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Tejashwi Yadav targets Nitish Kumar’s women vote bank with new promises ahead of Bihar polls

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has promised permanent jobs, salary hikes, and insurance for ‘Jeevika didis’ in Bihar, challenging Nitish Kumar’s traditional women voter base ahead of the 2025 polls.

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As Bihar heads toward a crucial election, the battle for women voters has intensified between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Tuesday rolled out a set of pre-poll promises aimed directly at women — especially the 1.2 crore ‘Jeevika didis’ — to counter the ruling BJP-Janata Dal (United) alliance’s welfare schemes.

Under the RJD’s plan, contractual ‘Jeevika didis’ will be made permanent employees with a raised salary of Rs 30,000 per month. The party also pledged to waive off interest on existing loans, provide interest-free credit until 2027, and extend an additional Rs 2,000 monthly allowance. Further, each ‘didi’ will be covered by an insurance plan worth Rs 5 lakh.

Tejashwi Yadav accused the Nitish Kumar government of “neglecting” these women workers who play a vital role in rural livelihoods. “Work in villages or cities is not possible without Jeevika didis. They get nothing despite their contribution. It’s our responsibility to correct this injustice,” he said.

The Jeevika initiative, launched under the World Bank-aided Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project, is a cornerstone of Nitish Kumar’s women empowerment drive. Women, who make up nearly 3.5 crore of Bihar’s electorate, have long been considered a key voter base for the JD(U). In the 2020 Assembly polls, the BJP-JDU alliance won 60.5% of seats where women voters outnumbered men — 72 out of 243 constituencies.

To retain this base, the BJP-JDU government has offered several benefits, including Rs 10,000 assistance under the ‘Mai Bahin Maan Yojana’, enhanced widow pensions from Rs 400 to Rs 1,400, and 50% reservation for women in local bodies. It has also raised honorariums for over 95,000 ASHA and 4,600 MAMTA workers.

However, the RJD has dismissed the Rs 10,000 payment as a “vote bribe”, claiming that it is not a grant but a recoverable loan. “They distributed Rs 10,000 under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana, but this is not help — it’s a bribe. Amit Shah himself said this amount will be recovered,” the party alleged.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a rally in Saran, targeted Tejashwi Yadav’s earlier poll promise of offering one government job per family. Calling it “misleading”, he said, “To provide jobs to 2.6 crore families, Rs 12 lakh crore would be required — four times Bihar’s annual budget.”

Voting for the Bihar Assembly elections will be held on November 6 and 11, and results will be declared on November 14.


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PM Modi to visit Varanasi, Kedarnath on October 24-25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Varanasi and Kedarnath on October 24 and 25. His proposed itinerary includes a factory inauguration in Varanasi, an Indian Air Force air show and a review of the Kedarnath Corridor project.

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand on October 24 and 25. His proposed two-day itinerary includes development-related engagements in Varanasi and a review of infrastructure work at the Kedarnath Corridor.

In Varanasi, the Prime Minister is likely to inaugurate a factory in the Sevapuri area and attend programmes related to the city’s development. The visit will also coincide with an Indian Air Force aerial display at Namo Ghat, where he is expected to attend the event on October 25.

PM Modi likely to attend Varanasi air show

The Indian Air Force’s aerial display, titled Wings Over Ganges, is scheduled over the Ganga at Namo Ghat on October 22, 24 and 25.

The event is expected to feature Rafale, Sukhoi and Tejas fighter aircraft, along with performances by the Surya Kiran aerobatic team and the Sarang helicopter display team.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also expected to attend the air show. Officials have been preparing for the event, with security and crowd management among the key considerations because of the anticipated gathering.

Kedarnath Corridor project review on October 25

Modi is also expected to travel to Kedarnath on October 25 to assess progress on the Kedarnath Corridor development project.

The review is expected to cover ongoing infrastructure projects and efforts to improve facilities in and around the Himalayan pilgrimage centre.

The proposed visit brings together public and development-related engagements in Varanasi with an assessment of infrastructure work at Kedarnath.

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CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka to be released after 7 days in jail

CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are set to be released after seven days in judicial custody following an order by a Special Executive Magistrate in Delhi.

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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are set to be released after spending seven days in judicial custody, following an order by a Special Executive Magistrate in Delhi on Wednesday.

The two leaders had been in judicial custody since October 14 in connection with an incident at Jantar Mantar, which is no longer a designated site for protests. They were accused of entering the restricted protest area and violating conditions linked to maintaining public peace.

The magistrate’s order brings their period of judicial custody to an end after their detention and subsequent remand. Their custody had initially been ordered for five days before being extended by another two days on October 19.

Delhi High Court declines to intervene

Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court declined to interfere with the judicial custody of Das and Ranka. The court asked them to await the outcome of the proceedings before the Special Executive Magistrate and indicated that they could approach the appellate court if their grievances remained unresolved.

The leaders had challenged the decision to place them in judicial custody. The proceedings came amid continuing legal disputes over police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar.

Why the CJP leaders were detained

Das and Ranka were detained in connection with a protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protest also involved demands directed at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Jantar Mantar had recently been removed from the list of designated protest venues under a Delhi Police order. The police alleged that the CJP members entered the site despite the restrictions and obstructed officials carrying out their duties.

The police also cited alleged violations of previously executed peace bonds. Das and Ranka had earlier been released after furnishing bonds and undertaking to maintain peace.

The authorities initiated proceedings under preventive provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). While the two leaders were sent to judicial custody, another CJP member, Ajinkya Shinde, was released on a personal bond during the earlier proceedings.

The latest order directs the release of Das and Ranka after seven days in custody. The case has drawn attention to the restrictions on demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and the legal proceedings arising from the CJP’s protests.

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Tiger Shroff firing case: 3 accused sent to police custody till October 31

Three accused in the firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai have been remanded to police custody until October 31. Investigators sought their custody for further questioning and weapon recovery.

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Three men accused in the firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai have been remanded to police custody until October 31. A magistrate court passed the order on Wednesday after hearing the police and defence arguments.

The accused were brought to Mumbai from Kota in Rajasthan earlier in the day. The Mumbai Crime Branch, which is investigating the case, had sought 14 days of custody for further questioning and a detailed probe.

The three accused have been identified as Rehan, alias Sukka, from Sonipat in Haryana; Ritik Kurmi, alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar and currently residing in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana.

Why police sought custody

The investigating team told the court that custodial interrogation was required to recover the weapons used in the firing and investigate the suspected conspiracy behind the incident.

Police also informed the court that the accused had destroyed two mobile phones. Investigators said further questioning was necessary to establish the motive behind the shooting and examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The defence opposed the request for extended police custody. Lawyers Ajinkya Mirgal and Satyabrat Joshi argued that the accused had already been questioned during transit remand and disputed the need for further custody to recover the weapons.

After hearing both sides, the court remanded all three men to police custody until October 31.

Three accused brought to Mumbai from Kota

According to the report, Kota city police apprehended the trio from a train on Monday after receiving specific information. They were subsequently handed over to Mumbai Police, which formally arrested them and produced them before a magistrate.

A court in Kota had granted transit remand to facilitate their transfer to Mumbai.

What happened in the firing incident

The firing took place in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening, when at least two men fired shots at Tiger Shroff’s car before fleeing on a motorcycle.

The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries. Mumbai Police said five to six rounds were fired at the vehicle.

A motorcycle allegedly used by the assailants was later found abandoned in Andheri.

Mumbai Police have registered a case under provisions relating to attempted murder and the Arms Act. The investigation is continuing to establish the motive and recover evidence connected with the incident.

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