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Time of India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
JD(U)-BJP 'conspiring' to get Tejashwi 'murdered': Rabri Devi
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Friday alleged that the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine had hatched a "conspiracy" to "murder" her son Tejashwi Yadav ahead of assembly exclusively to PTI-video, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council also claimed that attempts have been made on the life of the young leader in the past, "at least two, three or four times".Rabri Devi was asked about incidents inside the assembly a day ago, where some members from the ruling side had charged at Yadav, who is the leader of the opposition in the lower doting mother replied, "There is an attempt to murder Tejashwi. So many killings are taking place in Bihar, let there be one more. Who else, but the JD(U)-BJP is involved in this conspiracy. They want him bumped off so that he is not around to challenge them in elections".She added, "There have been attempts on Tejashwi's life in the past, for about two, three or four times. Once a truck had tried to run over his vehicle".Yadav, a former Deputy CM, is expected to lead the INDIA bloc charge in the upcoming Devi was also asked about the outbursts, inside the House, of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar , who had taken exception to opposition legislators turning up in black clothes, as a mark of protest against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The homemaker turned politician replied, "Nitish Kumar seems to be provoked by black clothes just like a bull begins to charge upon seeing red colour. What wrong did we do inside the House? The proceedings have been recorded. School children were sitting in the viewers' gallery. I dare the government to prove any misconduct on our part."The ex-CM had reached the House on the last day of the monsoon session, determined to put the government on the she had staged a demonstration, joined by other opposition MLCs, at the gate of the Vidhan Parishad. Slogans were raised against the special intensive revision and the conduct of NDA leaders in the assembly on the previous RJD leader got irked when journalists asked her about the claim of Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who had on Thursday put the blame of pandemonium inside the assembly squarely on opposition MLAs led by Tejashwi shot back, "Do not ask me about Samrat Choudhary. I have known him since he was a child. He has been a goon and used to harass girls in Boring Road locality of the city. Let us not speak much about those in the JD(U)-BJP combine. They are like vermin (naali ke keede)".Choudhary, a former state president of the BJP, had begun his political career in the 1990s as a minister in Rabri Devi's Vijay Kumar Sinha, another Deputy CM and a veteran BJP leader, was asked about Rabri Devi's tirade, he responded sarcastically, "The RJD is equated with jungle raj and, therefore, they have good knowledge of who is a goon and who is not"."We, in the BJP, believe in taking all people along in the greater interests of the society and reform those who may have been led astray in the past. As for the type of language used by her, one does not expect anything from the RJD people", added Ashok Choudhary, a senior JD(U) leader and minister, was asked about Rabri Devi's fulminations, he said, "She should be ashamed of using such foul language. I would pray to God that she gets some good sense (sadbuddhi)". PTI
The Print
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Free electricity to pensions, welfarism race in poll-bound Bihar as Nitish & Tejashwi vie for credit
Not only did it rob the intended impact and blunt the government's political messaging, the leak also derailed the momentum of JD(U)-BJP spokespersons on national television, just as they were preparing to highlight the direct benefits and social guarantees introduced by the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The government was forced to rebut the news. The details of the electricity subsidy were prematurely leaked to the press, well before its announcement by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). At that time, the proposal was in mid-finalisation when the news broke out. Patna: Last week, just as the Nitish Kumar government was about to unveil one of its flagship welfare schemes, the 'free electricity' proposal, the plan was upended in a dramatic twist in poll-bound Bihar. Finally, on 17 July, Nitish officially announced the much-awaited scheme. 'Starting 1 August, 2025, that is, from the electricity bill for July, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay for up to 125 units of electricity. This move will benefit around 1.67 crore households across Bihar,' the CM wrote on X. Once again, Nitish is now at the centre of criticism, particularly from Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which quickly claimed credit for the policy. The opposition party linked the scheme to Tejashwi's pre-election manifesto, where he promised 200 units of free electricity to every household. Tejashwi had floated the promise of 200 units of free electricity per household way back in September 2024, which soon became central to his welfare pitch. From that same platform in Patna, he vowed to put pressure on the government to reduce energy costs even before elections. The former Bihar deputy chief minister also criticized the NDA's power policies, highlighting sky-high tariffs and the smart prepaid meter billing system, which he dubbed as 'smart cheaters.' 