Vijay is chief of bureau, Patna. He has spent 21 years in journalism and covers political beats and public affairs.
Articles by Vijay Swaroop
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar asks 'close aide' Upendra Kushwaha to quit JD(U). Why?
Speaking on the sidelines of a function in Patna, chief minister Kumar said, “Only those who keep speaking... go to the BJP. The sooner someone wants to go, the more he keeps saying.”
Updated on Jan 27, 2023 09:10 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
He is free to go anywhere: Nitish on Kushwaha
PATNA: The internal crisis in the Janata Dal (United) deepened further as chief minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (United) leader and close aid Upendra Kushwaha took potshots at each other on Wednesday over the latter’s allegations that many within the party are in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that the party has become weak
Published on Jan 25, 2023 10:42 PM IST
Conspiracy being hatched to weaken Nitish Kumar: Kushwaha
Kushwaha, who was snubbed when the JD(U) formed an alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) after severing ties with the BJP to form a new government in Bihar last year, said he was being sidelined
Published on Jan 24, 2023 03:12 PM IST
BJP leaders meet Upendra Kushwaha, Bihar political circles abuzz
Three BJP leaders from the state met Janata Dal (United) parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha in New Delhi, sparking speculations about his possible switch to the saffron party.
Updated on Jan 22, 2023 04:37 AM IST
Nitish laughs off Kushwaha’s BJP moves
A picture of Bihar BJP leaders — spokespersons Prem Ranjan Patel and Sanjay Tiger, along with and Yogendra Paswan — calling on Kushwaha at AIIMS-Delhi on Friday has surfaced on social media.
Published on Jan 21, 2023 09:21 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Shah to visit Patna next month to attend farmers’ convention
This will mark Shah’s third visit to the state, ever since chief minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) parted ways from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in August 2022.
Published on Jan 21, 2023 06:12 PM IST
Nitish Kumar downplays KCR rally, calls it a party meeting
Amid speculations that the Bihar CM was not invited to the rally hosted by K Chandrashekar Rao at Khammam in Telangana on Wednesday, Nitish Kumar said he was busy with some engagements in the state and did not know about KCR’s rally
Published on Jan 20, 2023 12:37 AM IST
Unfazed by defections, JD-U to fight Nagaland polls
Afaque Ahmad Khan, JD(U)’s national general secretary and in-charge of the northeast, told HT on Thursday that a decision on number of seats to be contested would be taken after a meeting of the state parliamentary board.
Published on Jan 19, 2023 09:43 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Nitish Kumar downplays KCR rally, says he will work for opposition unity
Kumar is currently undertaking Samadhan Yatra to different districts to oversee works completed and take stock of pending ones
Published on Jan 19, 2023 05:02 PM IST
Respect all religions, says Nitish Kumar amid Ramcharitmanas row
State education minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks that epic Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred in society provoked outrage
Published on Jan 17, 2023 01:17 PM IST
JD-U slams RJD minister’s comments on Ramcharitmanas
Education minister Chandrashekhar, a three-time MLA from Madhepura, while addressing a university convocation on Wednesday, had said, “Religious texts like Ramacharitmanas spread hatred just as ‘Manusmriti’ and Golwalkar’s ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ created social divide in different eras.” He then went on to cite a couplet from the epic to prove his point.
Published on Jan 13, 2023 10:05 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Ramcharitmanas row: JD(U) condemns Bihar minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks
Bihar’s education minister has been facing fire for his controversial statement on Wednesday on epic “Ramcharitmanas” during a speech at a university convocation
Published on Jan 13, 2023 04:28 PM IST
Bihar: Pasmanda Muslims cautious as parties firm up plans to woo them in 2024 LS polls
Aware of their importance, All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (AIPMM) has warned more than 50 sub-castes of Muslims to beware of political parties, including BJP, for their sudden love.
