she wants no other leader to get more importance and become a bigger leader than Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, hence they give tickets to actresses so that her nephew continues to be a politician, he added. Yusuf Pathan hits campaign trail in Baharampur; Adhir says, 'politics and cricket are not same' Pathan played 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is for India from 2007 to 2012 during which time he scored 810 runs with 2 hundreds and 3 fifties in 50-overs cricket while in the shortest format he amassed 236 runs. The 41-year-old broke into the limelight thanks to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he was a key part of the Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals team which won the inaugural title in 2008. He achieved major success during his 8-year stint with Kolkata Knight Riders where he won the IPL title two more times in 2012 and 2014 under Gautam Gambhir's captaincy. In another notable move, former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Kirti Azad has received a TMC party ticket to run for the Durgapur Lok Sabha seat. It's worth mentioning that Kirti Azad previously won the Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga in 2014 under the BJP ticket. However, in 2018, he departed from BJP and joined the Congress, later shifting allegiance to the TMC in 2021. Northeast BJP CMs slam TMC leader Kirti Azad for tweet over PMs attire

Oppn deal: RJD 26, Cong 9 and Left 5

PATNA : The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which is a part of INDIA bloc at the national level, on Friday announced seat-sharing arrangements for the Lok Sabha elections in the state. As per the seat-sharing deal, the RJD will contest 26 out of the 40 seats in the state. While the Congress will nominate its candidates on nine seats, CPI-ML will field its candidates on three followed by CPI and CPM on one seat each. The RJD has already nominated the candidates for the first phase of election to be held on April 19. Former state minister and senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui announced the seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of the grand alliance in the presence of RJD state president Jagadanand Singh and Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh. Former deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav was, however, conspicuous by his presence. Earlier, he was scheduled to announce the seat-sharing deal among constituents of the grand alliance. RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI and CPM are allies of the grand alliance. RJD will contest Gaya, Nawada, Jehabanabad, Aurangabad, Buxar, Patliputra, Munger, Jamui, Banka, Valmikinagar, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Ujiarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Madhepura, Purnea, Araria and Hajipur seats. Congress has been allocated Kishanganj, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur (SC), Paschimi Champaran, Patna Sahib, Sasaram (SC) and Maharajganj seats. CPI-ML will field its candidates on Ara, Karakat and Nalanda seats, CPI on Begusarai seat and CPI(M) on Khagaria seat. RJD Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson Manoj Jha, who was present at the press conference, said that the names of the candidates would also be announced soon. He claimed that the seat-sharing agreement has been reached through consensus and the INDIA bloc would win all 40 seats. Disagreements over some seats among allies, however, delayed the official declaration of the agreement. Pappu says wont rebel over purnea Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who joined the Congress last week hoping to contest from Purnea in Bihar, on Friday ruled out the possibility of fighting as a rebel candidate, after the seat went to RJD. However, he spoke of friendly fights in several seats among INDIA bloc partners.

Bihar's Grand Alliance announces seat-sharing pact: RJD to contest 26 seats, Congress 9, CPI-ML 3, CPI and CPI(M) one seat each

PATNA: The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), the opposition coalition in Bihar including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Left parties on Friday announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the states 40 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections. The Congress will contest nine seats, followed by CPI(ML) on 3 seats, and CPI and CPI(M) with one seat each. Former state minister and senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui announced the seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of grand alliance in the presence of RJD state president Jagadanand Singh and other leaders. The RJD will contest the following seats: Gaya Nawada Jehabanabad Aurangabad Buxar Patliputra Munger Jamui Banka Valmikinagar Purvi Champaran Sheohar Sitamarhi Vaishali Saran Siwan Gopalganj Ujiarpur Darbhanga Madhubani Jhanjharpur Supaul,Madhepura Purnea Araria Hajipur The Congress has been allocated Kishanganj, Katihar Bhagalpur Muzaffarpur Samastipur (SC) Paschimi Champaran Patna Sahib Sasaram (SC) Maharajganj Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) Liberation will field its candidates from Ara, Karakat, and Nalanda seats. The CPI and CPI(M) will contest Begusarai and Khagaria seats, respectively. Friday's announcement has come as a rude shock for former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav who recently joined the Congress by merging merged his party - Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) - with the grand old party. He had staked his claim on the Purnea seat, which has now been given to the RJD. Bima Bharti, who resigned from JD(U) and joined RJD, has been nominated as the RJD candidate from Purnea. However Yadav told media he was happy with the decision. No one can separate me from the Congress' flag. I welcome the decision of Congress leadership to strengthen the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. I will go amidst the people with the resolve of establishing the flag of Congress in Purnea. Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav joins Congress, merges his outfit VIDEO | Here's what Congress leader Pappu Yadav ( @pappuyadavjapl ) said on Purnea Lok Sabha seat being given to the RJD. No one can separate me from the Congress' flag. I welcome the decision of Congress leadership to strengthen the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. I will go amidst pic.twitter.com/vUPll6MYR8 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 29, 2024 (With Online Desk inputs)

