JD(U) upset over big role for Modi

January 29, 2013

modiNew Delhi, Jan 29: The Janata Dal (U) is upset over the possibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) giving Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi a crucial role in national politics.

JD(U) leaders, however, have taken a cautious approach to developments in the BJP including Modi’s meeting with BJP chief Rajnath Singh and the statement of former finance minister Yashwant Sinha supporting Modi as the prime ministerial candidate.

Earlier in the day, Sinha pitched for Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, claiming this will have a huge electoral benefit.

“A debate has been taking place for many days now. When I travel, there is a strong demand from common people and workers that Narendra Modi should be declared as the PM candidate as this will benefit the party.

After careful thought, I have concluded that if BJP declares Modi as its PM candidate, then BJP will benefit hugely in the elections. It will have a big impact on voters. I have no doubt on this,” he said.

“This is not an official reaction of the BJP. This man (Yashwant) himself wanted to be a BJP prime ministerial candidate till last year. Hence, we need not react to such individual comments... there is no need to reiterate our stand every now and then,” said Shivanand Tiwary, JD(U) Rajya Sabha member and party’s national spokesman.

On Sinha’s statement that those who want to leave the NDA can do so, Tiwary said Sinha is not their “adviser”.

“We have not appointed Yashwant as our adviser who will give us unnecessary suggestions about what to do and what not to do.”

But, it has become clear that the recent developments have sparked off a serious debate in the JD(U) for options, if it decides to leave the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Party sources claim that JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had anticipated that Modi would eventually be projected as the most important leader of BJP in 2014 elections. “That is why Nitish Kumar has, of late, abandoned condemning the Congress and the UPA government. After all, we do not have many choices,” a senior party leader told Deccan Herald.

Indications of Nitish going soft towards the Congress also came in during the last meeting of National Development Council when he chose not to attack the UPA government.

There are other indications too. Senior party leader Shivanand Tiwari recently attacked the RSS chief by equating him with Akbaruddin Owaisi.

Party sources said Congress is also reciprocating. They say that a liberal economic package from the Planning Commission for Bihar is in the offing.

“We know that he (Modi) will be at the helm of affairs during 2014 elections even if he is not declared a prime ministerial candidate.

Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha’s view on declaring Modi as the PM?candidate is not an isolated one. So, we will have to look for other options,” said another party functionary.

“BJP cadres across the country are in favour of projecting Modi. The leadership cannot ignore it,” said the JD(U) functionary.

According to party sources, JD(U) chief and NDA convener Sharad Yadav is also not ready to make any compromise on Modi despite the fact that Yadav wants the alliance to continue.

The most important task before JD(U), however, would be to save its coalition government in Bihar which stands on the support of BJP. So, it may, at least for now, avoid any confrontation.

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News Network
February 18,2020

New Delhi, Feb 18: Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Tuesday questioned the Nitish Kumar government's development model, even as he sneered at the chief minister for making ideological compromises to stay in an alliance with the BJP.

Kishor, who has been vocal about his opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), said Kumar needs to spell out whether he is with the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi or those who support Nathu Ram Godse.

"Nitish ji has always said that he cannot leave the ideals of Gandhi, JP and Lohiya... At the same time, how can he be with the people who support the ideology of Godse? Both cannot go together. If you want to stay with the BJP, I don't have any problem with it but you cannot be on both sides," he said.

"There has been a lot of discussion between me and Nitish-ji on this. He has his thought process and I have mine. There have been differences between him and me that the ideologies of Godse and Gandhi cannot stand together. As the leader of the party you have to say which side you are on," he added.

In a direct assault on Kumar's model of governance, Kishor said Bihar was the poorest state in 2005 and continues to be so.

"There has been development in Bihar during the last 15 years, but the pace has not been as it should have," he added.

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News Network
May 6,2020

New Delhi, May 6: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 1,694 and the number of cases climbed to 49,391 in the country on Wednesday, registering an increase of 126 deaths and 2,958 cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is 33,514. A total of 13,160 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said.

"Thus, around 28.71 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.

The total number of cases include 111 foreign nationals.

A total of 111 deaths were reported since Tuesday evening, of which 49 fatalities were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Maharashtra, 12 from Rajasthan, seven from West Bengal, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu and one each from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, the ministry said.

Of the 1,694 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 617 fatalities. Gujarat comes second with 368 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 176, West Bengal at 140, Rajasthan at 89, Delhi at 64, Uttar Pradesh at 56 and Andhra Pradesh at 36.

The death toll reached 33 in Tamil Nadu, 29 in Telengana, while Karnataka has reported 29 fatalities.

Punjab has registered 25 COVID-19 deaths, Jammu and Kashmir eight, Haryana six and Kerala and Bihar four deaths each.

Jharkhand has recorded three COVID-19 fatalities.

Meghalaya, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Uttarakhand have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 15, 525, followed by Gujarat at 6,245, Delhi at 5,104, Tamil Nadu at 4,058, Rajasthan at 3,158, Madhya Pradesh at 3,049 and Uttar Pradesh at 2,880.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,717 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,451 in Punjab.

It has risen to 1,344 in West Bengal, 1,096 in Telengana, 741 in Jammu and Kashmir, 671 in Karnataka, 548 in Haryana and 536 in Bihar.

Kerala has reported 502 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 175 cases. A total of 125 people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand and 111 in Chandigarh.

Uttarakhand has reported 61 cases, Chhattisgarh 59 cases, Assam 43, Himachal Pradesh 42 and Ladakh 41.

Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Tripura has registered 43 cases, Meghalaya has reported 12 and Puducherry nine, while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases.

Manipur has two cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadar and Nagar Haveli have reported a case each.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website.

State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.

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Agencies
July 14,2020

Mumbai, Jul 14: Bhima Koregaon case accused Varavara Rao was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai on Monday night.

Rao who is in Taloja proson was rushed to the hospital following complaint of dizziness.

Rao was arrested in November 2018 along with five others, for alleged links with Naxals and for inciting the violence.

On January 1, 2018, the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district left one dead and several others injured including 10 policemen.

Violence erupted after some people, reportedly with saffron flags, pelted stones at cars heading towards the village for the commemoration of 200 years of Bhima-Koregaon war on New Year's Day.

The police had filed 58 cases against 162 people.

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