Published on Jan 09, 2023 10:01 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Jungle raj is back in Bihar: Nadda
Addressing a rally at Paru in Muzaffarpur district, which falls under Vaishali parliamentary constituency, Nadda accused CM Nitish Kumar of betraying people’s mandate
Updated on Jan 03, 2023 10:00 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
‘No problem’ with Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate for 2024: Nitish Kumar
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Patna, the chief minister reiterated that he was “not a claimant” for the top post though he reaffirmed his commitment to unite all parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Updated on Dec 31, 2022 11:18 PM IST
BJP’s Bihar vice-president Rajiv Ranjan quits
In a letter to BJP state chief Sanjay Jaiswal, Ranjan regretted the BJP in Bihar has completely deviated from Modi’s policies and ideals
Updated on Dec 30, 2022 02:36 PM IST
On political front, a year of tectonic shift in Bihar
Not only the people of the state but political leaders were left stunned when the state’s longest-serving chief minister Nitish Kumar cleverly sidelined the BJP, to form the Mahaghatbandhan and in the process became the chief minister of the new alliance for the record eighth time in 22 years.
Published on Dec 29, 2022 10:34 PM IST
Tejashwi Yadav to take part in PM Modi’s meet in place of Nitish
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has deputed his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting on conservation of the Ganga in Kolkata on December 30.
Updated on Dec 29, 2022 03:33 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Nitish Kumar deputes Tejashwi Yadav to attend Modi’s meeting
Kumar downplayed a perception that he was avoiding interaction with Modi after ending his alliance with the BJP
Published on Dec 28, 2022 04:36 PM IST
Told my kids to settle abroad, says RJD leader; BJP, JD(U) hits back
PATNA: The ruling Janata Dal (United) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on Friday lashed out at former minister and senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui for his ‘desh ka mahaul (situation in the country) comment and ‘advising his children to settle abroad’
Published on Dec 23, 2022 11:00 PM IST
CPI-ML delegation meets CM; demands compensation for Saran hooch victims
The CPI-ML state secretary Kunal said that the party has always supported the prohibition law, but it does not mean that those who drink alcohol should be made criminals.
Published on Dec 19, 2022 10:44 PM IST
Bihar hooch tragedy: Nitish says ‘piyoge toh maroge’, BJP mounts attack
As the toll in the hooch tragedy in Bihar’s Saran district rose to 31, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said those who consume liquor will die
Published on Dec 16, 2022 12:13 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop and Arun Kumar
‘Piyoge toh maroge’: Nitish on Saran hooch tragedy; BJP demands resignation
The matter again reverberated in the Rajya Sabha leading to the adjournment of the House thrice with BJP leaders, the main opposition in Bihar, slamming the Bihar government
Updated on Dec 15, 2022 02:47 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop/Arun Kumar
Tejashwi will lead 2025 campaign, hints Nitish
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday endorsed his deputy Tejashwi Yadav as the next leader of the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and hinted that the younger leader will be the chief ministerial candidate in the next assembly elections, said Congressleaders from the ruling coalition after a key meeting
Published on Dec 14, 2022 12:15 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Tejashwi to lead our alliance into 2025 assembly polls: Nitish
Deputy CM Yadav, 33, is the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who is currently recuperating at a hospital in Singapore after undergoing kidney transplant.
Published on Dec 13, 2022 10:16 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Tejashwi will get the remaining work done....: Nitish hints at dy CM’s future role
Tejashwi, who has been maintaining a low profile and taking steps in a calculative manner had been vocal in his praise for CM Nitish Kumar.
Published on Dec 12, 2022 09:59 PM IST
BJP can be beaten in 2024 Lok Sabha polls if Opposition unites: Nitish
Kumar’s JD(U) fell out with the BJP in Bihar and formed a government in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress inAugust this year.
Updated on Dec 12, 2022 04:17 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
‘Remain united to defeat BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections’: Nitish to opposition
JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh claimed that Kumar’s model of good governance was being adopted by the centre
Updated on Dec 11, 2022 06:51 PM IST
JD(U) vies for national status, opposition unity at national council meeting
The JD (U) in its national council and national executive meeting on Saturday downplayed its defeat in the recent Kurhani assembly bypoll, even as it seeks to secure the status of a national political party
Published on Dec 10, 2022 11:54 PM IST
JD-U national council meet: Lalan Singh set for 2nd term, Nitish shrugs off bypoll defeat
The party also resolved to get the national party status and attain the larger goal of opposition unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Published on Dec 10, 2022 10:00 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