Mahagathbandhan announces LS seat-sharing for Bihar; RJD to contest 26, Cong 9

Mahagathbandhan announces LS seat-sharing for Bihar; RJD to contest 26, Cong 9 The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar on Friday announced its formula for seat-sharing, with Lalu Prasad's party laying claim on nearly two-thirds of the state's 40 parliamentary constituencies, virtually steamrolling allies - the Congress and three Left parties. The RJD will be contesting 26 seats, nine more than it had fought in 2019 when it drew a blank. The Congress has got nine seats, as many as it had contested in the last elections, followed by CPI(ML) Liberation (three) and CPI and CPI(M) (one each). The belated announcement, coming a day after filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over, was made at a press conference here addressed by RJD national spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha, state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh and state-level leaders of CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI and CPI(M). Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan's leader in the state legislature, was scheduled to address the press conference but remained conspicuous by his absence. Jha said names of candidates would be announced soon and claimed: ''We have arrived at a unanimous decision, demonstrating a cohesiveness that you may not find in the NDA. We will defeat them at the hustings''. Notably, the RJD had fielded its candidates for the four seats of Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui and Nawada, which go to polls in the first phase, much to the annoyance of its allies, particularly the Congress which wanted to give ticket to former MP Nikhil Kumar. Moreover, CPI and CPI(M) have already announced their candidates for Begusarai and Khagaria seats. According to the seat-sharing formula, the RJD has also wrested from the Congress Purnia, a seat the latter has been contesting in the past few Lok Sabha polls. Recently, Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, gave party ticket for the seat to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti, stopping short of making a formal announcement. The Congress had last week inducted Pappu Yadav, a three-term former MP from Purnea, whose wife is also a Rajya Sabha MP of the party. Yadav had been hopeful of getting the ticket from the seat claiming that an assurance to the effect was given to him by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. There were murmurs that Prasad, whose ''blessings'' Yadav had sought before he went to Delhi and merged his Jan Adhikar Party with the Congress, was suggesting that the former Purnea MP try his luck from Madhepura, which he had won on an RJD ticket in 2014, or Supaul which his wife had represented more than once. However, that option, too, seems closed as both seats have been claimed for itself by the RJD and it remains to be seen what is going to be the next move of Yadav who has been dropping hints that he will not flinch from fighting as an Independent from Purnea if the need arose. Among the seats given to the Congress are Kishanganj, Bihar's lone Muslim-majority constituency that the party has been winning for some time, and adjoining Katihar where senior leader Tariq Anwar lost by a thin margin in 2019, having won in 2014 on an NCP ticket. Other seats given to Congress include Patna Sahib, where the BJP has been seemingly invincible, Bhagalpur, where party MLA Ajeet Sharma wanted to field Bollywood actress daughter Neha Sharma, who has refused, and reserved constituency Sasaram, a bastion of late Deputy Prime Minister Jagjivan Ram, whose daughter and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, has won the seat a few times but reportedly excused herself this time on account of old age. Other seats assigned to the Congress are Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, West Champaran and Maharajganj. The CPI(ML) Liberation has been given Nalanda, a pocket borough of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) has had an uninterrupted run on the seat for decades. The Left party has also been given Arrah, where the sitting BJP MP is Union minister RK Singh, and Karakat, which the NDA has assigned to former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha. However, the RJD has denied the CPI(ML) Liberation Siwan, where the Left party has for long been involved in a bloody feud with late strongman Mohammed Shahabuddin. Having fielded Shahabuddin's widow Hina Shahab in the last two general elections, without success, the RJD is now understood to have given up on her and looking for other candidates. Hina Shahab has, meanwhile, received support from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM which has said it will campaign for her if she contested as an Independent or on ticket of ''a like-minded party''. The RJD has also kept with itself Saran, formerly represented by Lalu Prasad, where his Singapore-based daughter Rohini Acharya is likely to make her debut. Also in the RJD kitty is Pataliputra, where his eldest daughter Misa Bharti may again try her luck after tasting defeat two times on the trot. A high-decibel contest seems on the cards in Hajipur, where the RJD will be challenging Chirag Paswan's bid to claim his late father Ram Vilas Paswan's political legacy, amid fears that estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, the sitting MP, could play spoilsport. RJD will also contest Munger, which it seeks to wrest from former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh ''Lalan''. The party has given ticket to the wife of gangster Ashok Mahto for the seat. Other RJD seats are Buxar, Banka, Valmiki Nagar, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Ujiyarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Jhanjharpur and Araria.

