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After Decades, Rivals-Turned-Friends Lalu, Nitish to Share Stage

July 28, 2014

New Delhi, Jul 28: They have been the most bitter rivals for over two decades. But a common need to defeat the BJP has brought Bihar stalwarts Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav on the same side of an electoral battle.

lalu prasad nitishThe two former chief ministers will share stage while campaigning for by-elections to 10 assembly seats to be held on August 21. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), decimated in the general elections by the BJP-led NDA of which it was a part for 17 years, is now partnering with Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The RJD and Janata Dal will contest four assembly seats each and the Congress will contest two - a formal announcement is expected later this week.

The JD(U) rules Bihar with a depleted strength after the split last year with the BJP engineered by Nitish Kumar, who stepped down as chief minister after his party's disastrous showing in the Lok Sabha elections in May. Hit also by multiple desertions in a bad political year, the JD(U) is now supported by the RJD and Congress in the Assembly.

The BJP's new partner Chirag Paswan of the LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) mocked the alliance saying, "When we joined the NDA Nitish ji had said 'strange but true'. I would like to say the same today. They used to once sit like kings in their homes and distribute ticket. Today they have been reduced to sharing these seats."

"The situation is very clear. Two people who have lost have come together. They are just trying to save their political status. They are just making this alliance to create an illusion," said Bihar BJP President Mangal Pandey.

Bashisht Narayan Singh, JD(U) Bihar unit chief said, "This alliance is the need of the hour to defeat communal forces. I agree that Nitish and Lalu had differences but there is a lot in common too, especially the socialist agenda."

Mr Singh pointed out that the combined vote share of the three parties in the Lok Sabha elections was more than that of the NDA. He also blamed the BJP for their split.

Nitish Kumar had in June last year called off the partnership once it became clear that arch political rival Narendra Modi could be the BJP's choice for Prime Minister in the general elections.

The JD(U) has 114 seats, the BJP 89, the RJD 24 and the Congress 4 in the 233-member Assembly.

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News Network
May 22,2020

New Delhi, May 22: Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday extended the moratorium on payment of loans by another three months till August to provide much-needed relief to borrowers whose income has been hit due to the coronavirus crisis.

In March, the central bank had allowed a three-month moratorium on payment of all term loans due between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020.

Accordingly, the repayment schedule and all subsequent due dates, as also the tenor for such loans, were shifted across the board by three months.

As a result of this moratorium, individuals’ EMI repayments of loans taken were not deducted from their bank accounts, providing much-needed liquidity.

The EMI payments will restart only once the moratorium time period expires on August 31.

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Agencies
July 27,2020

New Delhi, Jul 27: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he is not going to lie about Chinese transgressions in eastern Ladakh even if it costs him politically, asserting he will say the truth as far as Indian territory is concerned.

Gandhi made these remarks in a tweet, along with an over-a-minute-long video, as part of a series launched by him on the India-China face-off along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Asked in the video how he would react to people who say his questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China weakened India, the former Congress chief said, "If you want me to lie that the Chinese have not entered this country, I am not going to lie. I will simply not do it. I do not care if my whole career goes to hell. I am not going to lie."

"This disturbs me. Frankly, it makes my blood boil. How can some other nation just come into our territory?"

"Hiding the truth is anti-national. Bringing it to people's attention is patriotic," Gandhi said.

"So frankly, I do not care if it costs me politically. I do not care if I have no political career at all after that. But I am going to say the truth as far as Indian territory is concerned," he added.

Gandhi has been repeatedly attacking the prime minister and the government over Chinese transgressions on the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

"As an Indian, my number one priority is the nation and its people," he said on Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at Gandhi over his attack on the government on the Ladakh face-off, alleging he is seeking to politicise defence and foreign policy matters and "wash their past sins of 1962 and weaken India".

BJP president JP Nadda has also alleged that for years, a dynasty has been trying to destroy Modi, while adding that those who want to destroy the prime minister will only end up causing further damage to their own party.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 1024 in the country, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

"The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rise to 1024 in India including 901 active cases, 96 cured/discharged/migrated people and 27 deaths," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19, which has left thousands dead around the world.

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