Amid tensions betwen BJP and Shinde's Sena, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis invites Uddhav to join govt
With the term of Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and leader of Opposition Ambadas Danave coming to an end, Fadnavis, Shinde and Thackeray delivered speeches.
Thackeray praised Danave, saying he has worked hard and earned a good name for himself and the party as well. He said that Danave will come again to power, without changing his party, but as part of the Shiv Sena (UBT) only.
'We are sure that in 2029, the positions in the House -- the treasury benches and opposition -- will be exchanged. We will be in power while the people who are in power will sit in opposition,' Thackeray said.
In response to Thackeray's remark, chief minister Fadnavis quickly said, 'Uddhav ji, there is no scope for the exchange of positions in 2029 as well. But there is one scope that can be explored. You can join our treasury benches and shift your sitting position. We can talk about this later separately,' he said, adding that the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is still a friendly party.
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Indian Express
24 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Nitish to Tejashwi, BJP to Congress, why jobs have become theme song of Bihar polls
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In Bihar, unemployment is no longer a statistical matter. For it seems to have now become a key issue of public discourse, a rallying cry in campaigns, a prism through which both performances and promises of various parties are seen. The RJD's messaging has remained consistent. The party's social media posts have been centred on Tejashwi's pitch for 'work, jobs, employment, policy, and development'. The RJD has made a raft of poll pledges: 10 lakh government jobs, an unemployment allowance, a Youth Commission, and a domicile-based job policy for the Bihari youth. Beneath these big promises lies a clear strategy: to frame the state's long-standing job and migration crisis and lack of industrialisation as a 'direct consequences of NDA misrule' — and position the RJD as the force that would 'stem migration by generating jobs at home'. 'Our youth will no more migrate in search of jobs,' Tejashwi said last month. 'No Bihari will need to leave the state for employment under the RJD rule.' Nitish has sought to counter the Opposition's campaign through various moves. In June alone, he has unveiled various programmes for youth empowerment. On July 2, he launched the CM-PRAATYAY scheme, offering stipends ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 to one lakh interns across Bihar. A week later, the Nitish-led NDA Cabinet approved the creation of the Bihar Youth Commission, which is tasked with prioritising local hiring, suggesting employment reforms, and combating substance abuse. Nitish has also ramped up his government's employment targets. 'By August 2025, we will have provided 12 lakh government jobs and 38 lakh other employment opportunities,' he claimed on July 13. 'And from 2025 to 2030, we're aiming for one crore more.' A high-level committee is being formed for this proposal to be driven by both the government and the private sector. As part of of this exercise, the government is pushing for skill development, even proposing Jananayak Karpuri Thakur Skill University, named after the socialist icon and ex-CM. The JD(U) is trying to build a narrative that the party has not only been generating government jobs but also creating 'an ecosystem for both public and private sector employment opportunities'. Also, the Nitish government is trying to attract investments through Bihar's Industrial Investment Promotion Policy. Since its announcement in 2016, the policy has resulted in getting over 3,800 investment proposals, of which over 3000 are at various stages of approval and operation, government sources said. As of December 2024, 780 industrial units were operational, employing about 34,000 people. The state has a land bank of over 3,000 acres and is acquiring more land. Plug-and-play industrial sheds cover 2.4 million square feet, ready for immediate use. Nitish has also been busy inaugurating new industrial units ahead of the polls. While several observers argue that the Nitish government's industrial policy has fallen short of its promise for transformation, citing the modest job numbers, Bihar's Industry secretary Mihir Kumar Singh said the state has received proposals worth Rs1.81 lakh crore of which Rs 84,000 crore worth investments have been 'committed'. Big-ticket investors like Adani, Ambuja Cements and Coca-Cola are also investing in the state. Earlier this month, the Nitish government unveiled its Renewable Energy Policy 2025, which aims to make Bihar a leading state in renewable energy production, while also promising to generate 1.25 lakh jobs. However, the Opposition has remained unimpressed. The RJD has dubbed these announcements a case of 'copycat governance', accusing the NDA of lifting its proposals after '17 years of inertia'. 'Bihar's youth want jobs, not government drama,' Tejashwi said. 'We won't let the youth waste their prime years any more.' RJD MP Sudhakar Singh said the people would not believe in the NDA's promises. 'They (NDA) have delivered nothing on the job front in the past 20 years. The RJD can make jobs an election issue, the NDA cannot,' he claimed. JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, however, said people's trust in Nitish is based on his track record. 'Even though between 2005 and 2014 we had an adversary (UPA government) at the Centre, we created eight lakh jobs. In the past five years we have given 12 lakh jobs and created 39 lakh employment opportunities. Now we are promising 1 crore jobs. These are not announcements made out of thin air. Nitish Kumar never makes an announcement without a robust plan behind it. We are doing whatever it takes to make Bihar a developed state,' Prasad said, claiming how Nitish has 'delivered on all his promises — from law and order to women empowerment'. 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The Hindu
24 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP persecuting Bengali speakers in Assam claims Mamata Banerjee; Himanta Biswa Sarma hits back
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New Indian Express
38 minutes ago
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'Divisive agenda of Assam BJP crossed all limits,' says Mamata; Himanta accuses Bengal CM of 'appeasement' politics
KOLKATA: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the BJP is the only party that "protects Bengali 'ashmita' (pride)", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday slammed the BJP government in Assam for "threatening" Bengali-speaking people in the northeastern state, who want to "peacefully coexist, respecting all languages and religions." Refuting the allegation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Banerjee of "encouraging illegal encroachment" by a particular community and "appeasing" the religious community for vote banks. Taking to X on Saturday, Banerjee said, "The second most spoken language in the country, Bangla, is also the second most spoken language of Assam. To threaten citizens, who want to coexist peacefully respecting all languages and religions, with persecution for upholding their own mother tongue is discriminatory and unconstitutional." Accusing the BJP of employing "divisive agenda" in Assam, Banerjee said the BJP has "crossed all limits" and the people will fight back. She added, "I stand with every fearless citizen who is fighting for the dignity of their language and identity, and their democratic rights."