AIMIM to contest 16 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar

Patna: The AIMIM on Thursday announced that it has decided to contest the 16 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. State President Akhtarul Imam said that party candidates will contest the Darbhanga, Pataliputra, Kishanganj, Madhubani, Katihar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Sheohar, Purnea, Araria, Sitamarhi, Karakat, Maharajganj, Samastipur, Paschim Champaran and Valmiki Nagar seats. Also ReadTelangana Congress may favour Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Taxiing aircraft grazes another at Kolkata airport

An IndiGo aircraft grazed a stationary AI Express plane at Kolkata airport, causing damage. Incident led to passenger jolt. 169 bound for Chennai & 133 for Darbhanga affected. DGCA inquiry initiated, pilots de-rostered.

IndiGo aircraft brushes wings of Air India Express plane at Kolkata airport

Kolkata: An IndiGo aircraft grazed the wings of an Air India Express plane at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday, leaving wings of both aircraft damaged, officials said. The IndiGo flight was headed to Darbhanga, while the Air India Express plane was scheduled to leave for Chennai. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Bizarre Accident At Kolkata Airport Damages Wingtips Of 2 Aircraft

A Darbhanga-bound IndiGo aircraft, taxiing at the Kolkata Airport, hit a stationary Air India Express flight waiting for clearance to enter the runway.

Bizarre accident at Kolkata airport damages wingtips of two planes

KOLKATA: In a bizarre accident at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday, an IndiGo aircraft grazed the wings of an Air India Express plane, leading to both aircraft sustaining damage on their wings, officials said. Launching a probe, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) de-rostered the IndiGo pilots involved in the accident, they said. The accident occurred on the taxiway near the runway of the airport around 11 am, sources at the airport said. The Air India Express aircraft was scheduled to fly to Chennai from Kolkata, while the IndiGo aircraft was supposed to travel to Darbhanga. Passengers were reportedly on board both aircraft at the time of the accident. No harm to passengers or crew members was, however, reported. The Airports Authority of India said in a statement that the wingtip vortices of both planes were badly damaged.

IndiGo and Air India Express planes graze wings at Kolkata airport

KOLKATA: In a bizarre accident at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday, an IndiGo aircraft grazed the wings of an Air India Express plane, leading to both aircraft sustaining damage on their wings, officials said. Launching a probe, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) de-rostered the IndiGo pilots involved in the accident, they said. The accident occurred on the taxiway near the runway of the airport around 11 am, sources at the airport said. The Air India Express aircraft was scheduled to fly to Chennai from Kolkata, while the IndiGo aircraft was supposed to travel to Darbhanga. Passengers were reportedly on board both aircraft at the time of the accident. No harm to passengers or crew members was, however, reported. The Airports Authority of India said in a statement that the wingtip vortices of both planes were badly damaged.

Darbhanga Panchayat settled minor girl rape case for Rs. 1.25 lakh, victim dies after 16 days; NHRC issue notice to Bihar govt, police

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from the Bihar government and police over delayed action in the sexual assault of a minor girl in Darbhanga district who died 16 days after the incident.

