Full update on the Bihar Floor Test: A no-confidence vote was carried by the Bihar State Assembly against Awadh Bihari Choudhary, the leader of the RJD and speaker.
The trust motion was won by the coalition government of Nitish Kumar by 129 votes. Soon after the results were announced, leaders of the opposition left the Assembly.
Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, the leader of the RJD, was ousted as speaker of the Bihar parliament following a resolution that received support from 125 members and opposition from 112.
RJD MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi, and Prahlad Yadav dealt a serious blow to the opposition when they were seen sitting on the government’s side in the Bihar Assembly before to the floor test of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s administration to demonstrate their majority.
RJD Walked Out
Tejashwi Yadav, the head of the RJD and a former deputy chief minister of Bihar, responded, saying that MPs should remain in their seats until the end of the voting process, failing which the vote will be deemed void.
Nitish Kumar was formerly a member of the Mahagathbandhan. But on January 28, he broke away from that coalition and took the oath of office as Bihar’s chief minister for a record-tying ninth time, this time with the BJP’s backing.
Amid rumours, the NDA alliance, strengthened by the four MLAs of Hindustani Awam Morcha led by former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, prepares for the crucial floor test in the Bihar legislature.
In the meantime, the Congress moves its nineteen MLAs from Telangana to 5, Deshratna Marg, the home that used to belong to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, out of fear of poaching attempts. Meanwhile, RJD lawmakers and their Left counterparts meet at Yadav’s house, preparing for a united face when they appear before the Vidhan Sabha on Monday.
Tragically, young Shambhu Mukhi of Sakchi police station in Jamshedpur, who lived close to Jail Chowk, committed suicide by hanging himself. His family members blame his suicide on having a lot of money problems. Mukhi was in serious debt and had trouble finding work, which made his already unstable financial situation worse and negatively impacted his mental health.
Local authorities were notified by Mukhi’s family and moved quickly to respond, sending police to the scene. Mukhi was subsequently taken to MGM Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The police are investigating the incident to find out what exactly happened before Mukhi died, events that could have affected his decision to commit suicide or any other reason for his death.
Prior to voting on a no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also raised a point of order, objecting to party MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi, and Prahlad Yadav sitting among members of the ruling NDA.
However, Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, who was seated, did not rule on the point of order. In order to express confidence in the new government he and the BJP have formed, chief minister Nitish Kumar moved a motion in the state assembly.
Who is Neelam Devi?
Neelam Devi is the MLA from the assembly seat of Mokama area. Anant Singh, former MLA from Mokama, who is currently in jail, is Neelam Devi’s husband. Neelam Devi was elected as a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in the 2022 by-election, after her husband Ananth Kumar Singh was disqualified as an MLA.
Who is Chetan Anand?
Chetan Anand is a politician from Bihar state, born on November 20, 1991. In the 2020 election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, he is chosen to serve as a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) from the Sheohar constituency, representing the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Who is Prahlad Yadav?
Indian politician Prahlad Yadav is a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. He is the representative for the Bihar district of Lakhisarai’s Suryagarha constituency. In 2015, he was chosen to join the Rashtriya Janata Dal and is currently serving from the same constituency.
Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has supported the demands of the farmers who plan to stage a protest on February 13 in Delhi. Prime Minister Modi has been questioned by Swamy regarding his refusal to accept the Punjab farmers’ revised proposal. “Cannot expect for long to be happy” is how Swamy puts it if the Centre does not meet the demands of the Sikh farmers.
“I have studied farmers’ demand and as an economist, I think them as good for India,” the former Rajya Sabha MP added. Former MP Swamy also stated that he has gone through and read the farmers’ demand and as an economist he thinks them to be good for India.
Why is Modi wilfully refusing to accept the modified proposal of Punjab farmers second time around? Modi cannot expect for long to be happy if increasingly the Sikh farmers are not given their due. I have studied farmers’ demand and as an economist I think them as good for India.
Separately, a group of farmer leaders who are organising a Tuesday march towards Delhi will meet with a team of three Union Ministers—Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Rai—on Monday. The Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 will host the meeting starting at 5:00 p.m.
The three Union ministers and the farmer leaders met for the first time on February 8.
A legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP), the execution of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, the waiver of farm debt, the dismissal of police cases, and “justice” for the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence are among the demands made by the upset farmers.
Security measures taken by police in UP, Delhi and Haryana.
In the meantime, police in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana have constructed detailed border security measures, including barbed wire, concrete barriers, and nails on the road to keep farmers from entering the parliament. Due to high levels of stress and “social unrest,” Delhi Police has enforced Section 144 throughout the nation’s capital until March 12. Farmers who wished to participate in the “Delhi Chalo” march are said to have been “harassed” by the Centre, according to opposition parties.
