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Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Nitish swings, Rahul sinks, Tejaswi thinks — Bihar blinks
Bihar—once the land of monasteries and now the crucible of caste arithmetic and coalition chaos—is gearing up like a chessboard for the high-stakes 2025 Assembly elections. Every district, every demographic, and every caste bloc are under scrutiny as parties strategise for what is shaping up to be a crucial political showdown. These elections are pivotal not just for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress but also for the crumbling remnants of the so-called INDIA alliance. The latter, plagued by cracks and competing egos, has already begun showing signs of collapse. While AAP has severed ties, left parties stated that Rahul (Gandhi) was still immature and cannot hold the bloc together. Bihar will not just decide the fate of alliances—it will test the relevance of legacies. At the heart of this election stands Nitish Kumar, the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar and the chief of Janata Dal (United). While JD(U)'s popularity has waned, the 'Nitish brand' still resonates—especially among the Kurmi community and certain EBC (Extremely Backward Classes) segments. But his age, health, and repeated political somersaults have become talking points for both the media and the opposition. Questions about his succession plan and staying in power are more relevant than ever. Meanwhile, the BJP is aggressively trying to reclaim lost ground. Though it lacks a charismatic chief ministerial face, the party is banking on its core Hindutva base, support from upper castes (notably Bhumihars and Rajputs), outreach to Pasmanda Muslims, and the patriotic afterglow of Operation Sindhoor. The operation—India's swift and precise airstrike retaliation—continues to be a talking point in their campaign. Yet, without a mass-appeal CM face, BJP's road to Patna remains riddled with uncertainty. On the other side, Tejashwi Yadav's RJD sees an opportunity. Buoyed by the youth and the marginalised, Tejashwi has sharpened the party's focus on job creation and social justice. The party hopes to convert the Muslim-Yadav vote bank into a winning formula. But the challenge remains—how far can it stretch its appeal beyond that loyal core? Without significant inroads into Dalit and non-Yadav OBC segments, RJD risks capping its growth. Let's not forget the battlegrounds. Mithila—The BJP-JD(U) stronghold: The culturally rich Mithilanchal region, anchored by Maithili Brahmins and Bhumihars, is a traditional BJP-JD(U) bastion. Despite chronic issues like floods, unemployment, and out-migration, it holds over 100 assembly seats—making it one of the most electorally decisive zones. Mahagathbandhan's seat arithmetic: In the 2020 elections, RJD won 75 of the 243 Assembly seats, contesting 144. The Congress fared poorly and won only 19 of the 70 it contested. Ironically, CPI(ML) emerged with the best strike rate, bagging 12 of 19. Whether they can retain this momentum remains to be seen. Now, as seat-sharing negotiations begin again, the fault lines are visible. The Congress wants to replicate its 2020 tally by contesting 70 seats, but the RJD is reportedly unwilling to offer more than 50-55. Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is demanding 12 seats in return for its 2024 favour to RJD in Jharkhand—a political barter that exposes the transactional nature of these 'alliances.' The fringe players and X-factors: The fray is further crowded by players like Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Prashant Kishore's Jan Suraaj, AIMIM, CPI(ML), and AAP. Jan Suraaj, while creating buzz, is unlikely to win more than 10 seats. AIMIM and AAP, contesting independently, may not win big but could dent vote shares across blocs and scramble existing equations. The unique aspect of Bihar politics remains its deeply regional and caste-driven nature. Here, personalities are secondary. Caste is king. Alliances may crack, leaders may change, but social coalitions remain decisive. Congress: Confused and combative: Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, seems stuck in a rhetorical loop. His record keeps skipping—be it his obsession with 'election Chori' in Maharashtra or now in Bihar, where he alleges manipulation under the guise of the Election Commission's voter list revision. About 61 lakh voters were flagged, and instead of engaging constructively, Rahul and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav cry foul, claiming disenfranchisement of the poor. He is even threatening the EC but fails to produce the proof. Its high time he ends this drama. Then there's his bizarre take on Operation Sindhoor. Rahul's line that the operation can't be called a success because it is 'still ongoing' is as absurd as it is desperate. He conveniently forgets that India flattened terror launchpads in 21 minutes, rendered enemy airbases non-functional, and exposed the failure of Pakistan's Shaheen-III missile—while India's Agni missiles struck targets with surgical precision. Rahul's credibility took another hit when he echoed Donald Trump's delusional claim—repeated over 25 times—that he 'brokered peace' between India and Pakistan. Trump, lest we forget, also promoted an AI-generated video falsely showing Barack Obama being arrested. That's the kind of leader Rahul Gandhi chooses to believe. In Parliament, the Congress now seems to be searching for a bahana (excuse) to explain its looming electoral defeat. From protesting Operation Sindhoor to creating noise over Vice- President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation—amid rumours that he drifted towards the Congress after the no-confidence motion and which allegedly prompted the government to demand his resignation or threaten dismissal—the party's actions reek of confusion. Meanwhile, it appears to have forgotten a key political reality: in Bihar, it remains a junior partner with steadily declining influence, especially among upper castes, Muslims, and Dalits in districts like Kishanganj, Supaul, and Katihar. In the volatile Kosi and Anga regions—especially Saharsa, Madhepura, and Bhagalpur—unpredictable caste dynamics could favour the RJD. These zones are traditionally swing regions and will be closely watched. This election is not just about governance. It's about reclaiming lost relevance, stitching (or severing) alliances and redefining Bihar's future. The battle will be fought not merely in rallies or manifestos but across caste corridors, flood-prone towns, backward blocks, and shifting political sands. What remains constant is Bihar's ability to surprise, to resist predictability, and to defy national narratives. And that, perhaps, is its truest political character. (The author is former Chief Editor of The Hans India)
