Latest news with #ChiragPaswan
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Chirag fires salvo at Nitish before joining Bihar politics
PATNA: On the verge of joining Bihar politics, Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday fired a salvo at the Nitish Kumar government over a young girl's death after she was deprived of immediate treatment at a government hospital in Patna. In a letter to the chief minister, Paswan said the incident reflected poorly on the government's inadequate health infrastructure. The girl, who hailed from Muzaffarpur district, waited for hours in an ambulance at the government-run Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and died because of delayed treatment. The victim's family alleged hospital indifference caused her death. Paswan said, 'The heart-rending incident of Dalit girl's rape and murder exposes the failure of Bihar's law and order, social awareness and public health.' Paswan's letter comes amid reports that he may formally announce his intention to contest the Assembly elections at a public rally in Ara, Bhojpur district, next week. His letter is significant, given that the assembly elections are a few months away and Chirag's LJP(RV) and Nitish's JD(U) are constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
NDTV
2 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Chirag Paswan's Poll Message In Letter To Nitish Kumar On Bihar Rape-Murder
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Union Minister Chirag Paswan criticised Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over the Muzaffarpur rape-murder case, highlighting failures in law and health systems. With assembly polls approaching, his remarks may signal political maneuvering within the ruling coalition. New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan has written to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also a BJP ally, on the Muzaffarpur rape-murder case, raising serious questions on the state's law and order situation and public health infrastructure. This letter assumes significance when seen against the political backdrop. Assembly polls in Bihar are due later this year, and Mr Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Mr Kumar's JDU are key players in the state. Also, despite the two leaders' show of bonhomie in recent times, their bitter rivalry in the past has not been forgotten. Mr Paswan has referred to the gruesome rape-murder of a nine-year-old Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur and said the heart-rending incident exposes the failure of Bihar's law and order, social awareness and public health. Union Minister Chirag Paswan writes to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar demanding strict action in the Muzaffarpur Dalit girl gangrape-murder case "All the rapists involved in this heinous crime should be arrested immediately and given the harshest punishment. A high-level judicial inquiry… — ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2025 The nine-year-old, whose throat was slit, was first admitted to a hospital in Muzaffarpur and then rushed to Patna. It is alleged that she had to wait hours for a bed at Patna Medical College and Hospital, Bihar's largest healthcare centre. The next day, she died. While her family has accused hospital authorities of negligence, the hospital administration has rejected these allegations. Mr Paswan has written that the victim had to wait for six hours to be admitted to the hospital. He says the doctors and administrative staff of the hospital are as guilty as the accused in the heinous crime. "They did not provide urgent treatment and lost precious time. This is not just negligence, but a crime against humanity," he wrote. The 42-year-old leader, who is Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, leads the LJP (Ram Vilas) and made headlines when his party won all five seats it contested during the Lok Sabha polls last year. Recently, he announced his intention to contest the upcoming state polls, prompting a buzz in Bihar's political circles. Mr Paswan said his party's representatives met the victim's family and assured them justice. "But justice will be incomplete and unacceptable unless the guilty face strict and transparent action on the administrative level," he said, demanding tough action against the accused and an inquiry against the healthcare staff. "This incident is not just a death. It has become a symbol of the failure of our social system and a failure of our constitutional responsibility. If the administration stays silent, this silence will become the biggest crime," he said. Coming months ahead of the Assembly polls, the rape-murder has raised a political storm in Bihar. Opposition RJD and Congress have gone all-out against the Nitish Kumar government and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Mangal Pandey. While the accused has been arrested, a probe has been ordered into what happened at PMCH. The ruling coalition of JDU and BJP has accused the Opposition of politicising the case. Against this backdrop, Mr Paswan's strong remarks are being seen as political posturing in the election season. An NDA ally that can brag of 100 per cent strike rate during the last Lok Sabha election, LJP (Ram Vilas) appears to have made a calculated move to pressure the BJP as NDA partners negotiate seat-sharing for the state polls.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Prashant Kishor slapped with defamation suit by Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary filed a defamation suit against Prashant Kishor for alleging he bribed Chirag Paswan to secure a Lok Sabha ticket for his daughter. Choudhary demands Kishor prove the bribery claim or apologize, vowing to pursue the matter to the Supreme Court if necessary. He criticized Kishor as a 'political trader' unable to accept his daughter's success. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Bihar minister and senior JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday filed a defamation suit against Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor for alleging that he had bribed Union minister Chirag Paswan to secure a Lok Sabha ticket for his whose daughter Shambhavi is Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP from the reserved constituency of Samastipur, spoke to journalists at the civil court."After Prashant Kishor made objectionable remarks against my daughter and me, I sent him a legal notice, to which his reply was unsatisfactory. He clearly has no regret for what he had said," the JD(U) national general secretary said."I have therefore taken recourse to legal remedy. I challenge Prashant Kishor to prove that I had paid money to Chirag Paswan or withdraw his allegations with an apology. I am determined to take this fight to the Supreme Court, if the need arises," he described Kishor, a former poll strategist who had been briefly associated with the JD(U), as "a political trader, who has offered his services to parties of all hues for a fee"."In contrast, we are purely in politics. I am myself a second-generation politician. My daughter is the youngest MP. Prashant Kishor is unable to digest this feat of a Dalit girl," alleged Choudhary, a key aide of Chief Minister Nitish late father Mahavir Choudhary had been a minister when the state was ruled by the who has been digging in his heels since Choudhary threatened him with legal action, was not immediately available for comments on the latest development.