In all seven of Haryana’s districts, the government has also halted internet and bulk SMS services.
The Delhi Police and the Haryana Police have issued numerous traffic advisories, advising commuters to choose alternate routes in light of the farmers’ protest.
by Swapnil Angel Samad
Swapnil Samad has pursued Bachelors in Mass Communication. He is an author and editor working with TIND Posting in the head office situated in Jamshedpur. Swapnil has great experience in fact finding and news researching.
In yet another blow to the Congress’s Maharashtra branch months ahead of the Lok Sabha and state elections, former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan announced his resignation on Monday. There were rumours that Ashok Chavan will become a member of the BJP.
In a letter, Ashok Chavan tendered his resignation to Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Pataole. Ashok Chavan met Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar earlier today. Since the meeting, Ashok Chavan has not been available to the media. Ashok Chavan and Rahul Narwekar’s meeting was confirmed.
“Today, i.e. on Monday, February 12, 2024, I have tendered my resignation as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 85-Bhokar Assembly Constituency to the Assembly Speaker Rahulji Narvekar,” Ashok Chavan said in a post on X, the former Twitter platform.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis responded, “Several leaders of the Opposition want to join the BJP,” in response to questions regarding reports that Ashok Chavan might join the BJP. Since they feel stifled in their party, many Congress leaders have been in touch with us.
“Observe what transpires next; aage aage dekhiye hota hain kya,” Devendra Fadnavis declared during a news conference on Monday.
Three Congress MLAs—Subhash Dhote, Jitesh Antarpurkar, and Amar Rajurkar—are reportedly inclined to follow Ashok Chavan’s example, according to party insiders.
Who is Ashok Chavan?
The Marathwada region’s Nanded district is home to Ashok Chavan. Shankarrao Chavan, his late father, served as Maharashtra’s chief minister. 2010 saw Ashok Chavan resign from his position as chief minister due to allegations that he was involved in the Mumbai Adarsh housing fraud. From 2014 to 2019, he served as the chief of state Congress as well.
The resignation of the former chief minister of Maharashtra takes on significance in light of the recent splits of two prominent Congressmen, Baba Siddique and Milind Deora, from the party. While Milind Deora was admitted into the Shiv Sena, the political organisation led by Eknath Shinde, Baba Siddique joined the Ajit Pawar wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Zeeshan, the current MLA from Bandra East and the son of Baba Siddique, is expected to succeed his father.
“There is discord in the Maharashtra Congress, Ashok Chavan has resigned, and there are internal fights in the Congress,” asserted Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the president of the Maharashtra BJP. People are fleeing because there is no leader and Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, is mistreating the OBC community. As a result, nobody wants to live with them. Indeed, everyone is allowed to join the BJP if they so choose.
Baba Siddique’s exit
Before joining the NCP, Baba Siddique claimed to have spoken with former Congress MP Priya Dutt and his son Zeeshan Siddique, an MLA. Siddique, a well-known Muslim leader of the Mumbai Congress, formerly held a ministerial position in Maharashtra during the Congress-NCP alliance.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena-led Mahayuti administration are led by the NCP, which is led by Ajit Pawar.
The 48-year-old Siddique senior announced last week that he was going to sever ties with the Grand Old Party.
“It has been a noteworthy 48-year journey for me to become a member of the Indian National Congress party when I was a young youngster. With immediate effect, I hereby resign from my primary membership in the Indian National Congress Party (@INCIndia),” he declared.
When the Covid-19 pandemic was at its worst, Baba Siddique was praised widely for getting desperately needed medications to patients in need. The prominent politician is also renowned for throwing lavish “Iftar” gatherings that prominent Bollywood actors like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan attend.
Gen. Pande’s visit, which took place between February 13 and 16, was deemed “significant” by the Army, which also stated that it highlights the two nations’ growing military cooperation.
The US Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Randy George, and other top American military figures will hold high-level talks and exchanges with the Chief of Army Staff.
“This visit underscores the deepening military cooperation and strategic partnership between India and the United States, aiming to further strengthen defence cooperation and foster stronger bonds between the armies of both nations,” stated the Army.
Highlights of the visit included a thorough tour of the Pentagon, the famed US Army Honour Guard ceremony, and the mournful wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army added that these exchanges represent the two nations’ common respect for and dedication to international peace and security.
“This visit is another milestone in the Indo-US defence relationship, reflecting a mutual desire to enhance military collaboration, exchange strategic perspectives on global threat perceptions, and work together towards future force development and modernisation,” added the statement.
“The engagements between General Manoj Pande and senior leadership of the United States Army are poised to yield substantive outcomes, fostering an environment conducive to shared security interests and defence cooperation,” stated the statement.
