German actor Sandra Huller, who landed a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in the legal drama thriller film ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is amazed by the kind of attention she is getting after the announcement, reported People. The 45-year-old talked about winning the Best Actress award for her outstanding performance as Sandra Voyter in Anatomy of a Fall in an interview with Variety.
The German actress said, “I find myself giggling in the morning because it is so nice,” acknowledging that she is “definitely not” used to the attention that the nod is attracting. “When I walk my dog, people are shouting congratulations at me. People I’ve never seen before,” she added. The 2023 French courtroom drama thriller ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is helmed by Justine Triet, based on a screenplay she co-wrote with Arthur Harari. Sandra Huller plays a writer who is attempting to clear her name of any involvement in her husband’s passing.
The French courtroom drama is also nominated for Best Picture at the 96th Academy Awards, as well as Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay by Justine Triet. Huller’s performance as Voyter, a novelist on trial for the strange murder of her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis), won her a Golden Globe nomination as well as a nomination for supporting actress at next month’s BAFTA Awards.
When Huller talked to Variety earlier about creating her made-up character for ‘Anatomy of a Fall’. She shared, “I think I wanted to create somebody who would be capable of doing it, I wanted certain people to be a little bit afraid of her. Because why do we always have to be sweet and good victims and all these things? I had a little fun in leaving it in the dark.” Meanwhile, Triet told The Hollywood Reporter of her own Oscar nominations, “For best director, I was surprised because there are no more women beside me. So, of course, I’m so, so lucky and very proud of all these things. Most of these people since I was a child I’ve admired so much, and of course to be involved in this history, it means a lot to me. It was not a dream because I could not imagine.”
Triet’s Best Director nomination marks the ninth time a woman has been nominated in the category. Previous nominees include Sofia Coppola for ‘Lost In Translation’ in 2003 and Emerald Fennell for ‘Promising Young Woman’ in 2021, according to People.
ED to interrogate Sanjay Raut's brother Sandeep Raut in BMC Khichdi scam case 3
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) will interrogate former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s brother Sandeep Raut in connection with the Khichdi COVID scam case on Tuesday. The ED sent summons to Sandeep Raut and asked him to depose at the federal agency’s office on January 30 for questioning in the Khichdi scam case.
Uddhav Thackeray group leader Kishori Pednekar will also appear before the ED at 11.30 am for questioning in the alleged body bag scam case that took place during the COVID period. (ANI) Earlier on January 28, the ED summoned Sandeep Raut for questioning in connection with the Khichdi COVID scam case.
Earlier on January 18, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Suraj Chavan and an alleged close aide of party leader Aaditya Thackeray were sent to ED custody in the case. Chavan was alleged to have been involved in financial irregularities worth Rs 1 crore linked to the distribution of “khichdi” to migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June last year, ED conducted raids at 15 locations in Mumbai, including Suraj Chavan’s residence and recovered documents in connection with the scam. Hitting out at the ruling BJP-led NDA government in the state over the arrest of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Suraj Chavan in connection with the alleged BMC Khichdi Covid ‘scam’ case, former minister and party MLA Aaditya Thackeray had said all corruption taints are ‘washed’ clean when Opposition leaders are put through the BJP’s ‘washing machine’.
Last year, raids were also conducted at locations associated with some officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and some other people, including IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, in connection with the COVID-19 hospital management contracts. The ED has alleged that agents connected with some politicians used influence to ensure the BMC awarded khichdi contracts to their associates. The khichdi suppliers cheated the BMC by supplying less than agreed quantity and after submitting inflated bills.
'Modi's guarantee' a jumla, real issue in India is unemployment, inflation: Priyanka Gandhi 5
Hitting out at the Centre over people seeking jobs in Israel, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said talk of five trillion dollar economy and Modi’s guarantee are just a ”jumla” with the real issue in the country being that of unemployment and inflation for which she claimed the BJP government has no solution.
