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6 bridges collapse in Bihar over last two days

Most of these bridges were thirty years old and the foundations were not very deep, officials said, adding that the foundation was damaged during de-siltation….reports Asian Lite News

A total of six bridges collapsed on the Gandak river in Bihar’s Siwan and Saran over the last two days, officials said on Thursday, blaming engineers and contractors for the back-to-back incidents.

Several projects, including the de-siltation of rivers, were initiated after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took feedback in Gopalganj and adjoining areas. It seems that engineers did not take care and the contractors were not careful, officials said, adding, “Engineers concerned seem to be at fault prima facie.”

Special teams have been sent to the spot, and strict action has been taken against engineers and contractors, they said.

Officials further said that new bridges will be constructed and the cost of construction will be borne by the contractors concerned.

Most of these bridges were thirty years old and the foundations were not very deep, they said, adding that the foundation was damaged during de-siltation.

Notably, five bridges – in Araria, Siwan, East Champaran, Kishanganj, and Madhubani districts – have collapsed across the state in the last nine days.

The first incident of a bridge collapse was reported on June 18 in Araria. The latest one took place in Madhubani.The Madhubani incident came just a day after another bridge fell in Kishanganj district.

On June 22, a bridge over the Gandak River in Siwan, approximately 40-45 years old, also fell. On June 23, a bridge under construction in East Champaran, costing around Rs 1.5 crore, collapsed, with locals blaming the use of substandard materials.

Earlier this month, on June 18, a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra river in Pararia village of Bihar’s Araria district collapsed on Tuesday.

The bridge connecting Araria’s Sikhti and Kursakatta was washed away before its inauguration.

Last year in June, a portion of a temporary bridge built on River Ganga in the Vaishali district of Bihar was partly washed away by strong winds.

The temporary bridge connected Raghopur to the Vaishali District Headquarters. (ANI)

Plea in SC seeks audit of all bridges in Bihar

A petition has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking to issue direction to the Bihar Government to conduct the highest level structural audit of all existing and under construction bridges in the state and to demolish or retrofit weak structure depending of feasibility in the wake of bridge collapses in the state.

The petitioner and advocate Brajesh Singh, on Wednesday, urged the top court to issue directions to the Bihar Government to conduct the audit.

The petitioner said that the instant issue of bridge collapses in Bihar requires an urgent consideration of the top court as within two years, three major under-construction bridges and other several incidents of the collapse of the large, medium and small bridges happened.

He said that in the said unfortunate man-made incidents some people succumbed and others were injured adding that in the future other incidents may also happen due to the gross negligence of the government and the corrupt nexus of the contractors and concerned agencies.

“It is a matter of grave concern that in a state like Bihar, which is the most flood-prone state of India, the total flood-affected area in the state is 68,800 sq. km which is 73.06 per cent of the total geographical area. Hence such routine accrual of the incident of falling bridges in Bihar is more disastrous as the lives of people at large are at stake. Therefore the urgent intervention of this Hon’ble Court is required to save the lives of people, as the under-construction bridges before its accomplishment collapsed routinely,” the petitioner said.

The petitioner has also sought appropriate direction specifically from the State of Bihar for making proper policy or mechanism for real-time monitoring of the bridges constructed, old and under construction concerning the bridges falling exclusively under the domain of the respondent, the state of Bihar on the same analogy as developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, vide dated March 4, 2024, for the preservation of National Highways and Centrally Sponsored Schemes and it was issued as a mandatory Guidelines vide, subjected, identification and implementation of real-time Health Monitoring of bridges using sensors to the states including the respondent.”

The petitioner has also sought to issue direction to respondents specifically Bihar for making an efficient permanent body through legislation or executive order, comprising high-level experts from the concerned field for continuous monitoring of all the existing and under-construction bridges in Bihar and also for maintaining the comprehensive database on the health of all existing bridges in the state.

The Public Interest Litigation has highlighted various bridge collapses mostly river bridges in Araria, Siwan, Madhubani, and Kishanganj districts among others in Bihar. (ANI)

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JD(U) seeks special status for Bihar

Special status for Bihar has been a long pending demand of the Bihar leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. They have cited the state’s economic and social backwardness…reports Asian Lite News

Advocating special status for Bihar, Janata Dal-United (JDU) leader Ashok Chaudhary affirmed on Saturday that the party leaders, including Nitish Kumar, Sanjay Jha and Lallan Singh, along with others, would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and put forth their demand.