NHRC issues notice to Bihar govt over 'delayed police action' in sexual assault of minor

NHRC issues notice to Bihar govt over 'delayed police action' in sexual assault of minor The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a notice to the government of Bihar over reports on the alleged delay in police action in the sexual assault of a minor girl in Darbhanga. According to an official release, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Government of Bihar, calling for a detailed report within six weeks. It should also include the status of the investigation conducted into the matter. The response from the authorities is expected at the earliest but not later than 6 weeks. The NHRC took suo motu cognizance of a media report that in Bihar's Darbhanga, the police failed to know till the death of a 13-year-old rape victim that her parents and the village Panchayat tried to settle the case by asking her tormentor to pay Rs 1.25 lakh to the family, the release mentioned. Reportedly, after receiving the amount, the victim's family sent her to the house of the accused, saying nobody would marry her. She stayed with the accused for 5 days before being thrown out. Subsequently, she was sent to her elder sister's house by her parents, where she died 16 days later. As per reports, the assault happened on March 1, 2024. The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to the violation of the human rights of the victim girl, as stated in the release. According to the media report, on March 19, 2024, the victim was sexually assaulted by a man from the same village when she had gone to graze the cattle in the area coming under the jurisdiction of Vazidpur Police Station in Darbhanga district. Reportedly, the victim was not provided with any medical treatment. The police exhumed the body of the victim and sent it for a post-mortem examination. (ANI)

NHRC notice to Bihar govt, DGP over 'delayed' police action on sexual assault of minor girl

NHRC notice to Bihar govt, DGP over 'delayed' police action on sexual assault of minor girl The NHRC has sent a notice to the Bihar government and the state's police chief over reports of alleged delayed police action in a case of sexual assault of a minor girl in Darbhanga district, according to officials. The commission said in a statement on Tuesday that it has sought a detailed report within six weeks. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken ''suo motu cognisance of a media report that in Darbhanga district of Bihar, the police failed to know till the death of a 13-year-old rape victim that her parents and the village panchayat tried to settle the case by asking her tormentor to pay Rs 1.25 lakh to the family'', it said. ''Reportedly, after receiving the amount the victim's family sent her to the house of the accused saying nobody would marry her. She stayed with the accused for five days before being thrown out. Subsequently, she was sent by her parents to her elder sister's house where she died 16 days after her sexual assault on March 1,'' the rights panel said in the statement. The commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, amounted to a violation of the victim's human rights. Accordingly, the NHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Bihar, seeking a detailed report. ''It should also include the status of the investigation conducted in the matter. The response from the authorities is expected at the earliest but not later than six weeks. ''According to the media report, on March 19, the victim was sexually assaulted by a man of the same village when she had gone to graze the cattle in the area coming under the jurisdiction of Vazidpur Police Station in Darbhanga district. Reportedly, the victim was not provided with any medical treatment. The police exhumed the body of the victim and sent it for a post-mortem examination,'' it said.

BJP announces candidates for 17 LS seats in Bihar, drops Union minister among 3 sitting MPs

BJP announces candidates for 17 LS seats in Bihar, drops Union minister among 3 sitting MPs The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates for 17 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, dropping three sitting MPs, including Union Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey. According to a list of nominees released by the party in New Delhi, Choubey, who was elected from Buxar for the second consecutive term in 2019, was replaced by Mithilesh Tiwari, a senior BJP leader and a former MLA. The party also dropped its incumbent MPs Chedi Paswan and Ajay Kumar Nishad from Sasaram and Muzaffarpur constituencies respectively. The BJP fielded former MLA Shivesh Ram for Sasaram, while Raj Bhushan Nishad, a greenhorn in the Lok Sabha polls, would contest the Muzaffarpur seat on a party ticket. Vivek Thakur, a Rajya Sabha member, was fielded from Nawada, where the BJP would be contesting this time, instead of its ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). All the remaining 14 candidates are sitting MPs, who will seek re-election from their respective seats. Union ministers R K Singh, Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai will seek re-election from Ara, Begusarai and Ujiarpur Lok Sabha seats respectively. Former union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad was renominated from Patna Sahib, Radha Mohan Singh from Purvi Champaran, Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran and Ram Kripal Yadav from Patliputra. Sanjay Jaiswal will contest from Paschim Champaran, Ashok Kumar Yadav from Madhubani, while Pradeep Kumar Singh from Araraia, and Gopal Jee Thakur from Darbhanga will seek re-election. Janardan Singh Sigriwal from Mahrajganj and Sushil Kumar Singh from Aurangabad were also fielded again. Nine of the candidates are from the upper castes, who are known to be, by and large, BJP supporters in Bihar. BJP sources were also tight-lipped over the party's failure to field a woman candidate in Bihar. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the party's lone woman MP from the state, Rama Devi, represented Sheohar, a seat which has gone to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) this time.