The Congress general secretary shared a video on X which showed people queuing up for a recruitment drive to send workers to Israel.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi said, ”If there is a war situation anywhere, then first of all we rescue our citizens from there and bring them back to our country.” ”But today unemployment has resulted in such a situation that the government is not even saving thousands of helpless youth from taking the risk of going to war-torn Israel,” she said.
”This shows, that talk of things like ‘5 trillion dollar economy’, ‘two crore jobs annually’ and ‘Modi’s guarantee’ during elections is just jumla (rhetoric),” she said.
Why are the youth not getting employment in their own country, she asked.
”Are these youth standing in long queues for two days not the children of our country that we are happily ready to send them into the middle of such a terrible war?” Gandhi said.
Notice how cleverly the government is making this a personal issue of the youth of the country, she said.
”What is the role of government in this? On what basis has the Government of India given permission to war-torn Israel to sacrifice Indian youth? Who will take the responsibility of protecting the life and property of these youth of ours? God forbid, if an incident happens to someone, who will take responsible?” the Congress leader said.
The real issue of India today is unemployment and inflation and the BJP government has no solution to it, she claimed.
The youth of the country are now understanding this, she added.
The Congress on Saturday had attacked the government over people reportedly queuing up in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for jobs in Israel, saying it was a reflection of the ”grim unemployment situation” in the country and makes a ”mockery” of the claims of a booming economy.
The Congress has been criticising the government over its handling of the economy and raising concerns over ”increasing” unemployment and price rise.
Krishna Janmabhoomi temple case: SC orders continuation of stay on survey of Idgah complex 7
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered continuance of the interim stay on the operation of the Allahabad High Court order for a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta posted the plea filed by the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah for further hearing in the first half of April. ”Interim orders wherever granted shall continue. Re-list in first half of April, 2024,” the bench said in its order and directed the parties to complete the pleadings by then.
The top court said all petitions pending before it on the issue will be taken up for hearing together in April. The top court had on January 16 stayed the operation of the December 14, 2023 order of the Allahabad High Court which allowed a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex.
It had also stayed the order of the high court by which it agreed to the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee the survey of the mosque premises, which the Hindu side claims hold signs suggesting that it was once a temple.
The apex court, however, made it clear that the proceedings before the high court in the dispute, including the maintainability of the suit under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), will continue.
It had said there are certain legal issues which have arisen and questioned the ”vague” application made before the high court for appointment of a court commissioner for the survey.
The top court had issued notice to the Hindu bodies and sought their response on the Mosque committee’s plea.
The mosque committee, in its plea, has submitted that the high court ought to have considered its petition challenging the maintainability of the suit before deciding any related miscellaneous applications.
The committee had sought rejection of the plea on the grounds that the lawsuit is barred by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which puts a bar on change of character of religious places after August 15, 1947. The Ram temple in Ayodhya was the only exception to the 1991 law.
While allowing the plea for a court-monitored survey, the high court had said no harm should be caused to the Mathura structure during the exercise, which it ordered to be overseen by a three-member commission of advocates.
The top court is already seized of another petition filed by the mosque committee challenging the May 26, 2023 order of the high court transferring to itself all matters related to the dispute pending before a Mathura court.
In Mathura, a suit was filed in the court of Civil Judge Senior Division (III) for shifting of the Shahi Idgah mosque elsewhere, with the Hindu side claiming it was constructed on a part of the 13.37 acre land of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust.
The Hindu side had made a prayer before the high court that it should conduct the original trial like it had done in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute.
'Land-for-jobs' scam: Lalu Prasad appears before ED in Patna for questioning 9
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for questioning in connection with the central agency’s money laundering probe into the alleged land-for-jobs scam, officials said. The RJD supremo, accompanied by his daughter Misa Bharti, reached the ED office here around 11.05 am, they said.
He appeared before the central agency a day after JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ditched the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, in which the RJD is the largest constituent, and the opposition bloc INDIA to form a new government in the state with the support of the BJP.