“Special status and a special package for Bihar are our old demands, and they are still there. Our leaders, Lallan Singh, Sanjay Jha, who are here in Rajya Sabha and the party leaders in Lok Sabha, will meet the Prime Minister in the coming times and put forth their point strongly,” Chaudhary said while speaking to reporters here in the national capital.

A National Executive meeting of JD(U), held here in the national capital, appointed party leader Sanjay Jha and Rajya Sabha MP as its working president. The key meeting also passed a resolution demanding special status for Bihar.

Special status for Bihar has been a long pending demand of the Bihar leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. They have cited the state’s economic and social backwardness.

The JD(U) leaders also demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG exams 2024.

The NEET (UG) 2024 Examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad, with over 23 lakh candidates appearing for the examination. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 out of 720 marks, which led to widespread protests in the country.

For the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 23 registered a criminal case over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examination by the NTA and formed special teams to probe the matter.

Meanwhile, the National Executive meeting of JD(U) was attended by party chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Lallan Singh, and Sanjay Jha among others. (ANI)

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Fate of prominent candidates to be decided in Bihar  

After the seat-sharing formula of the NDA, this seat went to the quota of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha is the candidate in this election…reports Asian Lite News

With the sixth phase of elections over and the last phase for eight Lok Sabha constituencies remaining in Bihar, it will decide the fate of prominent candidates like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Kripal Yadav, RK Singh, Upendra Kushwaha, Misa Bharti, Pawan Singh and others.

Different political parties have ramped up their election campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar are continuously holding rallies in Bihar, while the opposition’s Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani are challenging them.

Voting is to be held in Nalanda, Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat and Jehanabad. A total of 138 candidates are in the fray in the last phase. Apart from Karakat and Buxar, the contest is expected to be mainly between the ruling NDA and the opposition Grand Alliance on 6 seats.

The Karakat Lok Sabha constituency is considered a hot seat in Bihar with a triangular contest expected after the appearance of Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh. When the election began in Bihar, people thought it would pan out between the NDA and the Grand Alliance candidates. The NDA has fielded Upendra Kushwaha and the Alliance has given the ticket to Rajaram Singh Kushwaha. Karakat has been considered a stronghold of the Kushwaha leaders ever since it emerged in 2008 following delimitation.

In the last three elections held on this seat since 2009 only the candidates of the Kushwaha caste have won. It is also a fact those Kushwaha candidates were part of the NDA. Hence, Karakat is also a stronghold of the NDA.

After the seat-sharing formula of the NDA, this seat went to the quota of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha is the candidate in this election.

However, the road is not easy for Upendra Kushwaha this time. He is pitted against Rajaram Singh Kushwaha of the CPI-ML. The battle became interesting after the entry of Bhojpuri film star Pawan Singh. People are crazy about him and crowds are gathering at his election meetings. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray for this seat.

The Buxar Lok Sabha seat is considered to be the BJP’s traditional seat but this time it seems to be in trouble. Former IPS officer Anand Mishra has increased tensions for the BJP candidate. The party has fielded Mithlesh Tiwari as its candidate. On the other hand, RJD gave the ticket to Bihar’s former agriculture minister Sudhakar Singh. Initially, it was turning out to be a one-to-one contest between the BJP and the RJD candidates but Anand Mishra and Dadan Singh Yadav alias Dadan Pehalwan have made the battle quadrangular on Buxar.

Anand Mishra is a Brahmin and Mithileh Tiwari is also from the same caste while Sudhakar Singh comes from a Rajput family. However, the arrival of Dadan Yadav has made his battle difficult. Dadan Yadav is considered a prominent Yadav leader in Dumraon and is also a three-time MLA from Dumraon.

A total of 15 candidates are trying their luck for the Buxar Lok Sabha seat.

The contest on the Arrah Lok Sabha seat is turning out to be a one-to-one contest between the BJP’s RK Singh and Sudama Prasad of the CPI (ML). In the last two Lok Sabha elections, RK Singh won here comfortably. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray for this seat.

The Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency is a hot seat this time. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti is contesting the election for the third time. She is up against Ramkripal Yadav of the BJP. While Prime Minister Modi has campaigned for Ramkripal Yadav, Rahul Gandhi has sought votes for Misa Bharti.