According to officials, discussions will focus on important subjects such the transformation of the Indian Army, the perception of threats worldwide, the modernization and development of the force in the future, and co-production and co-development projects.
They stated that the goal of these talks is to exchange knowledge, concepts, and best practices between the two militaries.
Visits to the Army Geospatial Centre at Fort Belvoir, the National Defence University at Fort McNair, and meetings with Headquarters 1 Corps command are also on Gen. Pande’s schedule.
Additionally, he will interact with units leading the way in military innovation and strategy, such as the Defence Innovation Unit in San Francisco, the Stryker Unit, the First Multi-Domain Task Force, the first Special Forces Group in Seattle, and the first Special Forces Group.
An Army statement states that a visit to the California National Guard is also scheduled, emphasising the complete aspect of the visit intended to explore options for more major training, co-development, and co-production partnerships.
Recently, General George travelled to India for the Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference (IPACC), which the US Army and the Indian Army jointly hosted.
Twelve nations were represented in the conference by heads of delegations, while eighteen chiefs of army attended.
General George and General Pande had a fruitful discussion about a variety of topics pertaining to military cooperation during IPACC.
Peace, democracy, and regional stability are shared goals between the Indian Army and the US Army. With an eye towards a future of increased cooperation and mutual development in the military and security domains, this tour embodies the common principles and interests that drive the partnership between India and the United States, according to the Army.
Jamshedpur: Sakchi police apprehended five people, including the primary culprit, and dismantled a vehicle theft group. Nineteen stolen cars were found during the raid, revealing the size of the criminal organisation.
Along with Rajan Das, Ronit Deep alias Polio from Telco Mahanand Basti, Vishal Das, Shambhu Paswan, and the suspected kingpin Rajeev Bhagat, popularly known as Aadu from Burmamines, have been identified as the arrested suspects. A master key that was allegedly used to commit thefts was found among the recovered goods.
Details of the operation were given by City SP Mukesh Kumar Lunayat, who said that the investigation started after a stolen scooter from Sakchi was discovered abandoned close to Gadabaasa. After Rajeev Bhagat was taken into custody there, more people were taken into custody on the basis of the information gleaned from his interrogation.
Subsequent disclosures obtained during interrogation suggested that the gang members would purportedly pawn the cars to Vishal, Ronit, and Shambhu for sums varying between three and five thousand rupees following their theft. The three would then supposedly split the money from the higher-priced sale of the stolen cars. The group is thought to have sold thirty to forty stolen motorcycles.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will not go as planned through Uttar Pradesh; party sources say the march will probably end at least one week early. This week, the yatra was supposed to arrive in Uttar Pradesh, a politically significant state with 80 Lok Sabha seats where the Congress has not fared well in the previous two Lok Sabha elections. There, the yatra was supposed to stay for 11 days.
28 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh were to be travelled through by the yatra, including Varanasi, the seat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rae Bareli, Amethi, Allahabad, Phulpur, and Lucknow. The original route passed through places like Rae Bareli, Chandauli, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Allahabad, Bhadohi, Pratapgarh, Amethi, Lucknow, Hardoi, Sitapur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Rampur, Sambal, Amroha, Aligarh, Badaun, Bulandshahr, and Agra.
Reasons for cutting short the Baharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
From Lucknow, the yatra would now travel directly to Aligarh and then to Agra, both in west UP, before entering Madhya Pradesh, according to sources, bypassing most of the districts in western UP. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), a significant political party in west Uttar Pradesh and a partner of the Congress in the INDIA bloc, is joining hands with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Congress, however, reports that the UP board exams will begin on February 22 and that the number of travel days has been lowered considering the student’s interests. Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Rampur, Moradabad, Sambhal, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Hathras will no longer be included in Rahul Gandhi’s yatra. The yatra was supposed to end on February 26, but it will now take place in Uttar Pradesh from February 16 to February 21.
The decision to shorten the yatra in Uttar Pradesh, according to sources in Congress, has nothing to do with the political developments involving the RLD. “We wanted to slow down the yatra to ensure that Rahul Gandhi gets time for interactions with groups on the way,” a party leader said.
According to sources, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), who has not yet joined the yatra despite it lasting a month on February 14th, may show up when the yatra enters Uttar Pradesh.
At a rally on Sunday in the Madhya Pradesh tribal region of Jhabua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shouted, “24 mein 400 paar” and “Kamal ko 370 paar,” just a minute after asserting that he was not there to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Modi had just inaugurated or laid the groundwork for a number of development projects when he spoke at the event.
