Senior Janata Dal (United) spokesperson K C Tyagi on Sunday stepped down as the party spokesperson citing personal reasons. His stand on different issues often highlighted his party’s differences with ally BJP.

In an official statement, the party said that its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has appointed Rajiv Ranjan Prasad as its national spokesperson.

Tyagi has written to Bihar Chief Minister and party chief Kumar requesting to be relieved from the post of party’s national spokesperson as he has not been able to do justice to the post due to his involvement in other works.

Tyagi, the spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United), resigned from his position citing “personal reasons” as the cause. However, Tyagi’s public statements based in Delhi, which garnered significant attention in the national media due to his experience and eloquence, were perceived as detrimental to the relationship between the BJP and JD(U) due to their impact on the central government’s policies.

According to reports, Tyagi’s stance on various issues often highlighted the differences between his party and the BJP, ultimately leading to his resignation.

His outspoken opinions on matters such as the Uniform Civil Code, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and the government’s position on the Palestine issue were reportedly a source of embarrassment for the BJP and did not sit well with many within the party.

As a result, there is a view within the party that party leaders, Union Minister Lalan Singh and parliamentary party leader Sanjay Jha, who are both based in Delhi, should be primarily responsible for managing the relationship with the BJP without Tyagi’s frequent public interventions.

Additionally, it has been reported that the BJP has been actively engaging with allies to maintain a sense of unity and coordination within the National Democratic Alliance, aiming to mitigate any reports of discord within the coalition

The Election Commission of India on Saturday changed the polling day for Haryana from October 1 to October 5, 2024, and accordingly counting day for Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana Assembly elections from October 4 to October 8, 2024.

Announcing the decision through a notification, the ECI said that the decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.

The Commission had received representation from National President, All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan, for rescheduling the date of polling of October 1 for Haryana Assembly election as for generations numerous families of Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana have observed a long-standing tradition of visiting their native village Mukam, in Rajasthan during the Amavas in the month of “Asoj” for their annual festival in Bikaner district, in the memory of their Guru Jambheshwar.

This year, the festival will take place on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar would be travelling to Rajasthan on poll day, denying them their voting rights, the notification read.

In the past, the Commission has also adjusted election dates to respect the sentiments of various communities. For instance, during the Punjab Assembly Elections in 2022, the Commission postponed the polls by a week to accommodate devotees travelling to Varanasi for Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

Similarly, in Manipur during the 2022 Assembly elections, the Commission changed the polling dates to respect the Christian community’s Sunday prayers.

Likewise, in the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections, the Commission rescheduled polling originally scheduled on Devuthani Ekadashi, a day significant for mass weddings in Rajasthan.

“In UP Assembly Elections 2012, poll date was changed due to Barawafat. Coincidentally, the revised polling day would also resolve any concerns of a six-day holiday by taking a one-day leave on Sep 30, 2024”, the ECI said in a notification.

Meanwhile, the former Haryana CM and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda reacted to the postponement of the Haryana election date and said, “It is the Election Commission’s right, they have extended the date.” BJP has already accepted defeat in Haryana, adding that he said when the Haryana government wrote a letter to the Election Commission, he had said at that time that the BJP had accepted defeat.

BJP leader Anil Vij welcomed the decision of ECI and said the commission took action on BJP’s application and changed the dates. “We intended that on the earlier election dates, people would have got 5 holidays and there would have been chances people go for holidays or urgent work and this could have led to a decrease in the vote percentage”, he added.

Reacting to the harassment of a woman by the BJP workers on Vande Bharat train flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, the Congress has slammed saffron party and said this is the conduct, character and face of the BJP.

Sharing the video of the incident, Congress said, “Narendra Modi today flagged off the Vande Bharat train from Meerut to Lucknow. Then BJP leaders occupied seats of this train. When a female passenger aboard a train was going to get food, BJP leaders misbehaved and assaulted her. This video is a witness to the conduct, character and face of the BJP.”

According to reports, an incident occurred on the newly launched Meerut-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express today, where a woman and her companion claimed to have faced harassment from BJP workers on board the train.

The woman described the ordeal, mentioning that they were confronted while trying to access food in a train coach. Allegedly, a man obstructed their path, asserting that the cabin was exclusively for BJP members and refusing them passage.

Upon their attempt to retrace their steps, a heated dispute and physical altercation ensued. The woman expressed, “We were trying to pass through the cabin to get food when a man stopped us, stating it was the BJP’s cabin and we were not allowed to pass through. When we tried to return, they began arguing and pushing us, questioning our frequent movement within the cabin. We also have connections to the BJP, but individuals like these tarnish the party’s reputation.”

Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed condemned the behaviour and said, “This is completely unacceptable. The train is public property, not a personal or BJP asset.”

Meanwhile, the Railway noticed the incident that happened on the Vande Bharat train. In a statement, it stated that the Railway Protection Force requested the passenger to submit a written complaint with video evidence, but the woman did not submit a complaint and got off at the next station.