Jahanabad is another seat where a close contest is expected. The JD-U has given the ticket to sitting MP Chandeshwar Prasad Chandravanshi while Surendra Yadav is trying his luck on the RJD ticket.

“We are going to win all the seats in the last phase. All the seats are already with the NDA. There is no problem this time as well. We are going to win Jehanabad, Buxar and Karakat Lok Sabha seats by a big margin. People will not vote in favour of Naxalites and no one’s stardom is going to work against PM Modi,” said Arvind Kumar Singh, BJP spokesperson.

The Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat is considered a stronghold of the BJP and the party has fielded Ravi Shankar Prasad again. He is pitted against former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar’s son Anshul Avijit. This time there is a face-to-face fight for this Kayastha-dominated seat.

A total of 17 candidates are in the fray here.

Sasaram Lok Sabha constituency is considered to be the late Babu Jagjivan Ram’s seat and as long as he was alive, he remained MP from 1952 to 1984. After him, Chhedi Paswan won the election from Sasaram on a BJP ticket. This time the BJP has fielded Shivesh Ram, son of former MP Munilal Ram, while the Congress has fielded Manoj Kumar. Ten candidates are trying their luck in the Sasaram Lok Sabha seat.

The Nalanda Lok Sabha seat is considered to be the strongest fort of Nitish Kumar. Kaushalendra Kumar won here in 2009, 2014 and 2019 and is contesting against Sandeep Saurav of the CPI-ML. Sandeep Saurav is also the MLA from Paliganj. A total of 29 candidates are vying for the seat.

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80 candidates in fray for five LS seats in Bihar

Altogether 80 candidates, including 35 Independents, are in the fray, with three contestants being doctors….reports Asian Lite News

The five Bihar seats going to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 20 will witness new candidates on four seats, and a turncoat trying his luck from the remaining one.

In Hajipur (SC) and Saran, RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya and Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan face the challenges of protecting their father’s pocket boroughs, respectively.

Altogether 80 candidates, including 35 Independents, are in the fray, with three contestants being doctors.

In high-profile seat Saran, Rohini Acharya is pitted against BJP MP and former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Acharya, who hit the headlines for donating one of her kidneys to her father RJD chief and former chief minister Lalu Prasad, is making her debut in electoral politics.

Saran is considered the home ground of Lalu Prasad, who had represented the seat four times before being disqualified after his conviction in cases linked to multi-crore fodder scam in 2013. In 2009, Lalu won after defeating Rudy.

In 2014 polls, Rudy emerged victorious after defeating Rohini’s mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi. In 2019, Rudy retained the seat by defeating Chandrika Rai, father in-law of Lalu’s eldest son Tej Pratap and also an influential leader of Yadavs in the region.

Saran has an almost equal number of backward Yadav and upper caste Rajput voters. While Yadavs favour RJD candidate, Rajputs vote by and large to BJP candidate. Rudy, however, claimed that his real fight was with Rohini’s father Lalu, who is in the fray from behind the scene.

In Hajipur (SC) seat, there is a direct contest between Chirag Paswan, chief of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Shiv Chandra Ram of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). For Chirag, it is more important to win election as Hajipur has been ‘karmabhoomi’ of his father late Ram Vilas Paswan.

Senior Paswan had represented the seat eight times before being nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In 2019, Chirag’s uncle and Ram Vilas younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras had won by defeating Shiv Chandra Ram of RJD.

This time, Chirag decided to contest from Hajipur and fielded his brother in-law Arun Bharti from Jamui from where he was elected in 2014 and 2019.

Shiv Chandra, a former state minister, is confident of his victory as Chirag may fall victim of ‘bhitarghat’ (internal conflict) due to strained relationship with his uncle.

Paras, MP from Hajipur, was denied ticket and seat was allotted to Chirag’s party under seat-sharing arrangements among NDA constituents. Chiv Chandra is also popular among Ravidas community against whom Chirag had made some adverse comments. “There is resentment among members of Ravidas community over Chirag’s remarks,” said Pankaj Ram, a resident of Rajapakar in Vaishali district.