Paras exits NDA, but BJP draws Sita Soren, ex-US envoy Sandhu

PATNA/JHARKHAND: A day after announcing its seat-sharing formula for Bihar, the NDA lost an ally though it had already accommodated the rival faction. There were rumblings within the JD(U) as well as its as its general secretary put in his papers. Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Tuesday resigned from the Union ministry as the rival LJP led by Chirag Paswan was given five seats in the NDA, including the prestigious Hajipur, for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. Paras accused the BJP of doing injustice to his LJP faction by excluding it from the seat-sharing deal. Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, offered to accommodate Paras in the opposition alliance. We will be the first to welcome him (Paras), he said. Paras though was cautious. We will seek the opinion of party workers before taking the call on a new pre-poll alliance, he said. As for the JD(U), national general secretary Mohammad Ali Asaraf Fatmi resigned from all posts of the party. He is likely to join the RJD on Wednesday and could be fielded as candidate either from Madhabani or Darbhanga. In Jharkhand, Shibu Sorens daughter-in-law Sita Soren resigned from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and joined the BJP. Sita represents Jama in the state assembly. She alleged the at the JMM was isolating her and hatching a conspiracy against her family members. Sita is the widow of Durga Soren, the eldest son of Shibu Soren. The BJPs acquisitions continued with former Indian ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, joining the party amid buzz on fielding him in the Lok Sabha polls from Amritsar in Punjab.

Setback to JD(U), former MP quits Nitish party to join Lalu

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), a major ally of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, received a major setback on Tuesday when former Darbhanga MP Mohammad Ali Asaraf Fatmi resigned from all posts of the party barely a month before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He was the national general secretary of JD(U). Fatmi, a former union minister, sent his resignation letter to JD(U) president Nitish Kumar saying that he was resigning from all post of JD(U) for the sake of moral values. He is likely to join Lalu Prasads RJD on March 20 and may be fielded as candidate either from Madhabani or Darbhanga Lok Sabha seats. Fatmi holds immense political clout in the Mithilanchal region comprising Madhubani and Darbhanga districts. The development came a day after seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of NDA were announced in New Delhi on Monday. As per seat-sharing deal, BJP would contest on 17 seats, JD(U) on 16 seats, LJP (Ram Vilas) on five seats and Rashtriya Lok Morcha led by Upendra former union minister Kushwaha and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha one seat each, respectively. Sources said that Fatmi was feeling uncomfortable ever since Nitish Kumar joined hands with BJP to form a new government in Bihar. In seat-sharing arrangements for 2024 Lok Sabha seats, Darbhanga Lok Sabha seat has gone to BJP. CM puts up brave face Fatmis resignation is being considered as a major setback for Nitish Kumar before the Lok Sabha polls. JD(U), however, said that Fatmis exit from party would not affect poll prospects. He was made national general secretary of JD(U) after Nitish Kumar assumed charge as national president of the party after Lalan Singh had resigned.