'Tejashwi Yadav promised Rs 1,500 pension, Nitish Kumar countered it with Rs 1,100. Tejashwi promised 200 units of free electricity, and Nitish Kumar announced 125. It's clear the Nitish government is simply copy-pasting Tejashwi's ideas,' said RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari. 'Let's not forget, the CM himself had opposed the very concept of free electricity in the Vidhan Sabha, citing fiscal responsibility and safety concerns,' he said, attributing credit for the larger welfare schemes to Tejashwi Yadav. As the welfarism race intensifies, Patna's streets have become the battleground for political claims and counterclaims. Posters bearing Tejashwi's manifesto, promising free electricity, expanded pensions, and youth-driven reforms, dominated the landscape of the state capital. But, the focus has since then shifted to the posters and cutouts of Nitish and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flanked by banners declaring promises fulfilled and promises for the next term. On Friday, Modi laid the foundation stone for developmental projects worth Rs 7,200 crore in the state where the polls are due before the end of November. Rebranded, reframed When the JD(U)-BJP alliance found itself losing control of the welfare narrative, the state government quickly rebranded and reframed the proposal for free electricity. According to political experts, insiders in the two ruling parties, the challenge wasn't just to roll out the free electricity scheme, but was doing so without explicitly naming it, as Nitish has long been seen as a critic of populist giveaways, especially during election cycles. Through the CM's official X handle, the scheme was repositioned not as a social welfare, but as an expansion of the Mukhyamantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayata Yojna, offering 125 units free to all domestic consumers. The policy is set to cover 1.86 crore households for a year. In doing so, the eastern state became the latest entrant in the growing list of states offering subsidised or free electricity, such as Delhi (200 units), Punjab (300 units), Himachal Pradesh (125 units), Jharkhand (125 units), and West Bengal (75 units). It is another fact that electricity subsidies are not new in Bihar. For example, during the 2024–25 fiscal year alone, the state disbursed Rs 15,995 crore in electricity subsidies. Other than this, Nitish's welfare playbook also includes 35 percent job reservation for women, 1 crore jobs by 2030, social security pension hikes (increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100), creation of a Youth Commission, and festive-season bus services for migrants during Chhath and Diwali. 'Wait for them to announce Rs 2,000 for women again, copying from Tejashwi's Mai Bahin Maan Yojna, which promises Rs 2,500,' RJD spokesperson Tiwari said. BJP OBC Morcha national general secretary Nikhil Anand countered the RJD's narrative. 'The RJD-Congress alliance appears visibly frustrated, with Tejashwi Yadav trying to claim credit for decisions he had no hand in. The reality is, RJD hasn't delivered any historic welfare schemes—either independently or during its time in government,' he said. Also Read: Patna University Students Union is now run by women. ABVP prez calls it arts students' lab Target of 1.86 crore consumers On paper, the Nitish Kumar government tactfully refrains from calling it a 'free electricity scheme' and presents it as an incentive to promote solar energy in the state. BJP's Nikhil Anand maintains that it's a step toward improving the lives of socially disadvantaged sections. 'Whether it's raising the social security pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 or providing 125 units of free electricity, the NDA government in Bihar has consistently delivered rapid development and meaningful progress in social security and justice,' he emphasised. Presented as the Mukhyamantri Upbhokta Sahayata Yojana, the scheme combines power subsidies with a renewed push for solar energy installations. A budget of Rs 3,797 crore has been sanctioned for this expansion. Bihar has 2.16 crore electricity consumers, of which 1.86 crore are domestic users. Out of the 1.86 crore domestic users, 1.67 crore households consume less than 125 units a month. Under the new scheme, this chunk, which covers almost 90 percent of domestic consumers, both rural and urban, will now have to pay power bills. Starting July, and continuing for a full year, the government will foot the bill under a newly expanded welfare scheme. Between July 2025 and March 2026, the state will bear a total cost of Rs 19,792 crore for this purpose. Parallel to the subsidy, under Bihar's flagship solar programme Jyoti Kutir, rooftop and public space solar panels will be installed free of cost for 58 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. हमलोग शुरू से ही सस्ती दरों पर सभी को बिजली उपलब्ध करा रहे हैं। अब हमने तय कर दिया है कि 1 अगस्त, 2025 से यानी जुलाई माह के बिल से ही राज्य के सभी घरेलू उपभोक्ताओं को 125 यूनिट तक बिजली का कोई पैसा नहीं देना पड़ेगा। इससे राज्य के कुल 1 करोड़ 67 लाख परिवारों को लाभ होगा। हमने यह… — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) July 17, 2025 'Under the Kutir Jyoti Yojna, the state government will