Talking to reporters before entering the ED office, Bharti said, “Whenever any agency calls our family members for questioning…, we go there, cooperate with them, and answer all their queries. Because of his health condition, it is difficult for him (Prasad) to move on his own. Someone has to accompany him whenever he goes somewhere. The questioning is still on.” Prasad’s Singapore-based daughter Rohini Achaya claimed that even after repeated requests by her sister Bharti, ED officials did not allow any assistant of the RJD chief to enter the central agency’s office and accompany him.
“Everyone knows about the health condition of my father…he can’t even walk without support. Despite that ED officials did not allow any assistant to enter their office and accompany him. It’s inhuman behaviour by ED officials…shame on you (ED officals) and your boss (top ED officials),” Acharya wrote on X in Hindi.
“If anything happens to my father, no one will be worse than me. If something happens to my father today, Chameleon (aimed at Nitish Kumar), along with the CBI and ED, will be held responsible. The lion (Lalu) is alone and not weak,” she said.
Asked about her comments on Kumar returning to the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, Bharti, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said, ”You better ask him (Nitish Kumar). I have nothing to say.” According to ED sources, a team of its officials from Delhi reached Patna on Sunday to question the RJD leader in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam.
The central agency had on January 19 issued a fresh summons for questioning Lalu and his son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the case.
The summons notice was handed over by ED to Prasad’s wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi’s residence here. Both were asked to appear before the ED officials on January 29 and 30 respectively.
ECI announces elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states, polls on February 27 11
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 States, the polls for which will be held on February 27. The ECI conveyed the information in a Press Note with the subject “Biennial Elections to the Council of States to fill the seats of members retiring in April 2024.”
As per the official note, the term of office of 56 members of the Council of States elected from 15 states is due to expire on their retirement in April 2024. The highest number of members, i.e. 10, will be retiring from the state of Uttar Pradesh on April 2, 2024, said the press note.
Both Maharashtra and Bihar have 6 members retiring on April 2, 2024. Meanwhile, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh will each have 5 members retiring on the same date. Both Karnataka and Gujarat will witness the retirement of 4 members on April 2, 2024.
According to the press note, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Rajasthan, each have three members retiring. While members from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are retiring on April 2, 2024, the members from Odisha and Rajasthan are retiring on April 3, 2024. Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will each witness the retirement of one member on April 2, 2024.
Nitish Kumar resigns, dumps 'Mahagathbandhan', INDIA bloc; stakes claim to form govt with BJP support 13
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying ”things were not working well” for him in the Mahagathbandhan and the opposition bloc INDIA, and staked claim to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
Talking to reporters here after submitting his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Kumar, who is likely to form a new government by the evening, said: ”I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. The government that was in place now comes to an end. I have let it go”.
At the state BJP headquarters, the party’s in-charge Vinod Tawde said: ”We had gathered here to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat. After the programme. Later a proposal was moved to support the JD(U) and form an NDA government which was unanimously accepted by all MLAs”.
Tawde also said that state BJP president Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha have been named as leader and deputy leader, respectively of the legislature party.
Both leaders, who are tipped to become Deputy Chief Ministers in the new government, thanked the top leadership for the opportunity and vowed to ”protect Bihar from the jungle raj unleashed by Lalu Prasad’s RJD”.
Tawde and Choudhary later visited Kumar’s residence from where they all went to the Raj Bhavan, staking claim to form the new government.
Prasad’s son Tejashwi Yadav was the Deputy CM in the outgoing government and the latter’s elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav was a cabinet minister.
In an apparent dig at Kuma, Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya said the ”garbage has gone into the dustbin”.
”Garbage goes back into the dustbin. Happy stinking garbage to the group”, Acharya posted on ‘X’.
The RJD, despite having the largest number of 79 MLAs in Bihar assembly, including Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, who is the Speaker, seems unwilling to stake claim.
The party seems to have latched on to the opportunity to promote Tejashwi Yadav. Full-page advertisements saying ”Dhanyawad (thank you) Tejashwi” were put out in newspapers here by the party which showered encomiums on the 34-year-old leader for having played his role well since becoming the Deputy CM in August 2022.