'Shocked' at Nitish's realignment with BJP, JD(U) general secretary quits

'Shocked' at Nitish's realignment with BJP, JD(U) general secretary quits JD(U) national general secretary Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi on Tuesday quit the party, claiming that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent realignment with the BJP has left him in a state of ''shock''. Fatmi, who was earlier with the RJD, did not rule out the possibility of returning to that party, while admitting that he was looking forward to contesting the Lok Sabha polls from a seat of his choice. ''I had started my political career in the late 1980s when (RJD president) Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar and I were all together. Whatever may have taken place in between, I was pleased to see the two having sunk their differences and our party chief virtually declaring Tejashwi Yadav as his successor, Fatmi told PTI over phone. ''A fine coalition government was in place and Nitish Kumar was gaining traction as one of the leaders taking up cudgels against the BJP's hegemony. But, when he made the volte-face in January, I was shocked. He did not even devise any convincing reason for the step, he said. Fatmi said since then he had been feeling uneasy and, finally, to do justice to my own moral values, I gave up my party post and primary membership. I do admit that there is political consideration as well. I parted ways with RJD in 2019 when I did not get a chance to contest the Lok Sabha polls. I want to do so this time''. The former Union minister, who has represented the Darbhanga Lok Sabha seat four times, said it was Madhubani, another constituency in north Bihar with significant Muslim population, that was his seat of choice five years ago and which he has set his eyes on this time as well. The move comes a day after the NDA announced its seat-sharing formula for Bihar, where the BJP will contest 17 seats, including Darbhanga and Madhubani, bringing down the curtains on Fatmi's aspiration for a party ticket. Replying to a query, he said, ''I have not spoken to Lalu ji after quitting the JD(U). But, we go back a long way. Even when I was not in his party, I kept meeting him to enquire about his health. We may meet in the near future. Everything will be made public''. The development comes as a setback, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, to the party headed by the Bihar chief minister, who has been successful in winning away a section of Muslims. The JD(U) reacted with vehemence, accusing Fatmi of ''betrayal''. A press conference was held at the JD(U) office in response to his exit, which was jointly addressed by MLC Khalid Anwar, state president of minorities cell Ashraf Hussain and some other former legislators from the minority community. The JD(U) leaders reminded Fatmi that he was politically ''rehabilitated'' by Nitish Kumar, who also gave party ticket, in the 2020 assembly polls, to his son Faraz, a former RJD MLA. ''It was not anybody else's fault that his son did not win. Fatmi had also been hoping for a Rajya Sabha ticket. Clearly, he was in the party for personal benefits. We would like to see how many takers he is left with, having been not just in RJD but also the BSP. He even ran his own party for some time. Muslims know what Nitish Kumar has done for them. They will not be affected by weathercocks, said the JD(U) leaders.

BJP to win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, claims Shahnawaz Hussain

BJP to win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, claims Shahnawaz Hussain Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would secure victory on all the 40 seats in Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. There are no political differences between the parties and everyone is happy, he said. We are going to win 40 seats in Bihar. No one is angry with us. People of Bihar are happy with us and when the public is happy then everyone is happy, Hussain told ANI. The BJP will contest the Bihar elections in alliance with the HAM, the Rasthriya Lok Morcha and Chirag Paswan's LJP., Shahnawaz Hussain said that the alliance in Bihar is strong and good. It is a very good alliance in Bihar, last time BJP was fighting on 17 seats, this time also BJP is fighting on 17 seats. JDU had 16 MPs last time. Chirag Paswan's party has been given 5 seats, one seat has been given to Upendra Kushwaha and one seat has been given to Jitan Ram Manjhi's Ham Party. It is an excellent alliance, he added. Some of the seats that we had earlier too have been exchanged, there has been a change among ourselves, but most of the seats are the same which were fought last time. This time there is a double-engine government, so we are working on how to win 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. We have to win 40 seats in Bihar under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and this time NDA will win 400 seats. Bihar will contribute 10th per cent to this mission, he added. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest on 17 seats, Janata Dal-United (JDU) on 16 seats, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) (Ram Vilas) on 5 seats, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha on one seat each in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned from the post of Union Minister on Tuesday and said that injustice has been done with us and our party. The seat-sharing arrangement was announced by Vinod Tawde, BJP's General Secretary, at a joint press conference held by members of the Bihar NDA alliance on Monday. Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase of polling will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. The BJP will field candidates in key constituencies including Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Aara, Buxar, and Sasaram In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, consisting of BJP, JDU ( (Janata Dal-United), and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party), secured victory by taking the lead on 39 out of 40 seats. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), INC (Indian National Congress), and RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samta Party), only managed to secure one seat. The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases from April 19. Counting of votes on June 4. (ANI)