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Chirag Paswan's Bihar Gambit: Start By Asking For 45 Seats, Deputy CM 'Dream' In The Long Run?
Last Updated: Sources said LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan is serious about the Bihar assembly polls and is likely to contest from a general seat rather than a traditionally reserved seat The BJP may have made it clear that Nitish Kumar will be chief minister if they win the Bihar assembly election – regardless of the numbers – but Chirag Paswan's desire to leave Delhi and return to state politics is being seen in many quarters as a challenge to the JD(U) leader. Union minister Chirag Paswan, the leader of NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has been 'positioning" himself to ask for a better share of seats, 45 to be precise, reliable sources told News18. 'Chirag Paswan is aware of the sanctity of an endorsement (of Nitish Kumar) by someone like that of Amit Shah (in the Gopalganj rally). He is not in that race (to become CM), let me be very clear about that. But does he want his party to have a fair deal this election and grow bigger? Yes," said a source on condition of anonymity. Chirag on Monday expressed his intention to contest the assembly election. 'I don't see myself in central politics for too long. My reason for entering politics was Bihar and the people of Bihar. I want to take forward my vision of 'Bihar First, Bihari First'," he said. 'Sometimes, when national leaders contest state elections, it does help the party grow. If my participation helps the alliance and strengthens the NDA's position in Bihar, I will contest," he added. According to sources, Chirag is serious about the election and his party MP Arun Bharti, who is also his brother-in-law, told the media that rather than contesting from a traditionally reserved seat, he will fight from a general seat given he 'represents every segment of society". Sources in LJP (Ram Vilas) said even before their leader's announcement, a quiet audit was being conducted by third parties to find the seat that will ensure a bumper win for him, while also translating into a big help for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Having won from a reserved seat like Jamui and Hajipur (his father Ram Vilas Paswan contested from this seat, which became a bone of contention with his uncle at one point), the Union minister is focused on a general seat like Nawada. 'He will be fighting from Nawada, this Bihar election. It is confirmed," Bharti told News18. The seat has 70,000 Bhumihars, 55,000 Yadavs, 50,000 SC/ST voters and 30,000 each Kushwaha and Muslim voters. It is a mixed constituency that will help him emerge as a face defying Bihar's caste considerations, said people close to him. 'Every alliance leader has the right to operate their party the way they wish to operate. I don't think we need to comment upon it," Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal told News18 in a brief statement, when asked to react to Chirag's intentions. But, why this aggressive push now and can he get 45 seats? Those close to Chirag insisted that he has reason to believe that Nitish Kumar's health may not allow him to complete a full term if the NDA returns to power. In such a scenario, he will have a chance to claim the deputy chief minister's post. At present, he commands a 6 per cent vote share and hopes to increase the bar this time, which is why he wants to bargain hard for 45 seats. Reacting to the seat count, however, a BJP source told News18 that 'we will cross the bridge when it comes". 'It's any alliance partner's right to demand. Last year, after the BJP and JD(U) seat-sharing was done, the BJP had to accommodate smaller allies like the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), led by Mukesh Sahni, from its own quota. Where is the scope? But yes, our leaders will sit with an open mind when the time is right," the source said. In the 2020 election, the JD(U) contested 115 seats but won only 43. The BJP, meanwhile, won 71 out of 110 seats it contested while the HAM won four of seven seats. Vikaasheel Insaan Party won four of the 11 it contested, taking the NDA's score to 125. The LJP, which was part of the NDA, had quit the alliance before the election while the RLSP was also not part of the alliance. First Published: June 03, 2025, 08:30 IST
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Chirag Paswan: Ready to contest Bihar polls if it boosts LJP's strike rate
NEW DELHI: In what can further stir the already roiled Bihar political waters, Union minister Chirag Paswan has said that he was open to contesting the forthcoming assembly elections if that helps his party and improves its "strike rate". "BJP has tried this strategy many times by fielding MPs in state polls and have got its benefit. If my candidature strengthens my party's position and my strike rate increases - we had a 100% strike rate in the 2024 LS polls - I would like my strike rate to be good in the seats where my party and the alliance will be contesting," Paswan said in a video clip that he reposted on his X handle. The LJP neta said that he didn't see himself being confined to central politics for long, adding that his desire to improve conditions in Bihar and people there was the sole reason why he joined politics. "I have my vision of Bihar first, Bihari first. I want my state to stand at par with developed states. After becoming an MP for third time, I realised it may not be possible (to work for Bihar) by staying in Delhi," he added.