The CPI(ML) Liberation, which supported the Mahagathbandhan government from the outside, launched a blistering attack on Kumar, accusing him of ”betrayal”. In an acerbic Facebook post, the party’s general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya alleged that Kumar, ”who has had the longest stint as CM”, will be used by the RSS-BJP combine ”as its pawn”.
The 72-year-old leader indicated that he was not feeling happy with the way things were in the Mahagathbandhan in the state as well as the INDIA bloc that he helped take shape but which failed to adequately recognise his efforts.
”You all know how I came to this alliance and also how I worked to bring together so many parties. But of late things were not working well. It was not going down well with those in my party as well”, said Kumar.
He also made an indirect reference to the deafening silence he had maintained over the political turmoil that had engulfed the state for the past few days.
Kumar resigned after a meeting of the JD(U) legislature party, which authorised him to take any decision about the alliance.
According to the Raj Bhavan, Kumar has been asked to continue as caretaker Chief Minister till the formation of a new government.
The swearing-in is likely to be held in the presence of BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, who is expected to arrive here around 3 p.m.
Kumar had joined the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, when he had snapped ties with the BJP accusing it of trying to ”split” his JD(U). He formed a new government with a multi-party coalition that included RJD, Congress and three Left parties.
In the current 243-member Bihar Assembly, JD(U) has 45 MLAs and the BJP 78. Kumar also has the support of one Independent member. Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha, which is already a part of the NDA, has four MLAs.
The RJD (79) along with the Congress (19) and the Left parties (16) have a combined 114 MLAs, eight short of a majority.
Land for job money laundering case: Court issues summons to Rabri Devi and daughters Misa, Hema 15
The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday issued summons to former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary and other accused in the Land for Job money laundering case. Special Judge Vishal Gogne issued summons to the accused persons after taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court issued a production warrant to produce Amit Katyal on the next date of hearing.
Two firms, namely A K Infosystem and A B Export, have also been accused in this case. Cognizance has been taken against these firms. The next date of hearing is February 9.
While taking cognizance of the charge sheet, the court said that there is sufficient ground to take cognizance. ED had submitted that in 2006-07, AK Infosystem was formed by Amit Katyal and its business was IT data analysis. No real business was done. Instead, several land parcels were bought by the company. One land parcel pertains to the main predicate offence, which is land for a job.
This company was transferred in the name of Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav in 2014 for the consideration of Rs one lakh, ED submitted. Advocate Manish Jain, special public prosecutor (SPP) for the ED submitted that Amit Katyal is only arrested as an accused.
Other accused are Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, AK Infosystem, AB Export, and Hridyanand Chaudhary. On January 9, the ED filed a prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in Land for a job scam money laundering case.
ED has named Bihar’s ex-CM Rabri Devi, her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary, and Amit Katyal. Two firms, AB Export and AK Infosystems, have also been accused. SPP Jain submitted that Amit Katyal was the director of AK Infosystem. Rabri Devi is also accused of a predicate offence in a CBI case. Misa Bharti is accused of the predicate offence. Hridyanand Chaudhary is also accused of a predicate offence and was arrested.
Advocate Manish Jain and Ishan Baisla also submitted that AB Export was supposed to be in the business of export. It was incorporated in 1996. In 2007, Rs five crore came through five companies, and a property in the New Friends colony was purchased. In this case, seven land parcels are involved. Out of these, Rabri, Hema Yadav, and Misa Bharti got land parcels. Later on, they sold out their land parcels.
ED’s Special Public Prosecutors Manish Jain and advocate Ishan Baisla had apprised the court that the Yadav family members are beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime. Katyal has been arrested and is in custody. The other accused persons have been charge-sheeted without arrest.
Katyal’s firm was chargesheeted in the CBI case as well. On November 23, 2023, the Rouse Avenue Court sent businessman Amit Katyal, promoter of AK Infosystems, to judicial custody.