From Sitamarhi, JD(U) MP Sunil Kumar Pintoo was dropped in favour of Devesh Chandra Thakur, a close confidante of chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar. Devesh, chairman of Bihar Legislative Council, is contesting election for the first time. He is pitted against former MP and RJD leader Arun Rai.

In Madhubani, BJP’s Ashok Yadav had won 2019 election by defeating Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) candidate Bardi Kumar Purbey. But this time, INDIA bloc changed its candidate and fielded former Union minister and influential RJD leader Md Ali Ashraf Fatmi, who had earlier unsuccessfully contested Ashok’s father and four-time MP Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav.

In Muzaffarpur, the contest is between Dr Raj Bhushan Choudhary of BJP and Ajay Kumar Nishad of Congress (read INDIA bloc). Ajay had won in 2019 on BJP ticket but but was denied ticket this time. He joined Congress, which fielded him from Muzaffarpur.

Ajay Nishad, a turncoat, was rewarded with ticket by grand old party. While Ajay switched to Congress, Dr Raj Bhushan, who had fought from the seat on VIP ticket in 2019, joined BJP and was subsequently fielded.

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Bihar has maximum anti-incumbency, warns Kishor

Prashant Kishor ‘s comments came as his ongoing ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra through his home state is expected to end with the formation of a political party…reports Asian Lite News

Political strategist Prashant Kishor has said that Bihar has a lot of space for a new party as it has “maximum anti-incumbency” following the nearly 35-year rule of ideologically similar formations headed by either Lalu Prasad Yadav or Nitish Kumar.

His comments came as his ongoing ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra through his home state is expected to end with the formation of a political party before the assembly polls in the latter half of the next year.

Once the party takes shape, it will contest every election, Kishor said.

Asked if Bihar, with two strong regional parties in Yadav-led RJD and Kumar-led Janata Dal (U) besides the formidable BJP, the Left and the Congress, has space for one more political party, he told PTI that the state has more space than other states.

“Almost similar formations built around Lalu and Nitish have been there for 35 years. They have similar ideologies more or less,” he said, noting that issues like social justice, socialism and ‘jungle raj’ have been there all these years.

“Anti-incumbency is maximum there. There has been no fundamental change in these 35 years. According to me, there is space,” he said.

Noting that it is one of the stated goals of his ‘yatra’ that people associated with it will form a political party, he said once such a party takes shape, it will contest every election.

Having worked with many political parties in shaping their election campaigns, often successfully, before launching his ‘padyatra’ in Bihar with a stated goal to usher in transformative changes to boost the backward state’s development, Kishor said he does not think he is doing anything drastically different.

What he was advising political parties and their leaders earlier, he is now directly communicating to people, be the issues they should raise or building grassroots organisation, he said.

He said when he started the ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2, 2022, he planned to identify 20 “right” people in every block but has received a massive response, with anywhere between 2,500 and 3,000 people willing to become its founder members.

Kishore said he has so far travelled through 60 per cent of the state.

Asked what role he sees for himself in the likely political party, he likened himself to a potter collecting raw materials to build a good earthen pot.

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Modi kick-starts NDA’s Bihar campaign

The Prime Minister also pointed at the IRCTC land-for-job scam, without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, one of the prime accused in the case…reports Asian Lite News

Launching the NDA’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar at a mega rally in Jamui district on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the RJD and the Congress responsible for the Maoist trouble and ‘Jungle Raj’ in the state during their tenure.

“Everyone knows the kind of identity that was created for Bihar during the RJD and Congress rule when the state witnessed Maoist attacks and Jungle Raj. Maoists didn’t allow the construction of roads in places like Jamui, which adversely affected the farmers, labourers and poor people of the region.

“Now, Maoism is finished in Bihar with many radical operatives joining the mainstream after surrendering. Their children are going to schools now,” PM Modi said in Jamui.

The Prime Minister also pointed at the IRCTC land-for-job scam, without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, one of the prime accused in the case.

“They grabbed lands of the poor people to give jobs in the Railways. Such people can never do any good. Nitish Kumar was also the Railway Minister of the country, but there were no complaints against him. The condition of trains was poor during the Congress rule, but now trains like Vande Bharat Express are running across the country.

“We also want to make the railway stations in Bihar world-class. The facilities at the railway stations will be similar to those seen at the airports. We are building highways and expressways in Bihar with the help of Nitish Kumar,” the Prime Minister said.