cover the full cost of solar installations for extremely poor families and will also provide appropriate support to others. As a result, domestic consumers will not incur any cost for up to 125 units of electricity, and over the next three years, the state is expected to generate approximately 10,000 megawatts of solar power,' Nitish posted on X. So far, 12,000 government buildings have already been covered under Jyoti Kutir, generating 110 MW of solar power capacity in Bihar. CM's bouquet of offers In the final leg before elections, Nitish has aggressively announced and unveiled dozens of welfare and infrastructure schemes. The government has announced a Rs 105.82 crore plan to deploy 299 interstate buses, aimed at easing festive-season travel for migrants returning from across the country. This includes 75 air-conditioned buses and 74 deluxe coaches, along with 150 additional AC buses operating under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The CM has also announced a 35 percent horizontal reservation for women who are permanent residents of the state, across all levels and categories of government employment. He has already transferred Rs 1,227.27 crore to over 1.11 crore beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). In the second week of July, the state cabinet approved the formation of a Bihar Youth Commission, a statutory body tasked with coordinating skill-building, employment, and leadership programmes for the youth. In the politically conscious Bihar, many recalled that Tejashwi, at the Chatra Yuva Sansad event in Patna on 26 June, had publicly vowed to establish a Youth Commission if the Mahagathbandhan came to power. Now that the Nitish Kumar government has been rolling out welfare announcements—pension hikes, job guarantees, and a rebranded electricity subsidy, the RJD sharpened its attacks on the JD(U)-BJP alliance. 'If they announce identical benefits such as 200 units of free electricity or Rs 1,500 pension, they would have to admit it was Tejashwi's idea first. So instead, they tweak the numbers to make it look like their own original proposals,' said RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari. 'Nitish Kumar mocked our leader, asking if he would fund 10 lakh jobs from his pocket or jail. But when Tejashwi showed how to get it done, Nitish turned around and announced one crore jobs.' Beyond welfare schemes, the Opposition is also layering its campaign with 'Bihari Pride,' accusing the ruling NDA of enabling Delhi's proxy governance in Patna. 'Who gave this idea to Nitish Kumar, and how come it was approved when he was fundamentally opposed to such freebies? Tejashwi ji has consistently said that the CM is unwell and that a proxy government is running the show,' Tiwari alleged. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Fear of criminals and cops—Bihar traders say 'it's jungle raj', want Yogi-style justice
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM applauds Modi for nationwide caste census
Patna: CM on Friday profusely thanked for approving a nationwide caste census, a long-standing demand of his party, the JD(U). "I express my gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for the decision to conduct a caste census. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is a very important decision. We were the ones who previously raised this demand. I request all the people here to stand up for a round of applause for the PM," Nitish said while addressing a public rally in Bikramganj, ahead of Modi's speech. Taking a veiled swipe at the Congress-led opposition, he said, "Some parties are now talking absurd about the caste census. While in power, they had an opportunity which they wasted." Without naming former chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Nitish said, "The govts before Nov 24, 2005, did not work in the state. The JD(U)-BJP govt has done a lot for the development of Bihar." Pointing to the participation of women at the rally, Nitish said, "Today, so many women are visible in this rally; previous govts did nothing for women. Since we came to power, we have worked for everyone. We are committed to the development of Bihar, and work is progressing rapidly." He cited achievements in education and healthcare, large-scale road and bridge construction, and affirmative action for women. "We have provided 50% reservation for women in elections for panchayati raj and urban local bodies. At least 35% reservation has been given to women in state govt jobs. Now, women are pursuing education more and advancing significantly. Many good initiatives are being undertaken for women," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier, welcoming Modi to the stage, Nitish said, "It is a matter of great happiness that the PM has arrived at Bikramganj today. First and foremost, I extend a warm welcome and greetings to him. I also extend my greetings to the governor of Bihar, the Union ministers, the deputy chief ministers and ministers of Bihar and all the attendees of the event." He said the PM would inaugurate two road projects, launch three rail projects and lay the foundation for four others, including schemes in power generation, road and bridge construction. "The total cost of these projects exceeds Rs 48,500 crore. Bihar will greatly benefit after the completion of these projects. The work you are about to undertake will benefit Bihar, and for this, I sincerely thank the PM," he added.