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mosque meeting row: Unlike BJP, SP stands with all, says Akhilesh
1 2 Lucknow: Hitting out at the BJP for trying to whip up a controversy over his meeting inside a mosque near the Parliament House, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said he and his party stand with every faith that unites. "Since BJP is against uniting people, it will oppose our move," he said. The BJP had attacked the SP accusing party chief Akhilesh Yadav of holding "a political meeting" inside a mosque near Parliament complex and took on Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav for her attire after photographs of their visit to the mosque surfaced on Wednesday. The SP functionaries had visited the mosque on the invite of party's Rampur MP Mohibbullah Nadvi who had earlier served as Imam of the mosque before he contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election. They claimed that no political meeting was held inside the mosque. "Faith unites people. We are with the faith that unites everyone. SP respects all religions. The problem with the BJP is that they cannot stand anything that talks of uniting people. They want people to remain divided. BJP is a congregation of people full of negativity. BJP indulges in discrimination and politics of hate," Akhilesh said. He said BJP's reaction on the issue only cemented the SP's charge that the party was against the PDA. "BJP govt has reversed all that the SP govt did for the weaver community and Pasmanda Muslims. If the BJP govt has any concern for the Pasmanda Muslims, they should immediately restore free electricity to weavers which was provided to them under the SP govt," he said. SP functionaries described the row as an attempt by the BJP to shift people's focus from the opposition's uproar against anomalies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. "The way the govt officials in Bihar have been making a mockery of the revision of electoral rolls on social media, has left the BJP nervous. Now they want to divert everyone's attention," said an SP functionary in Lucknow. Rebutting allegations of BJP that SP MPs held a political meeting at the mosque, Prof Sudhir Panwar posted photographs in which top BJP brass, including the PM visited mosques in India. "Every time the BJP realises that people have started asking questions about poor governance, it resorts to politics of hate. When people started asking about Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts and 2 crore jobs annually, the BJP raised the 'Mandir Masjid issue'. Now people are asking about SIR, BJP is talking about faith. People will not fall in BJP's trap anymore," he said.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
SIR in Bihar: JD(U) MP says ECI not in touch with ground realities
Janata Dal (United) Member of Parliament from Banka, Giridhari Yadav, on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) expressed reservations over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, stating that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had no understanding of the 'ground realities' in the State. While Opposition parties such as the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been protesting against the SIR in Parliament and the Bihar Assembly, constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), JD(U), and Lok Janshakti Party, have supported the exercise as a measure to clean the electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly elections later this year. Mr. Yadav, speaking to The Hindu, clarified that his remarks reflected his personal views and had not been discussed with his party leadership. 'I am an MP, and my constituents, especially those who are poor, are finding it difficult to get documents. What was the hurry for this exercise? Couldn't the ECI have begun it far earlier?' he asked. He added that it had taken him nearly 10 days to obtain documents for his son, who was abroad at the time of the revision. 'My constituency has people who are also migrant labourers. Their contractors do not give them leave to go home and fill out forms. The ECI should have given more time. The whole public of Bihar is upset by this exercise,' he said. While Mr. Yadav has gone on record, JD(U) leaders said there was internal unease within the party over the SIR. 'The JD(U) gets votes in catchment areas where the BJP does not. Rich, upper castes will have documents; our voters may not,' a party source said. An important part of JD(U) and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's political strategy has involved outreach to backward or Pasmanda Muslims in the State. According to Ali Anwar, former JD(U) MP and national president of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, the SIR may benefit the BJP, but not the JD(U). 'The JD(U) has already come down to 43 seats in 2020 from 71 seats in 2015. Supporting this exercise will be like striking the last nail in the party's coffin,' he said. On Wednesday (July 23, 2025), both Houses of Parliament were adjourned within minutes amid continued Opposition protests over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP accuses Tejashwi of appeasement politics over Waqf Act