Stating that the coming elections are decisive for the development of the country as well as Bihar, PM Modi said, “Ten years back, the world looked at India as a poor country. Smaller nations used to carry out terror attacks in the country, but the Congress leaders only complained about such incidents in the world fora.

“But now we launch strikes against such elements by entering their country. People of the world are looking up to India now. Our country is the fifth largest economy in the world today. India held the G-20 Summit in Delhi and the entire world paid attention to it. The credit for all these goes to the common people of the country.”

The Prime Minister also said that all the corrupt forces have now teamed up against his government.

“We constructed the Ram Temple in Ayodhya despite the Congress and the RJD trying their best to ensure that it was not built. They also insulted (former Bihar Chief Minister) late Karpoori Thakur, but we have conferred him with the Bharat Ratna,” Modi said.

He also remembered his ‘old friend’ late Ram Vilas Paswan at the rally.

“Today I am missing my old friend Ram Vilas Paswan who is not with us. But his son Chirag Paswan is promoting his ideology in Bihar. I want to appeal to the people of Jamui to vote for NDA nominee Arun Bharti, which will please Ram Vilas Paswan,” he said.

Paswan factor gives NDA edge in Hajipur  

The Hajipur reserved Lok Sabha seat in Bihar first came to the limelight when Ram Vilas Paswan contested from it in the 1977 Lok Sabha election and won with the record margins of more than 4 lakh votes, getting his name registered in the Guinness World Records.

Ram Vilas Paswan won this seat in 1980, 1989, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014, and his younger brother LJP’s Pashupati Kumar Paras won from there in 2019, reinforcing it as a stronghold of the Paswan family.

Ram Vilas Paswan just lost two elections from the Hajipur seat — in 1984 and 2009.

In 1984, there was a Congress wave in the country following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At that time, Ram Ratan Ram of Congress defeated him.

In 2009, JD-U candidate Ram Sundar Das, who was part of the NDA, defeated Ram Vilas Paswan in Hajipur. In 1991, Ram Vilas Paswan contested the Lok Sabha election from the Rosera seat.

Jamui: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan and others during a public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Jamui, Thursday, April 4, 2024.(IANS)

In the last three elections — 2009, 2014 and 2019, NDA candidates have dominated in Hajipur.

In 2014, LJP was part of the NDA and Ram Vilas Paswan won the seat, defeating Congress’ Sanjeev Prasad Tony. Sitting MP Ram Sundar Das came in the third position as the JD-U had contested that election alone.

In 2019, Ram Vilas Paswan gave the ticket to his younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras to contest from Hajipur, who won the seat by defeating RJD’s Shiv Chandra Ram.

In 2024, the contest is between the NDA and the Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan.

Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, is NDA’s candidate from Hajipur and the responsibility to save the family’s political legacy lies on his shoulder this time.

The RJD has fielded Sheochandra Ram from Hajipur.

Chirag Paswan also heaved a sigh of relief after his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras decided to stay in the NDA and support Chirag Paswan despite being dropped from the Hajipur seat.

The people of Hajipur supported the Paswan family for more than four decades. When Ram Vilas Paswan was the Railway Minister, he facilitated the opening of the Zonal Office of East Central Railway in Hajipur. Similarly, he gave the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) to Hajipur when he was Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister between 2004 to 2009.

Also, a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) was established in Hajipur during Ram Vilas Paswan’s tenure as a Central minister.

When Pashupati Kumar Paras was a minister in the Centre, he was instrumental in the opening of the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM).

Chirag Paswan has an edge on this seat and the caste equation also supports him.

The people from the Paswan community considered Chirag Paswan as their leader after the death of his father. As LJP-Ram Vilas is an alliance partner of the NDA, the upper caste voters are also likely to support Chirag Paswan in Hajipur.

A sizable number of Kurmi-Kushwaha voters, who support the JD-U, in the constituency also comes as an added advantage for the NDA candidate.

Hajipur has around 19.5 lakh voters, which includes 10.22 lakh males and 9.26 females.

As far as the caste equation is concerned, there are around 3 lakh Paswan voters in Hajipur; there are also 3 lakh each voters belonging to the Yadav and Rajput communities.

Muslim (2 lakh), Bhumihar (1 lakh), Kushwaha (1.5 lakh), Brahmin (80,000), Kurmi (50,000), and Dalit-Mahadalits and others have a population of more than 3 lakh.

Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency comprises six assembly segments — Hajipur, Mahua, Lalganj, Mahnar, Raghopur and Rajapakar. Four of them were won by the Mahagathbandhan and two by NDA in the 2020 Assembly elections.

Voting in Hajipur is scheduled to be held on May 20.

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7.64 Crore Eligible Voters in Bihar

The Yatra, being conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will continue till March 1. The Yatra will pass through 33 districts of the state, marking a statewide tour…reports Asian Lite News

Around 7.64 crore eligible voters can exercise their franchise for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, according to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Rajiv Kumar informed at a press conference in Patna on Wednesday that there are 9.26 lakh first time voters in the age group of 18-19 in the state. There are 21, 680 voters above the age of 100 years.

He said out of 7.64 crore voters, there are 1.6 crore voters in the age group of 20-29.

“The role of the youth is going to be very great significance in this election,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.

The Chief Election Commissioner also informed that there are 6.3 lakhs Persons with a disability (PWD) voters in the state.

The EC also informed that there are 4 crore male crore voters while 3.6 crore voters are female.

He also informed that there are 14.5 lakh senior citizen voters in the state.

The CEC also informed at the press conference that the commisison held meetings with representatives of different national political parties in the run up to the general elections in the last two days.

The commission said it has deleted 16.7 lakh from the electoral rolls due to death and shifting of voters to another place.

“In Bihar, there are 7.64 crore voters, out of which 4 crore are male and 3.6 crore are female… 21,680 voters are above 100 years of age. 9.26 lakhs are first-time voters…,” the CEC added.

He also appealed people to cast their vote with out any fear at the time of voting. “I appeal to people to go to vote without any fear”.

The dates for the Lok Sabha elections are expected to be announced in the next month.

Meanwhile, former Bihar CM and RJD leader Rabri Devi on Tuesday took a dig at former ally and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar saying he had joined the RJD alliance on his own the last time and this time he had left on his own accord without any pressure.

“He (Nitish Kumar) joined us on his own last time, we never called him. This time as well he has left on his own, no one forced him . An investigation has been going on against us for the last 25 years. ED, CBI, nothing new is there… The people of Bihar and the country are with us,” said RJD leader Rabri Devi.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, earlier last month, joined hands with the BJP, leading to the collapse of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government in the state.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will kickstart the ‘Jan Vishwas Yatra’ from Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

The Yatra, being conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will continue till March 1. The Yatra will pass through 33 districts of the state, marking a statewide tour.

Tejashwi Yadav will hold public meetings and raise awareness about the work done by the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government before being ousted from power. The district in charge(s) of the RJD, meanwhile, are making preparations for the smooth and successful conduct of the Yatra.

Earlier on Friday, Yadav joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Bihar’s Sasaram.

The RJD and the Congress are allies in the INDIA bloc, formed to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time since 2005 and the third time in a single tenure.

The RJD and the JDU were allies in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance, formed in 2015 before the state assembly polls. (ANI)

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Nitish wins trust vote in Bihar Assembly

Deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari did not vote in the assembly as the Nitish Kumar already crossed the magic figure of 122….reports Asian Lite News

Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar comfortably managed to win the vote of trust on Monday.

The Nitish Kumar government got 129 votes in Bihar assembly while the opposition leaders walked out from the House. Three RJD MLAs — Chetan Anand of Sheohar, Neelam Devi of Mokama and Prahlad Yadav — voted in favour of Nitish Kumar government.

Deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari did not vote in the assembly as the Nitish Kumar already crossed the magic figure of 122. If the situation was tight, then he might have cast his vote in the favour of Nitish Kumar government. Hazari is a MLA of JD-U.

After winning the vote of trust, former industry minister Shahnawaz Hussain congratulated Nitish Kumar for the victory. “Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi and the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the double-engine government will work at a rapid pace in Bihar for the development. It is a new start for the new mission with new energy.”

RJD and Mahagathbandhan played well during the vote of trust but they failed at the last moment due to the three RJD leaders who cross-voted.

NDA leaders had earlier claimed that they have the majority of 128 MLAs in Bihar assembly. RJD MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav were involved in cross-voting. They changed the camp following the no confidence motion passed against Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary.

