Vijay is chief of bureau, Patna. He has spent 21 years in journalism and covers political beats and public affairs.
Articles by Vijay Swaroop
UP Polls: JD(U) leader seeks explanation from colleague over BJP alliance flop
RCP Singh was inducted into the Union council of ministers last year even as there was many claimants for the induction from the Janata Dal (United)
Updated on Jan 24, 2022 04:39 PM IST
Snubbed by BJP, JD(U) names 26 seats it will fight in UP polls
PATNA After failing to get any word from ally Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United) on Saturday announced the names of 26 seats it would contest in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls
Published on Jan 22, 2022 09:02 PM IST
Row over Ashoka: Bihar BJP chief files case against writer, claims he is not a party member
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar Thursday lodged an FIR against Daya Prakash Sinha, a Padma Shree awardee and Sahitya Akademi award winning writer, who claims to be a BJP functionary and is at the centre of a raging row after allegedly showing legendary ancient king “Ashoka the Great” in a poor light in a book written by him.
Published on Jan 13, 2022 10:17 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Council polls: BJP no to 50:50 sharing; says 13 seats belonged to BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has shot down the proposal by ally Janata Dal (United) in Bihar that both parties contest an equal number of seats in the upcoming elections for 24 seats in the state’s Legislative Council, likely to be held in February or March.
Published on Jan 12, 2022 10:37 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
BJP’s 1st response to ally JDU’s 50-50 formula for Bihar council seats is a ‘No’
Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal said 13 of the 24 vacant seats in the Bihar Legislative Council were with the BJP, an oblique counter to the demand from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s party that the BJP and JDU should both contest 12 seats each
Published on Jan 12, 2022 08:55 PM IST
Chirag’s party to go solo for Council polls in Bihar
Amid rumours of a possible alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for future elections in Bihar, the LJP (Ram Vilas) faction led by Chirag Paswan has put on hold any such plan till a firm view emerges in the parliamentary party.
Published on Jan 10, 2022 10:32 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
RJD bait for Nitish: Will back if BJP pulls the plug
Main opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday offered its support to chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) if the latter’s ally Bharatiya Janata Party did not back it on the issue of special status for the state and a caste census.
Published on Jan 06, 2022 09:53 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Covid-19: Nitish Kumar orders night curfew in Bihar, cancels Samaj Sudhar Yatra
Covid-19 surge: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who imposed fresh restrictions after a meeting of the crisis management group, decided not to continue with the Samaj Sudhar Yatra that was scheduled to continue till January 15.
Updated on Jan 04, 2022 10:06 PM IST
Covid curbs back in Bihar, night curfew from Jan 6-21
Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Bihar government on Tuesday decided to impose night curfew from 10 pm till 5 am with effect from January 6 till January 21 and close all parks, gyms, swimming pools and malls
Published on Jan 04, 2022 09:55 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
A tumultuous year for alliances in Bihar
For the Opposition Mahaghatbhandhan (Grand Alliance), the year proved to be tumultuous, with two major players of the alliance, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, all but snapping ties.
Published on Dec 30, 2021 09:32 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
RJD fires at Nitish Kumar over Bihar prohibition; CJI Ramana’s remarks is ammo
As Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s prohibition law comes in for fresh attacks from the opposition, the BJP said continuing seizures of liquor show that there are loopholes in the system.
Updated on Dec 28, 2021 06:42 PM IST
Uttar Pradesh assembly polls: JD(U) claims to have forged alliance with BJP
The Janata Dal (United) has claimed to have allied with its partner in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year
Published on Dec 25, 2021 05:33 PM IST
Do people come to Bihar to drink, asks Nitish; rejects ideas to relax prohibition
There have been fresh demands for exempting ‘outsiders’ like in Gujarat, another dry state, in the aftermath of a police overkill to enforce the ban on liquor.
Published on Dec 25, 2021 12:52 AM IST
Manjhi’s party to contest in UP polls
The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, which is a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state, on Thursday announced its decision to contest the upcoming assembly polls in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
Published on Dec 23, 2021 09:57 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar starts Samaj Sudhar Yatra from Champaran today
Leaders of the ruling JD (U) said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Samaj Sudhar Yatra yatra will also help revitalise the party’s workers and enable the chief minister to gauge the people’s mood.
Updated on Dec 22, 2021 01:25 PM IST
Special status demand: JD(U) threatens to stage stir in Bihar, BJP calls it ‘political stunt’
Upping the ante on the central government to grant special status to Bihar, the Janata Dal (United) on Monday threatened to launch an agitation if their demand is not met.
