Bihar New Legislators

In contests symbolic of the fierce turf war between the BJP and regional parties, seven assembly constituencies in six states will elect new legislators in bypolls on Thursday, with Telangana and Bihar hosting two of the more closely watched clashes.

The induction of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Kartikeya Singh as the law minister of the state has caused a stir as the opposition slammed Singh over his involvement in criminal cases.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expects Legislative Council Chairman Awadesh Narayan Singh, who is from the BJP, to quit on his own after 55 MLAs of the new Grand Alliance moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Virulent opposition to a bill introduced in the Bihar assembly by the Nitish Kumar government, with a view to giving more teeth to the police force, today led to unprecedented turmoil in the House where police was called in to physically evict legislators who had laid siege to the Speakers chamber.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday observed that the new agriculture laws are in the "interests of the farmers", and expressed hope that misgivings over the legislations that have arisen in some states would be addressed squarely by the Centre.

Former legislator Umesh Kushwaha was on Sunday unanimously elected as the Janata Dal (United) Bihar unit president, in a bid to strengthen the ruling party's old support base.

Within two days of government formation in Bihar a controversy has erupted over the appointment of corruption-accused Janata Dal United (JDU) legislator, Mewalal Choudhary, as the Education Minister.

A 42-year-old woman, who was injured in celebratory firing during a New Year's Eve party at a farmhouse in Delhi, died today. Raju Singh, a former JDU legislator from Bihar, has been arrested for the woman's death and taken to the AIIMS for his medical test, police said.

A day after he took oath as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar sailed through a trust vote today, with 131 legislators supporting him in the 243-member Bihar Assembly. 108 voted against him. The vote and a discussion before it were held amid protests and slogan shouting by Lalu Yadav's RJD, now the chief opposition party. In a short speech, Nitish Kumar ...

Ram Nath Kovind has won the presidential election after securing over two-thirds of the total electoral college votes. Mr Kovind will be sworn-in as the 14th President of India on July 25. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ram Nath Kovind for winning the presidential election. PM Modi tweeted: "Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji on...

It's a March version of a new year resolution - the 243 state legislators in Bihar today formally declared their intent to "stay away from alcohol" with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stating Bihar's intro to prohibition has launched, just as he promised in his election campaign last year.

For Bihar lawmakers, it has not been the thought that counts. Gifts like cellphones and brand - new suitcases are dispensed - one a day - to over 200 state legislators in keeping with a self-serving ritual of every budget session.

Amid indication that Congress is likely to participate in the Grand Alliance government in Bihar, party vice president Rahul Gandhi today met party general secretary CP Joshi and state unit chief Ashok Choudhary as a precursor to his proposed confabulations with newly-elected party legislators on November 19.

Of the 243 newly elected Bihar legislative assembly members, 162 are crorepatis or multi-millionaires, an analysis said today.

Meeting for the first time after Lok Sabha poll results, which forced change of guard in Bihar too, bonhomie prevailed in the state Legislative Assembly today.

In contests symbolic of the fierce turf war between the BJP and regional parties, seven assembly constituencies in six states will elect new legislators in bypolls on Thursday, with Telangana and Bihar hosting two of the more closely watched clashes.

The induction of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Kartikeya Singh as the law minister of the state has caused a stir as the opposition slammed Singh over his involvement in criminal cases.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expects Legislative Council Chairman Awadesh Narayan Singh, who is from the BJP, to quit on his own after 55 MLAs of the new Grand Alliance moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Virulent opposition to a bill introduced in the Bihar assembly by the Nitish Kumar government, with a view to giving more teeth to the police force, today led to unprecedented turmoil in the House where police was called in to physically evict legislators who had laid siege to the Speakers chamber.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday observed that the new agriculture laws are in the "interests of the farmers", and expressed hope that misgivings over the legislations that have arisen in some states would be addressed squarely by the Centre.

Former legislator Umesh Kushwaha was on Sunday unanimously elected as the Janata Dal (United) Bihar unit president, in a bid to strengthen the ruling party's old support base.

Within two days of government formation in Bihar a controversy has erupted over the appointment of corruption-accused Janata Dal United (JDU) legislator, Mewalal Choudhary, as the Education Minister.

A 42-year-old woman, who was injured in celebratory firing during a New Year's Eve party at a farmhouse in Delhi, died today. Raju Singh, a former JDU legislator from Bihar, has been arrested for the woman's death and taken to the AIIMS for his medical test, police said.

A day after he took oath as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar sailed through a trust vote today, with 131 legislators supporting him in the 243-member Bihar Assembly. 108 voted against him. The vote and a discussion before it were held amid protests and slogan shouting by Lalu Yadav's RJD, now the chief opposition party. In a short speech, Nitish Kumar ...

Ram Nath Kovind has won the presidential election after securing over two-thirds of the total electoral college votes. Mr Kovind will be sworn-in as the 14th President of India on July 25. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ram Nath Kovind for winning the presidential election. PM Modi tweeted: "Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji on...

It's a March version of a new year resolution - the 243 state legislators in Bihar today formally declared their intent to "stay away from alcohol" with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stating Bihar's intro to prohibition has launched, just as he promised in his election campaign last year.

For Bihar lawmakers, it has not been the thought that counts. Gifts like cellphones and brand - new suitcases are dispensed - one a day - to over 200 state legislators in keeping with a self-serving ritual of every budget session.

Amid indication that Congress is likely to participate in the Grand Alliance government in Bihar, party vice president Rahul Gandhi today met party general secretary CP Joshi and state unit chief Ashok Choudhary as a precursor to his proposed confabulations with newly-elected party legislators on November 19.

Of the 243 newly elected Bihar legislative assembly members, 162 are crorepatis or multi-millionaires, an analysis said today.

Meeting for the first time after Lok Sabha poll results, which forced change of guard in Bihar too, bonhomie prevailed in the state Legislative Assembly today.