Tejashwi wonders what made Nitish return to NDA

During the debate on the no-confidence motion in the Bihar Assembly on Monday, RJD leader and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said he always considered Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a father figure, and wondered what made the JD-U chief ditch the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and return to the NDA led by the BJP.

“I always considered Nitish Kumar as ‘Dashrath’ (character from ‘Ramayan’). I don’t know what forced him to leave the ‘Mahagathbandhan’,” Tejashwi said.

“I also want to congratulate Nitish Ji for being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time, including thrice in one term. Can anyone take the guarantee that he will not switch sides again,” the RJD leader said on the floor of the House.

“But I still have respect for Nitish Kumar. We had supported him following his call to unite the forces against communalism in the country. In the run up to the 2020 Assembly elections, I had promised the people of Bihar to give 10 lakh government jobs. Now people of the country have seen how government jobs were given to the common youth,” Yadav said.

“After visiting the Raj Bhavan, Nitish Kumar had said he is not feeling well in the company of RJD. Are we singers and dancers who came for JD-U’s entertainment? We came here to do work. The works which were looking impossible, we made them possible.

“I am happy to be in the opposition. The people of the country have seen the work we did in the past 17 months. No other government did such work,” Yadav said.

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Government of Bihar Successfully Organizes Maiden Investors Summit in Dubai

The event marked the beginning of a promising partnership between Dubai and Bihar, and it served as a crucial step towards promoting investment and fostering economic cooperation between the two regions…reports Asian Lite News

The Government of Bihar, India, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully organizing its maiden Investors Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The summit, which took place on October 11, 2023, served as a platform to showcase the immense investment opportunities that the state of Bihar has to offer. Delegates from more than 60 prominent companies in Dubai, including Crown UAE, GBS Dubai, GBF Middle East, Fine Tools, Asia Pharma, and Gulf Islamic Investments, participated in the event, reaffirming the growing interest in Bihar’s investment potential.

The summit was graced by the presence of Mr Suresh Kumar, Chairman of IBPC Dubai, who shared his insights and support for the emerging partnership between Dubai and Bihar. Mr Vivek Kumar Singh, the Development Commissioner of Bihar and Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, India Mr Sandeep Poundrik represented the Government of Bihar and addressed the gathering, highlighting the diverse opportunities and advantages that make Bihar an attractive investment destination for companies in Dubai.

Speaking at the event, Mr Vivek Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner of Bihar, said, “Bihar, with its strategic location, robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and a pro-business environment, is poised for substantial growth. We invite companies from Dubai and UAE at large to explore the possibilities that Bihar offers. From manufacturing to technology, agriculture to tourism, Bihar’s potential is vast and diverse. We are committed to facilitating investment and ensuring a supportive ecosystem for companies looking to invest and expand in our state.”

The summit provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage with officials from the Government of Bihar, gaining valuable insights into the state’s business landscape and potential sectors for investment. Discussions and interactive sessions allowed attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of the growth prospects and the ease of doing business in Bihar.

Mr Sandeep Poundrik, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, India, said “We are delighted to witness the growing interest and recognition of Bihar’s investment potential. Bihar, a key player in India’s food grain production, offers abundant agri-product export opportunities to the UAE. Bihar produces the highest quality food grains, vegetables and fruits and we are eager to explore avenues for exporting Bihar’s produce to the UAE.  Makhana, Mangoes, Litchi (with GI Tag certification), and Katarni rice are some of the best produce of Bihar. This marks the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership, and we are committed to spurring trade and investment relations for the prosperity of both regions.”

The event marked the beginning of a promising partnership between Dubai and Bihar, and it served as a crucial step towards promoting investment and fostering economic cooperation between the two regions.

The Government of Bihar looks forward to building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with Dubai-based companies and is committed to providing a conducive environment for growth and development.

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Nitish and Lalu’s Countermove Against BJP’s Confusion Politics

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav who are well aware of the caste combinations of Bihar, released the data of the caste based survey on October 2 with the aim to clear the confusion among people about their numbers.

Caste is the biggest factor to define the social structure of Bihar and people choose their life partner and elect their representatives from the same caste as theirs.

There is a perception here that people from the same caste may be better disposed and more trustworthy than people from other castes.

Politicians, especially in the current ruling parties, understand this mentality of the people and went for the caste based survey to make people aware about their actual strength.  

