BJP chief Amit Shah, Nitish Kumar lay ground work for 2019 Lok Sabha battle

If the broad understanding reached between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar over their breakfast meeting in Patna on Thursday holds firm in the coming months, the 2019 Lok Sabha polls could see the JD(U) contesting on less than a dozen of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats.

People with knowledge of the matter said top BJP and JD(U) leaders also discussed the possibility of holding the assembly polls in Bihar more than 18 months ahead of schedule, along with the Lok Sabha polls. If the BJP gets to contest the majority of Bihar’s Lok Sabha seats, the JD(U) could get to contest the lion’s share of the state’s 243 assembly seats. The BJP leadership recognised Kumar as the leader of the coalition in Bihar.

BJP pulls out of alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, CM Mufti resigns

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke its alliance with Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday, forcing Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to resign at the end of an uneasy partnership at a time when fresh violence was stalking the militancy-hit state.

“It has become untenable for the BJP to continue in the alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir," general secretary Ram Madhav said in New Delhi, blaming Mufti’s party for challenging security conditions. He did not, however, name Mufti in his address to the press.

The BJP’s decision, which was taken after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, raised the possibility of governor's rule in the politically volatile state for the eighth time, news agency PTI reported.

“Keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and in order to control the prevailing situation in the state, we have decided that the reins of power in the state be handed over to the governor," Madhav said.

Immediately after his news conference, senior PDP minister and party's chief spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, told reporters in Srinagar that CM Mufti will submit her resignation to Governor N N Vohra.

In the national capital, Madhav said the Centre’s ruling BJP did everything feasible for the development of the state, which has been on the boil since the killing of a militant leader two years ago.

Not just Pranab's tolerance advice, but Bhagwat's 'power' warning important

In the run up to his visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur on Thursday, former president Pranab Mukherjee had told people in the Congress that “engagement with the RSS was not an endorsement of its views”.

On Thursday evening, Mukherjee discharged himself honourably. He spoke to the RSS cadres of the importance of pluralism, non-violence and tolerance for preserving national unity. Mukherjee had gone to the RSS headquarters in the hope that his visit would help bridge an ideological divide. It remains to be seen if his visit would lead to a dialogue between the RSS and its ideological opponents in the Congress and other parties.

It is true that the RSS received much publicity because of Mukherjee’s visit. A case could be made, as some in the Congress have, that the RSS was seeking legitimacy, which it got because of Mukherjee’s visit. The former president visited the house of RSS founder K B Hedgewar, and said he has come there to pay homage to a great son of India. However, the RSS is currently at the height of its influence and can live, if it so chooses, without this legitimacy.

BJP no longer 'big brother'? Nitish Kumar, Bihar allies become assertive

After Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) recent bypoll defeats across the country and its own loss in Jokihat, the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), may be trying to project itself as more than just the saffron party's junior partner in Bihar with a senior party leader stating that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the face of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state.

"Nitish Kumar is the face of the NDA in Bihar, that is why he is the chief minister. JD(U) is the largest constituent of the coalition," party National Secretary Pavan Varma said after the JD(U) core committee meet in Patna on Sunday. (Read more here)

Party spokesperson Ajay Alok also spoke on similar lines after the meet. "Nitish Kumar is the face of NDA alliance in Bihar," he said.

Last week, the Rashtriya Janata Dal wrested the Jokihat Assembly seat from the JD(U) and registered victory by a huge margin of over 41,000 votes.

JD(U) appears to have changed the way it deals with the BJP as the party has recently attacked the Centre on several issues.

BJP rally in Mumbai: Amit Shah wants Shiv Sena to stay in alliance; updates

Marking the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) 38th foundation day, the party on Friday organised grand celebrations in Mumbai, with BJP President Amit Shah in attendance. Addressing the gathering, Shah said the countdown to the Lok Sabha elections 2019 had begun. At a time when it is either directly or indirectly in power in 21 states, BJP decided to dedicate its day-long effort to party workers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with BJP workers of five Lok Sabha constituencies and with the presidents of the party's 734 district units on Friday on the occasion of the party’s 38 foundation day, a BJP statement said.