Seven-phase LS polls in Bihar from Apr 19

Seven-phase LS polls in Bihar from Apr 19 Lok Sabha polls to 40 constituencies in Bihar will be conducted in seven phases, the Election Commission said on Saturday. Voting will take place in the state on April 19, 26, May 7, 13, 20, 25 and June 1, it said. The results will be declared on June 4. The bye election for Agiaon (Bhojpur) assembly constituency will also be held on June 1. In the first phase on April 19, the Lok Sabha constituencies that will go to polls include Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, whereas elections will be held in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Banka in the second phase on April 26. In the third phase on May 7, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Khagaria will go to polls, and on May 13, elections would be conducted in Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger Lok Sabha seats, the EC said. While the Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur seats will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20, Valmiki Nagar, Paschim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan and Maharajganj will see voting on May 25 (sixth phase). Nalanda, Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat and Jahanabad will go to polls in the seventh and final phase on June 1, the commission said. The by-poll in Agiaon (Bhojpur) has been necessitated following the disqualification of sitting CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation MLA Manoj Manzil. The total number of electorate in Bihar is 7,67,77,731, including 3,65,97,674 females.

DRI Busts Gold Smuggling Syndicate, Seizes Over 61 Kg Gold Worth Rs 40 Crore

The operation planned and coordinated across four states, resulted in the seizure of a huge quantity of smuggled gold along with 19 vehicles, cash and other electronic items in Guwahati, Barpeta, Darbhanga, Gorakhpur and Araria

We have decided to contest on 11 seats in Bihar, says AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman

We have decided to contest on 11 seats in Bihar, says AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman AIMIM will contest 11 out of 40 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. The announcement was made by party MLA Akhtarul Iman at a media interaction on Wednesday in Bihar. We have decided to contest 11 seats in Bihar, the AIMIM MLA said. We tried a lot to save the secular votes in Bihar and at the national level. But these people stabbed us in the back and took away our people But in the interest of the nation, minorities, and Dalits, it is important to support them, he said. The seats are Araria, Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ujiarpur, Karakat, Buxar, Gaya and Bhagalpur. The announcement came months after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was at the forefront of the INDIA bloc, joined hands with the BJP-led NDA. Nitish Kumar, after parting ways with the BJP in 2022, took on the initiative of uniting all opposition forces to jointly take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling party in the national election. Taking a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said, Nitish ji did the work by mistake (by joining the NDA). And he wrote the story of his hundreds of offences. Responding to a query, he said, Our fight is not for power. But for the deprived class of the state and the nation. AIMIM had won 5 seats in the 2020 Assembly elections in Bihar, but in 2022 four of its legilsators left the party and joined hands with the RJD. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election AIMIM contested just 1 seat of Kishanganj in Bihar. The AIMIM had contested on 3 seats across India winning from Aurangabad and Hyderabad. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May. (ANI)

Bihar Raj Bhavan directs banks to de-freeze accounts of state-run varsities

Bihar Raj Bhavan directs banks to de-freeze accounts of state-run varsities Bihar Raj Bhavan on Sunday wrote to banks to overrule an education department order that had frozen the accounts of state-run universities, barring one. This comes after vice-chancellors of the universities allegedly failed to attend a recent review meeting convened by the education department. Meanwhile, the standoff between the Raj Bhavan and the education department seemed to worsen with the authorities lodging a police complaint against at least one of the VCs on Sunday. Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary to the governor (who is also the chancellor of state universities), directed the banks to de-freeze the accounts of the universities immediately. The letter stated, ''The chancellor (governor) has ordered that the orders of the education department stands withdrawn.'' The a copy of the letter is with PTI. Earlier, the education department had ordered the freezing of bank accounts of all state-run universities, except one, and withheld salaries of their vice-chancellors for allegedly being absent from a review meeting convened by the education department in late February. The department's letter to all VCs, except the VC of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, sought clarification on their absence from the meeting to discuss pending examinations and other issues. The letter warned that if satisfactory replies were not received within two days, FIRs would be lodged against the authorities, and salaries of VCs would remain withheld. Additionally, banks were instructed not to operate any accounts of the universities until further notice. Education secretary Baidyanath Yadav's letter, which was also sent to examination controllers of all universities except Magadh University and Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the VCs' absence, stating they had failed to discharge their duties as public servants. Meanwhile, Samar Bahadur Singh, the Darbhanga District Education Officer, submitted an application to the University Police station seeking a police complaint against the VC, Examination Controller, and other officials for failing to attend the recent meeting called by the education department. Despite attempts to reach him, Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary was unavailable for comment on the issue.