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav who are well aware of the caste combinations of Bihar, released the data of the caste based survey on October 2 with the aim to clear the confusion among people about their numbers. Also, the chance of creating confusion in the minds of voters by the political parties would no longer fully apply in Bihar following this report.

The Bihar government has counted 215 castes and their actual numbers. This would turn out to be a master stroke by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, to counter the Narendra Modi led BJP.

For Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, the caste based survey is similar to the Mandal Commission report that was brought by Vishawanath Pratap Singh after assuming power at the Centre. At that time, he was confronting the Congress party which was represented by and large by people of the upper castes. Now, the upper castes are the core voters of the BJP and Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar released the caste based survey to defeat the saffron party.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a conversation with Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav.(Photo IANS)

The two know that the Lok Sabha election 2024 would be fought around the OBCs and PM Narendra Modi will play this card to lure the voters in the country and Bihar. Nitish and Lalu Prasad knew that the numbers of OBC and EBC are higher in Bihar and they came up with the actual numbers to avoid any confusion among the voters. Moreover, they do not want the BJP to create confusion in Bihar in the name of the OBCs.

Shivanand Tiwari, the national vice president of the RJD said: “Narendra Modi became scared after the release of the caste based survey and the way he is choosing his words betrays his uneasiness. On the other hand, the deprived section of society is also feeling uneasy. They have contributed their labour and hard work in building the nation but their status is similar to second class.”

Over the years, the BJP has come to be known as the party of the upper castes. They are the core voters of the BJP and are 15.52% including Bhumihars who are 2.86%, Brahmins are 3.66%, Rajputs are 3.45%, and Kayasthas are 0.60% in Bihar.

On the other hand, Nitish Kumar has core voters who come from the Lav-Kush equation where Lav stands for Kurmis having 2.87% and Kush stands for Kushwaha who are 4.21% in Bihar. Moreover, he has a stronghold among OBC and EBC voters. Lalu Prasad has the Muslims and Yadavs who are 17.7% with the Yadavs at 14%. A sizable vote bank of Scheduled Castes (19%) EBC and OBC also support Lalu Prasad. So, these two are well ahead of the BJP on this count.

In the past, the upper castes who are lower in numbers, dominated over the OBC, EBC and Scheduled Castes who have higher numbers. Lalu Prasad had given voice to the these suppressed castes and turned out to be a leader of social justice. Following that, a number of massacres took place in Bihar especially in Bhojpur, Jahanabad, Gaya and some other districts. Nitish Kumar has also carried the same baton and the pain of untouchability and massacres are in the minds of the upper and lower caste people. They have chosen their political parties in Bihar.

The people of the lower castes know that the BJP is a party of the upper castes and hence they cannot go with it. As a result, the BJP failed to form the government in Bihar on its own. The upper castes do not have enough strength to form the government. The BJP stayed in power in Bihar but with the help of Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar also knew that his individual position would not be good enough to secure power in the state as the Kurmi and Kushwaha are 2.87% and 4.21% respectively and hence he took support of either the BJP or the RJD.

Lalu Prasad emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the caste based survey with his core voters Muslims at 17.7% and Yadavs at 14%.

The political parties more or less knew about the strength of their core voters but the voters themselves did not know until the caste based survey report. Now, they know their actual strength and creating confusion by any particular party will not be possible from now on.

This is probably the reason why, the BJP started the game of Hindus and Muslims in Bihar.   

As per the report, Bihar has a population of 13 crore, 7 lakh, 25,000 and 310 with Hindus at 81.9%, Muslims 17.7%, Christians are 0.05%, Sikhs 0.01%, Bodh 0.08%, Jains 0.0096% and other religions at 0.12%.

BJP MLA from Madhubani (Bipsi assembly constituency) Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul demanded that the Nitish Kumar government declare Bihar as a Hindu state with the aim to avoid polarizing voters on the basis of caste and sub castes and that they vote on the basis of religion.

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda came to Patna on October 4 and held a closed door meeting with the party MPs for 30 minutes.

Sources said that he asked them to go to their constituencies and take feedback from the voters. He also said that if the feedback is positive they should establish good relations with them and if anyone gives negative feedback, try to resolve their grievances.

He also told them to spread awareness about women’s reservation, concentrate on the OBC vote bank, target Lalu Prasad but avoid Nitish Kumar and alliance partners.

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