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Sharad Yadav’s show of strength with opposition parties on Thursday

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8 years ago

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Sharad Yadav

In an another move towards an impending split in JD(U), its senior leader Sharad Yadav announced that he would organise a ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao Sammelan’ on Thursday, August 17, aimed at saving India’s “composite culture”, at the Constitution Club here.

Top leaders of the Congress, the Left, Samajwadi Party, BSP, TMC, other parties opposed to the BJP, intellectuals, farmers, Dalits and tribals from across the country have been invited to the programme which is being seen as Yadav’s show of strength against his party chief Nitish Kumar’s decision to ally with the BJP.

This will be the next big gathering of the opposition after it decided to launch a joint campaign against the ruling party. The conference comes days after Yadav held road shows in Bihar. Several leaders close to him are being targeted by the leadership with 21, including Dalit leader and former minister Ramai Ram, being suspended from the party on Monday for their participation in Yadav’s road shows. The political dais to centrestage “secular values” would follow what is turning into a complete divorce between Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav.

The JD(U), which has asked Yadav not to hold the event, removed him as its parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha last week when he continued with his campaign against the alliance with the BJP. Yadav was accompanied by Ali Anwar Ansari, a Rajya Sabha member suspended from the parliamentary party by the JD(U), and Arun Shrivastava, recently sacked from the post of general secretary.

Asserting that “composite culture” was the soul of the Constitution, which Yadav alleged was being “tinkered with”, he announced that the Opposition will hold ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao’ (Save Composite Culture) conferences across the country — to be coordinated by him — starting from Delhi on Thursday.

While refusing to answer questions on his disapproval of Bihar Chief Minister Kumar’s alliance with the BJP, the former JD(U) chief said the decision to hold tomorrow’s event was taken weeks ago, when his party was with the loose opposition group.

“The ‘sajha virasat bachao sammelan’ (save composite culture programme) is not against anybody but in the interest of the country. This is in the interest of 125 crore people of the country,” he said.

Sharad Yadav added that he hoped to hold such a conference in various cities with an aim that “all citizens irrespective of any region or religion should come together to save our Constitution and composite culture as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”

Talking about the Constitution of India, Yadav said, “The Constitution of India is a holy book which was given to the nation by the members who framed it in such a manner that our people should live together without any difference or the basis of caste and creed.”

He said although the preamble of the Constitution speaks of securing justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all citizens but “what is happening in the present India is totally reverse” and that people are “living in fear”.

“At present Dalits, Tribals, farmers and unemployed youth are not only suffering, but are also not seeing any light after the tunnel now,” Sharad Yadav said.

He cited incidents such as the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, besides suicides of farmers across the country, to suggest that the situation was tough for underprivileged people. While supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments against violence in the name of faith, Yadav said it was not reflected on the ground and Modi needed to tell his party’s governments to follow his dictum.

Asked whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would come for the conference, he said that everybody is invited to join this conference.

There has been speculation about Yadav forming another party with some JD(U) lawmakers on his side. Yadav is reportedly set to present his faction as the “real” party, claiming that many of its state units are with him while the support for party president Nitish Kumar is confined to Bihar.

The Yadav-led faction includes two Rajya Sabha MPs Ali Anwar Ansari and Veerendra Kumar, and some national office-bearers, and has armed itself with support from 14 state unit presidents, Yadav’s close aide Arun Shrivastava said on Sunday.

Kumar had previously asserted that the JD(U) was recognised only in Bihar. Reacting to it, Shrivastava had claimed the party always had a national footprint.

During his visit to New Delhi last week, Kumar had virtually ruled out any reconciliation with Yadav. “As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so,” Nitish had told reporters.

Refuting Yadav’s claim of enjoying support of 14 state units, JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi had claimed “98 percent of office bearers, 100 percent of MLAs and 75 percent of state committees” are with Kumar, who is also the party president.

JD(U) MLAs will meet in Patna later this week to formally take the party back into the NDA’s folds after a gap of more than four years.

Nitish Kumar will formally join NDA on 19 August, with a likelihood of JD(U) getting two ministerial positions at the Centre. JD(U) has said that the step is only a formality after Nitish parted ways with the Mahagathbandhan and formed a new government in Bihar with the help of BJP.

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Jammu and Kashmir High Court rejects Mehbooba Mufti’s plea on undertrial prisoners, calls it politically motivated

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has rejected Mehbooba Mufti’s PIL on undertrial prisoners, stating it was politically motivated and lacked factual basis.

Published

2 hours ago

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December 24, 2025

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Mehbooba mufti

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti seeking the transfer of undertrial prisoners lodged in jails outside the Union Territory back to prisons within Jammu and Kashmir. The court termed the petition politically motivated, vague and unsupported by facts, observing that it was an attempt to derive political mileage rather than address a genuine public cause.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal made it clear that public interest litigation cannot be used as a tool to advance political agendas or convert courts into platforms for electoral positioning.

Court says PIL cannot become a political platform

In its observations, the High Court said the plea appeared aimed at projecting the petitioner as a champion of justice for a specific section, rather than raising substantiated legal concerns. The bench underlined that while political parties are free to engage with voters through democratic means, the judiciary must remain insulated from political campaigns.