He was arrested by the ED in an alleged land-for-jobs scam case. Katyal is said to be a close aide of former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. The Delhi High Court had refused to quash Enforcement Directorate (ED) proceedings against Amit Katyal, who is accused of engaging in transactions with the family members of former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Earlier, the lawyers for Katyal had submitted the original FIR registered on May 18, 2022, by the CBI, and the period of the transaction was 2004-09. ED registered ECIR on August 16, 2022, in relation to this. The CBI has concluded the investigation, and I am cited as a protected witness. My arrest is illegal and is contrary to Section 19. The lawyer argued for Katyal. According to the ED in March, based on the specific intelligence inputs, searches were conducted at 24 locations at various places in Delhi NCR, Patna, Mumbai, and Ranchi in the Railways Land for Job Scam, which resulted in the recovery of unaccounted cash of Rs 1 crore, foreign currency including USD 1900, 540 gms gold bullion, and more than 1.5 kg of gold jewellery (about Rs 1.25 crores), several other incriminating documents, including various property documents, sale deeds, etc., held in the names of family members and benamidaars, indicating illegal accretion of huge land bank and electronic devices.
Searches resulted in the detection of proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 600 crore at this point in time, which are in the form of immovable properties of Rs 350 crore and transactions of Rs 250 crore routed through various benamidaars, ED stated. According to the ED PMLA investigation conducted so far, several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas were illegally acquired by the family of the then Rail Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in lieu of jobs provided by railways. The current market value of these land parcels is more than Rs 200 crore. In this regard, several benamidars, shell entities, and beneficial owners of these lands have been identified.
Further, investigation under PMLA revealed that the property situated at New Friends Colony, Delhi (an independent 4-story bungalow registered in the name of M/s A B Exports Private Limited, a company owned and controlled by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his family) was shown to have been acquired at a value of mere Rs 4 lakhs, the present market value of which is approximately Rs 150 crore. It is suspected that a huge amount of cash or proceeds from crime has been infused into purchasing this property, and a few Mumbai-based entities dealing in the gems and jewellery sector were used to channel the ill-gotten proceeds of crime in this regard. The property has been, on paper, declared as the offices of M/s A B Exports Private Limited and M/s AK Infosystems Pvt ltd, It is being exclusively used as residential premises by Tejasvi Prasad Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav. During the searches, Tejasvi Prasad Yadav was found to be staying at this house and was found to be using this house as his residential property. An ED investigation has found that four parcels of land acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav for just Rs 7.5 lakhs from poor Group-D applicants were sold to Syed Abu Dojana, ex-RJD MLA, by Mrs. Rabri Devi with huge gains of Rs 3.5 crore in a collusive deal. The ED investigation further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received was transferred to the account of Sh. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.Investigations revealed that, in a similar fashion, lands were taken from several poor parents and candidates in lieu of Group D jobs in the railways. It has been revealed during the investigation that in many railway zones, more than 50 percent of the recruited candidates were from Lalu Yadav families’ constituencies, according to ED.
No implosion in INDIA bloc, but BJP trying its best to do 'mini-implosions' in oppn alliance: Congress 17
The Congress asserted on Saturday that the INDIA bloc is not imploding, even though the BJP is trying its best to do ”mini-implosions” in the opposition alliance.
The remarks came amid reports that Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar may return to the BJP-led NDA.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told a press conference here that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is trying to get in touch with Kumar but the two are have not been able to connect yet.
He said Kharge has been trying to speak with Kumar and his office has responded. But the two are unable to connect due to their pre-occupations, the Congress general secretary said. Ramesh also said that Kharge has already established contact with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and has also written to her.
”I am hopeful that Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar, being co-architects of the opposition alliance, will continue to be part of the INDIA bloc,” Ramesh said.