The five Lok Sabha constituencies chosen are New Delhi, North East Delhi, Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, North Central Mumbai and Saran in Bihar. Their MPs are Meenakshi Lekhi, Manoj Tiwari, Anurag Thakur, Poonam Mahajan and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, respectively. The interaction comes amid an acrimonious slugfest involving the BJP and the Opposition, especially the Congress, over a variety of issues, including the ongoing deadlock in Parliament and Dalit protests. Provision has been made for their comfortable stay, with food packets and water supply during the entire duration of their halt in Mumbai.

MCD results: AAP loses, cries foul over EVMs as BJP wins big in Delhi

MCD results 2017 - The BJP was on Wednesday won 184 of the 270 seats, leaving the Aam Aadmi Party well behind on 46 seats with the Congress suffering another dismal day. The BJP also swept all three corporations. The BJP said it will not celebrate its victory in the civic polls but "dedicate" it to the 25 CRPF troopers who died in a Maoist attack in Sukma.

"We won't celebrate this victory and will dedicate it to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Sukma Maoist attack," Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Manoj Tiwari told reporters.

Here is the complete winners list by ward and party:

South Delhi Municipal Corporation

The BJP won 70 wards, AAP 16 and Congress 12. Here’s the break-up:

BJP: Madipur, Punjabi Bagh, Raghubir Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Vishnu Garden, Hari Nagar A, Pratap Nagar, Keshopur, Mahavir Nagar, Janakpuri West, Janakpuri South, Milap Nagar, Vikaspuri, Sainik Enclave, Vikas Nagar, Mohan Garden North, Uttam Nagar, Bindapur, Dabri, Sagarpur West, Kakraula, Dwarka A, Dwarka B, Isapur, Raj Nagar, Dwarka C, Mahipalpur, Madhu Vihar, Mahavir Enclave, Sadh Nagar, Palam, Lajpat Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Kotla Mubarakpur, Vasant Kunj, Dakshin Puri, Sangam Vihar B, Pushp Vihar, Khanpur, Greater Kailash, Chitaranjan Park, Molarband, Hari Nagar B, Jaitpur, Om Vihar, Madanpur Khadar East, Madanpur Khadar West, Mohan Garden South, Chhawla, Gopal Nagar, Roshanpura, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, Vasant Vihar, Mehrauli, Said Ul Ajaib, Bhati, Tughlakabad Extension, Sangam Vihar E, Sri Niwas Puri, Kalkaji, Harkesh Nagar, Tughlakabad, Safdarjung Enclave, Raja Garden, R.K. Puram, Munirka, Chhatarpur, Sagarpur East and Pul Pehladpur

AAP: Tagore Garden, Tilak Nagar, Sitapuri, Bapraula, Manglapuri, Matiala, Bijwasan, Lado Sarai, Tigri, Deoli, Madangir, Chirag Delhi, Abul Fazal Enclave, Hastsal, Sangam Vihar C and Sangam Vihar D

Congress: Sarita Vihar, Badarpur, Aya Nagar, Andrews Ganj, Sidharth Nagar, Ranhola, Subhash Nagar, Khyala, Zakir Nagar, Govind Puri, Nangli Sakrawati and Daryaganj

INLD: Dichaon Kalan

Samajwadi Party: Ghuman Hera

Independents: Sangam Vihar A, Kapashera, Nawada and Najafgarh
READ MORE

Adityanath orders closure of all slaughter houses in UP

In keeping with the BJP's manifesto, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday directed police officials to prepare an action plan for closure of slaughter houses across the state.

He also ordered a blanket ban on smuggling of cows and said zero tolerance would be exercised in this regard.

Official sources did not specify the type of slaughterhouses which will be shut.

However, the BJP manifesto had said that all the illegal slaughter houses would be closed and there would be a blanket ban on all the mechanised slaughterhouses.

The BJP document had observed that due to cow smuggling, dairy-based industries have failed to flourish.

It noted that during the past state governments there has been a fall in cattle count, reflecting that bovine smuggling was rampant.

BJP Chief Amit Shah in his election meetings had emphasised that the moment his party comes to power in the state, it would ban all slaughter houses.

In his orders issued today, Adityanath also directed the police to act tough against anti-social elements.

He warned that those using police security as "status symbol" would come under the scanner and after review of their threat perception their security might be changed. (READ MORE)