The court reiterated that PIL jurisdiction is meant to safeguard public interest and not to be misused for electoral gain or political leverage. It cautioned against attempts to draw the judiciary into political narratives.

Undertrials have legal remedies, says court

In the 15-page order passed on Tuesday, the High Court noted that the undertrial prisoners mentioned in the petition are already facing trial before competent courts. According to the bench, adequate judicial remedies are available to such undertrials to raise grievances related to their detention or place of incarceration.

The court further observed that the failure of the concerned undertrials to approach courts on their own indicated that they may not be genuinely aggrieved by their confinement in prisons outside the Union Territory.

No locus standi, petition dismissed

Dismissing the plea, the High Court held that Mehbooba Mufti was a third-party stranger to the cause and therefore lacked the locus standi to invoke the court’s jurisdiction in this matter. The petition was described as misconceived and was rejected accordingly.

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BJP raises seat offer to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena to nearly 90 ahead of Mumbai civic polls, talks continue

The BJP has raised its seat offer to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena to nearly 90 for the upcoming BMC elections, but fresh talks are needed as differences persist within the Mahayuti.

Published

1 day ago

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December 23, 2025

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With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections drawing closer, the seat-sharing tussle within the Mahayuti alliance continues, with the BJP increasing its offer to Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena but failing to reach the party’s expectations.

According to sources, the BJP has now proposed close to 90 seats for the Shinde faction in the upcoming Mumbai civic polls. This is a significant jump from its earlier offer of 52 seats but still falls short of what Shinde is seeking. The Shiv Sena leader has reportedly reduced his demand from an initial 125 seats to 112, yet remains dissatisfied with the latest formula.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to hold another round of discussions with Shinde to break the deadlock. Sources indicate that the BJP is unlikely to stretch its offer much further, especially after its strong showing in recent statewide local body elections.

BJP firm after strong local poll performance

The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the recent local polls, securing 117 municipal president posts. In comparison, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 53 posts, while Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP secured 37. These results have strengthened the BJP’s negotiating position ahead of the BMC elections.

However, the current seat-sharing calculations could change if Ajit Pawar decides to contest the Mumbai civic polls as part of the alliance. Senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare confirmed that no final decision has been taken yet, noting that discussions with alliance partners are ongoing.

Nawab Malik factor complicates alliance talks

A major point of contention within the Mahayuti is the issue of senior NCP leader Nawab Malik, who is facing multiple corruption cases, including a money laundering case linked to underworld activities. While the alliance has made it clear that Malik is unacceptable as part of its Mumbai setup, Ajit Pawar is reportedly firm on backing him.

Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam has publicly stated that the party would not align with any group that includes Malik. Sources added that if the NCP joins the alliance in Mumbai, it may be asked to project a different leader and contest a limited number of seats.

BMC elections timeline

The countdown to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections has already begun, with less than a month left for polling. Voting is scheduled for January 15, with counting set to take place the following day. A total of 2,869 municipal seats will be contested, including 227 seats in the BMC.

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Yogi Adityanath’s do namoone remark sparks Akhilesh Yadav’s jab on BJP infighting

Yogi Adityanath’s ‘do namoone’ comment in the UP Assembly has been countered by Akhilesh Yadav, who termed it a confession of BJP’s internal power struggle.

Published

2 days ago

on

December 22, 2025

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Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s recent “do namoone” comment in the state Assembly has triggered a sharp political exchange, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav turning the remark into an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s alleged internal discord.

The comment was made during a heated Assembly discussion on allegations of codeine cough syrup smuggling in Uttar Pradesh. Opposition members had accused the state government of inaction, claiming that timely steps could have saved the lives of several children. Rejecting the allegation outright, Adityanath said that no child in the state had died due to consumption of the cough syrup.

While responding to the opposition benches, the Chief Minister made an indirect jibe, saying there were “two namoone”, one in Delhi and one in Lucknow. Without naming anyone, he added that one of them leaves the country whenever there is a national debate, and suggested that a similar pattern applied to the Samajwadi Party leadership. The remark was widely interpreted as being aimed at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and current Lok Sabha MP

Akhilesh Yadav calls remark a ‘confession’

Akhilesh Yadav responded swiftly on social media, calling Adityanath’s statement a “confession” that exposed an alleged power struggle within the BJP. He said that those holding constitutional posts should maintain decorum and accused the ruling party of bringing its internal disputes into the public domain. Yadav posted his response shortly after the Chief Minister shared a video clip of the Assembly remarks online.

The Samajwadi Party has, on several occasions, claimed that there is a tussle between the Uttar Pradesh government and the BJP’s central leadership. Party leaders have cited the appointment of deputy chief ministers and certain bureaucratic decisions as evidence of attempts to curtail the Chief Minister’s authority.

Adityanath has consistently dismissed these claims, maintaining that he holds the post because of the party’s trust in him. The latest exchange has once again brought the narrative of BJP infighting into political focus, even as both sides continue to trade barbs ahead of key electoral contests

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