Published on Dec 20, 2021 10:29 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Using Niti Aayog report, Bihar pitches for special status again
There is no harm in accepting that Bihar is a backward state. A lot has been done for the development of the state. The state has made progress in the last few years. Women have developed. Rioting has stopped. Niti Aayog says that Bihar is a backward state. That is why we are saying that Bihar should get a special status, says Bihar CM.
Updated on Dec 13, 2021 09:31 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
BJP legislator gets notice after he scorns Bihar leaders, praises Nitish Kumar
BJP MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, who rebelled against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and quit the JD(U) to join BJP in 2015, has been critical of the state BJP leadership and the BJP ministers in Bihar government.
Updated on Dec 10, 2021 10:44 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Hindustan Times, Patna
BJP MLA show caused for criticising party leadership, ministers
The notice to this effect was issued by the party’s state unit disciplinary committee president Vinay Singh. “He has been given 14 days to explain his position for criticising the party leadership,” said Singh.
Published on Dec 10, 2021 09:27 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
CM Nitish Kumar gets critic Chirag Paswan’s backing on prohibition of liquor
Paswan, a lawmaker from Jamui and usually a critic of chief minister Nitish Kumar, backed the anti-alcohol drive on Thursday, saying he doesn’t support calls to review the prohibition law
Published on Dec 10, 2021 03:17 PM IST
Bihar adds ‘backlog’ of 2,424 Covid deaths
The Bihar government on Friday revised its Covid-19 death toll, adding a “backlog” of 2,424 deaths that had earlier gone unaccounted for.
Updated on Dec 05, 2021 06:28 AM IST
Bihar revises Covid death figures, toll up at 12,089
Till December 2, the Covid death figures in the state stood at 9,664. However, as per the figures uploaded by the health department on December 3 late night, the deaths in Bihar increased by 2425.
Published on Dec 04, 2021 09:15 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Tejashwi meets Nitish Kumar, all-party meet on caste census in 4 days
The RJD leader said the Bihar CM had earlier promised a state-specific exercise if the Centre did not agree to include other castes in the Census schedule.
Published on Dec 03, 2021 12:24 AM IST
Botched eye surgeries: Oppn turns heat, minister promises action
PATNA The issue of botched cataract surgeries at a private hospital in Muzaffarpur, which has led to loss of eyesight for 15 people so far, found its echo in Bihar legislature on Thursday, with opposition members raising the matter in both legislative assembly and council
Published on Dec 02, 2021 10:07 PM IST
Bihar asks airports to enhance testing, surveillance to guard against Omicron
In the guidelines sent to the chief secretaries of states, the Centre has asked for greater vigilance regarding international passengers. As per the new norms, those coming from abroad will be quarantined at home for 10 days even if they test negative for Covid-19
Published on Dec 01, 2021 08:38 AM IST
In Bihar hooch tragedy, larger questions about prohibition
In the districts of Bihar’s Gopalganj, West Champaran and Muzaffarpur, 41 people died and 10 were treated in hospitals, in an incident which has again turned the spotlight on the prohibition law in Bihar, and its effectiveness
Updated on Nov 30, 2021 06:36 AM IST
Talks of new alliance, Cong not enthused but open to Chirag
Another Congress leader, who didn’t wish to be named, said that those advocating ties with the RJD within the party nursed selfish interest as they wanted to push their near and dear ones to Bihar legislative council with the help of the RJD.
Published on Nov 27, 2021 09:39 AM IST
Nitish Kumar backs PM Modi on swipe at dynastic parties
There are a number of parties in Bihar centred around a family, including Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and factions of the Lok Janshakti Party founded by former Union minister late Ram Vilas Paswan.
Published on Nov 26, 2021 07:31 PM IST
BJP working committee in Bihar meets, sets goal on finalising ‘panna pramukhs’
BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal said the party is focusing on Bihar and has tasked its district committees to complete the appointment of “panna pramukhs” by April 4, 2022
Published on Nov 25, 2021 05:03 PM IST
Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas) mulling new alliance before Bihar MLC polls
LJP at present has no representation in either house of Bihar. It’s lone MLA switched over to the JD(U) and following a division in the party, LJP (Ram Vilas) has only one MP in the Lok Sabha -- Chirag Paswan whereas the other faction -- the LJP (National), led by Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras has five MPs.
Published on Nov 21, 2021 08:31 PM IST