Modi was rumoured to be visiting Jhabua in order to blow the electoral bugle. I would like to clarify that Modi is not here on a campaign trail. He remarked, “As the servant, Modi has come to thank the godly people of Madhya Pradesh.”
According to him, the Madhya Pradesh populace gave a sneak peek of their prevailing sentiments prior to the Lok Sabha elections through the Assembly elections. He asserted that even the leaders of the Opposition had started to realise the BJP was going to win big.
Is it PM Modi Hypocricy?
“Madhya Pradesh has additionally demonstrated the increasing popularity of the double-engine administrations led by the BJP. “Therefore, even prominent Opposition leaders, including those in Parliament, have begun stating, ‘400 plus in 24’ this time,” Modi stated.
After chanting “Chaubis mein…”, the audience added “400 paar” to finish the phrase.
The throng responded with a yell of “Modi sarkar” as Modi said, “Fir ek baar…”
In the Lok Sabha, Modi had brought up the “400 plus” protest early this week in response to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s speech. He has never used it in a public rally before.
The battle cry is thought to be a psychological tactic used in the run-up to the elections to scare and demoralise the opposition, particularly the Congress.
Modi expressed his agreement with the opposition’s estimate of “400 plus” seats for the NDA, but he was confident that the BJP would secure over 370 seats on its own. Some interpret the reference to 370 seats as a subliminal hint that Article 370 has been repealed.
Amidst shouts of “Jai Shri Ram” from the assembly, Modi declared, “Akela BJP, akela kamal ka nishan 370 paar karega” (The BJP alone, the lotus symbol alone, will cross 370).
Modi continued by demonstrating how to reach the goal to the audience, which was ostensibly made up of BJP officials. He declared that he would distribute the “jadi-butti” (medication) in public to pass 370 seats.
He requested that party leaders obtain the total number of votes the BJP had received at their voting places throughout the previous three elections.
“Enter the highest vote total that the BJP has received in each of the three elections. Now give it an additional 370 votes. That ought to be your goal, and the BJP will win more seats than 370, according to Modi.
To reach the goal, he instructed the cadres to grab the voter list and begin knocking on houses.
“If you follow this mantra and add 370 new votes at every polling booth, 370+ seats are assured,” he stated.
Modi asserted that the southern states were not an exception to the pro-BJP sentiment that pervaded the entire nation. Ahead of the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya, he claimed to have been able to assess the mood of the people during his recent visits to temples in the south.
“I went to the south for puja-paath, or worship, and there was no public event planned. However, the attitude I witnessed amongst mothers, sisters, the young, old, and old — thousands of them came out to bless me. He remarked, “I experienced the strength of this nation and their incredible love for me.
Aimed at the Congress, Modi declared that the party would be “wiped out” in the Lok Sabha elections despite having been “sent on leave” in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
“Janjatiyas” (tribal communities) are a vote bank that the Congress uses, he claimed, without any regard for them.
According to Modi, there was turmoil within the Congress, and its leaders were frantically trying to leave. This is the fate of those who turn a blind eye to the people. The Congress is currently mired in its own faults. It will sink farther the harder it tries to surface, he warned.
He urged citizens to exercise caution, accusing the party of plotting to “divide” the nation along “caste, language, and region” lines.
“When the Congress is in power, they plunder and when they are not, they plot to split.” The party’s blatant antipathy towards Native Americans was made clear when it made every effort to prevent a Native American woman from winning the presidency of the United States,” the speaker remarked.
He claimed that the Congress will learn a lesson from this, and the indigenous people would never forget it.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s home has become a camp for the 79 MLAs of the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Together with 16 MLAs from the Left, 16 out of the 19 Congress MLAs went straight to Mr. Yadav’s home on Sunday night.
Returning to Patna were the BJP MLAs who had been camping at a resort in Bodh Gaya. They were brought to Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha’s home. Late in the evening, Mr. Kumar called a Legislature Party meeting with the 45 Janata Dal (United) MLAs at the official residence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Choudhary.
#WATCH | Bihar former CM Rabri Devi arrives at the residence of former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, in Patna. pic.twitter.com/OpdurKbHlA
In the meantime, two weeks after switching allegiance from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), a coalition of the JD(U), RJD, and Congress, to the NDA bloc, Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar is scheduled to face a trust vote today. The Assembly is scheduled to take up the motion of no confidence against Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary at the start of the Budget session, after Governor R V Arlekar addresses both Houses of the legislature.
#WATCH | Former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav arrives at the Bihar Assembly in Patna. pic.twitter.com/cdy6ICRNUQ
#WATCH | Bihar Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary & Vijay Kumar Sinha and BJP MLAs show victory signs as they arrive at the State Assembly in Patna. pic.twitter.com/NM4RQFL46O