TMC supremo Banerjee has already announced that her party will fight the Lok Sabha elections ”alone” in West Bengal, and in case, Kumar decides to return to the NDA fold, the opposition united front will take another big hit. Kumar had joined hands with RJD, founded by his former arch-rival Lalu Prasad, in August 2022 after he severed ties with the BJP. The longest-serving CM of Bihar, thereafter, embarked upon a drive to bring together all parties across the country to take on the BJP that culminated in the formation of the opposition bloc INDIA.
BJP will form government in Bihar in 2025, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh 19
Amid speculations that Nitish Kumar is poised to side with the BJP again, Union Minister Giriraj Singh referred to the Bihar Chief Minister as a “restless soul” while emphatically stating that the BJP will form the new governemnt in the state in 2025. “We will form government in Bihar in 2025. People of Bihar will vote for BJP in Lok Sabha in 2024, and in Bihar in 2025. I am just observing what’s going on in the state…” Singh said.
On being queried about JD(U) leader parting ways with the BJP in 2022 to form the grand alliance government in Bihar comprising RJD, JD(U), Congress, and three Left parties Giriraj Singh said, “he is a restless soul.” The Union Minister also said that BJP has no role in the current political development between RJD and JD(U).
“BJP is definitely keeping an eye on the political activities happening. Now whatever answer has to be given has to be given by Lalu Yadav, RJD, Tejashwi Yadav, or Nitish Kumar. Neither Lalu Yadav has just said that we have left, nor Nitish Kumar has said that he will leave. What can the Bharatiya Janata Party say in this? We are the main party over here, so BJP has seriously monitored the activities that are happening, but BJP has no role at all in whatever is happening,” said Giriraj Singh. Talking about the reasons for the possible splot between RJD and JD(U), he said, “Lalu Yadav will know about this, or Nitish Kumar will know.”
However, he said that in his opinion, Lalu Yadav prioritising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over Nitish Kumar during the INDIA bloc meeting in Patna started the rift between their two parties. He further alleged that Nitish Kumar had left the BJP because he wanted to run for Prime Minister but he did not get that support from Lalu Yadav.
“Nitish Kumar split from BJP as he wanted to become the Prime Minister, but Lalu Yadav was the biggest obstacle in this as he never promoted him but Rahul Gandhi,” said Giriraj Singh. Meanwhile, BJP Chief Whip Bihar Legislative Council, Dilip Jaiswal, “Anything is possible in politics. We can consider any formula or factor to ensure that the country gets a strong government under the leadership of Narendra Modi in 2024…If Nitish ji thinks that not Mahagathbandhan, but the country should get a new govt under PM Modi, then BJP’s doors are open for such people even till a day before the elections…There is no Lalan Singh or Ashok Choudhary factor…”
Earlier in the day, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha rubbished as “mere rumours “claims of a split in the Mahaghatbandhan alliance in the state. “All this is a rumour. And the restlessness that has arisen due to this rumour can only be taken care of by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. I have not received any response from him yet,” Jha said, speaking to ANI on Saturday.
Jha said that Bihar is a hot topic for the entire country, and he does not see any rift between the Janata Dal United and the RJD. Meanwhile, RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the Nitish-Tejashwi government is working strongly in Bihar, but no one can guarantee what will happen in the future.
“The Nitish-Tejashwi government is working strongly in Bihar, and it will continue to do so. How can we know what happens in the future? The way the Rashtriya Janata Dal and our leaders have fought in politics is known to everyone. Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejaswi Yadav, and Rashtriya Janata Dal are known for their struggles. Our party and leaders are committed to the public. This government is working for the benefit of Bihar,” Tiwari said, speaking to ANI on Saturday. There are speculations that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may cross over to the NDA again, an alliance he left in 2022 to join hands with the opposition and form ‘Mahagathbandhan’.
It all started when former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya took a swipe at RJD’s ruling ally, JDU, on ‘X’, posting that while the ‘socialist party’ (JDU) styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns, a statement that triggered cracks within the ruling alliance. If Nitish crosses over, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides. In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP’s 78; the JD(U)’s 45, the Congress’s 19, the CPI (M-L)’s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s four seats, and the AIMIM’s one, plus one Independent legislator.