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of attempting to mislead the people of Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. Mr. Pal's remarks came during a press conference in Mumbai, specifically addressing Mr. Yadav's recent statement about 'throwing the amended Waqf Act in the dustbin.' Mr. Pal, who chairs the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, asserted that there is a 'competition' between Mr. Yadav and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to treat Muslims as a 'vote bank.' His comments followed Mr. Yadav's declaration at a rally in Patna's Gandhi Maidan, held under the banner 'Save Waqf, Save Constitution,' where the RJD leader vowed that the Opposition alliance would jointly abolish the Waqf Act if elected to power. 'The NDA in Bihar is on its way out, and once we form the government, we will consign the Waqf Act brought by the PM Narendra Modi government into the dustbin,' Mr. Yadav had stated. Dismissing Mr. Yadav's remarks as 'daydreaming,' Mr. Pal said that the people of Bihar have consistently rejected both him and his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav. He reiterated his accusation that they, along with Mr. Owaisi and the Congress, are engaging in appeasement politics, vying to win over the Muslim community for votes. Mr. Pal claimed that while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, and Asaduddin Owaisi are opposing the legislation, 'poor and Pasmanda Muslims across the country support it.' Pasmanda is an umbrella term encompassing Backward, Dalit, and Adivasi Muslims. Elaborating on the purpose of the amended Act, Mr. Pal stated that it aims to ensure better management of Waqf properties for the benefit of needy Muslims. He challenged the Congress and RJD to identify any provision in the legislation that would transfer Waqf land from Muslims to others, accusing them of playing with people's emotions. Regarding Mr. Yadav's 'dustbin' remark, Mr. Pal alleged that the RJD leader is inadvertently supporting those who have illegally encroached upon Waqf land. Mr. Pal highlighted that the Narendra Modi-led government is implementing recommendations from the Sachar Committee Report, officially titled 'Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India,' which had estimated that Waqf properties could generate ₹12,000 crore annually. He contrasted this with the current realisation of only ₹163 crore, claiming that the unaccounted funds were not reaching the intended beneficiaries, namely 'poor, widowed women among others,' but were 'disappearing somewhere.' He emphasised that the Sachar Committee was formed during the Congress government's tenure due to the poor socio-economic condition of Muslims. He reiterated that while the committee recommended that Waqf properties could generate substantial revenue, previous governments, including the UPA, failed to implement these recommendations, unlike the current Modi government. This, he suggested, is the real reason for the opposition. Mr. Pal also claimed that the Waqf Bill has been accepted across States, with the exception of West Bengal, where he alleged the Trinamool Congress (TMC) instigated 'state-sponsored violence in places like Murshidabad.' He emphasised that the amendment ensures transparent management, with all Waqf properties digitally recorded and their details accessible on the Minority Affairs Ministry's portal. 'Waqf property, where the land is in the name of God, has been misused by people to construct a house, mall, etc,' Mr. Pal said. He criticised Mr. Yadav for repeating what he termed as 'insulting the Constitution,' a mistake he attributed to Rahul Gandhi, whose actions, he claimed, led to his defeat. 'The Parliament exists to make laws. If you have objections, approach the Supreme Court. But playing with people's emotions like this, won't work, this country runs on law and the Constitution,' he stated.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BJP's resolution lauds Modi govt's achievements, flays GA's ‘appeasement politics'
Patna: The Bihar BJP in its working committee meeting on Wednesday passed a two-page resolution highlighting PM Narendra Modi govt's achievements in the last 11 years and against the "appeasement politics" of the opposition Grand Alliance besides RJD led by Lalu Prasad for opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the country. Around 1,200 BJP leaders and office-bearers, including all party MPs, MLAs and MLCs, in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, also passed a censure motion against Lalu for allegedly disrespecting Baba Saheb B R Ambedkar on June 11. The resolution highlighted the welfare schemes launched by PM Narendra Modi to benefit 80 crore beneficiaries in the country in his 11 years of the NDA govt. The BJP also passed a 'Vijay Sankalp Prastav' declaring that "Lalu and his allies cannot defeat us" in the state assembly polls this year. The resolution attacked Lalu's son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Congress leaders Kanhaiya Kumar and Imran Pratapgarhi for protesting against the Waqf Act in a rally in Patna Gandhi Maidan recently. "Their stand is anti-Constitution and in line with the politics of appeasement, much to the detriment of Pasmanda Muslims, who have been victims of oppression for centuries," the resolution reads. "BJP will never compromise on the welfare of any section of society. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The benefits of Waqf (Amendment) Act will be reaped by the generations to come," it reads further. The political resolution also criticised the Emergency imposed by the Congress govt 50 years ago and lauded Rajnath Singh for "giving a strong message to China against double standards towards terror by refusing to sign the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers' meeting recently. Dedicating the 'Vijay Sankalp Prastav' to "Mata Sita", it mentioned the Bihar govt's decision to sanction Rs 882 crore for the development of her birthplace at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district. The Vijay Sankalp Prastav also highlighted the state's economic growth under the NDA rule, besides pointing out the Centre's nod for conducting caste census in the country.
