Bihar Assembly Elections, MP Bypolls 2020 LIVE Updates: Don't Appreciate Words Used by Kamal Nath, Says Rahul Gandhi on 'Item' Row

Rajnath Singh to Address Rallies Tomorrow | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a tweet said that he will reach Patna tomorrow. He will address 6 constituencies in two days. The Union minister will address 18-20 rallies in six days of campaigning during the three phases of polling on October 28, November 3 and 7.

कल बिहार में चुनाव प्रचार के लिए पटना पहुँचूँगा।पहले दौर में दो दिनों में छह चुनावी जनसभाओं को सम्बोधित करूँगा।

२१ अक्टूबर को कहलगाँव, बरहरा और चैनपुर की जनसभाओं के बाद अगले दिन यानि २२ अक्टूबर को बाढ़, नोखा एवं औरंगाबाद विधानसभा क्षेत्रों में जनसभाओं को सम्बोधित करूँगा।

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2020

Shatrughan Sinha's Son to Contest from Bankipur | With his son Luv Sinha taking the electoral plunge from Bankipur assembly seat in Patna, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha Monday said it's an encouraging trend that youths are entering politics, but made it clear that he himself is not retiring. The Congress has fielded Luv from Bankipur seat, a BJP stronghold from where the saffron party has nominated three-time MLA Nitin Nabin. This seat falls under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, currently held by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who had won it against Shatrughan Sinha in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan on Monday claimed that his party will win more seats than JD(U) in the Bihar polls. Launching a scathing attack on the chief minister, he said any vote to Kumar-headed JD(U) would "destroy" Bihar tomorrow. Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has criticised Kumar for not doing justice with Chirag. "What Nitish Kumar Ji did with Chirag Paswan is not good. Chirag Paswan needs his father at this time more than ever before but Ram Vilas Paswan ji is not among us and we are sad about it. Nitish Kumar did injustice to Chirag Paswan," Tejashwi tweeted.

Amit Shah on Alliance with LJP | "Only Chirag Paswan can answer why he is not fighting with us. Firstly, I offer my deepest condolences on the demise of Ram Vilas Paswan who fought for social justice and contributed to national politics for over five decades. On the issue of Paswan fighting independently, the BJP and the JD(U) offered the LJP the seat share they deserved multiple times. We held negotiations many times and I myself spoke to Chirag several times over the seat distribution," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in an exclusive interview to News18.

CM Yogi Addresses Rally in Kaimur | CM Yogi Adityanath starts addressing his first rally in Bihar's Kaimur. "There is a massive demand for Yogi Ji to come for campaign in Bihar. In fact all our candidates want him to come for them. We are trying to accommodate as many demands as possible. We've asked CM Yogi to take out as much time as possible for Bihar, " BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal said. He is expected to address 18-22 rallies.

Ahead of UP bypolls, BJP candidate from Jaunpur’s Malhani constituency was allegedly caught distributing money in a viral picture. The picture was said to be taken when Manoj Singh was on a door to door campaign at Parashurampur village. The polling for the Malhani assembly bypolls will be conducted on November 3.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala attacked CM Nitish Kumar over the plight of migrant labour. Sharing the image of migrant laborers walking back to Bihar from metro cities following coronavirus lockdown, Surjewala alleged that the Bihar CM didn't help the migrant workers.

काश! नीतीश बाबू और भाजपाईयों को ये मंज़र भी याद होता, जो लाखों-करोड़ों प्रवासी मज़दूरों ने सहा।

मदद की बजाय बिहार में नीतीश बाबू ने कहा की बिहार में नही घुसने देंगे।

अब कैसे करे कोई विश्वास?
#बोले#बोले_बिहार_बदलें_सरकार pic.twitter.com/tX68LGGH2u

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 20, 2020

Usmani is a 23-year-old young and educated leader who was the AMU chief from 2017-18. During his time, BJP MP Satish Gautam had sparked a controversy over hanging a portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in…

UPDATE | RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that after the results if the party falls short of a majority, the RJD can go with the Chirag Paswan's LJP. However, LJP has rejected any such speculation.

LJP Leader Visits Rabri Devi's Residence | LJP state president and MP Prince Raj goes to RJD leader Rabri Devi's residence on Tuesday. Prince Raj met Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi. The LJP leader had come to invite them for an event to pay tribute to late LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan. Raj adds that it had nothing to do with politics.

What is undeniable is that BJP would want to maintain distance from its alliance partner Nitish Kumar who also carries with him 15 years of anti-incumbency, as well as the anger of the migrant…

In contrast with the earlier policy of not contesting polls, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided to field contestants in the upcoming by-elections on seven assembly seats to be held later this year.

In contrast with the earlier policy of not contesting polls, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided to field contestants in the upcoming by-elections on seven assembly seats to be held later this year.@qazifarazahmad reports.https://t.co/SnX2wIF5sz

— News18.com (@news18dotcom) October 20, 2020

A total 1510 candidates are left in the fray for the second phase of polling to 94 assembly seats in Bihar after the scrutiny of nomination papers, state Chief Electoral Officer said on Monday. Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) Sanjay Kumar Singh said that the final picture regarding the total candidates in fray for the second phase will emerge after the reports of the withdrawal come in. Monday was the last day of the withdrawal of nomination papers.

28 Candidates to 2 Jharkhand Bypoll Seats | A total of 28 candidates are in the fray for the November 3 by-elections to two assembly seats in Jharkhand, election officials said on Monday. Out of 13 nominations for Dumka constituency, one was rejected. So, 12 candidates will contest the seat, District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Rajeshwari B said. Votes polled in the two seats will be counted on November 10.

Why BJP Leaders are in Overdrive to Declare Nitish Kumar the Next Bihar CM | With just a few days left to go for the first round of polling in Bihar, BJP leadership has suddenly gone into overdrive in asserting that no one else but Nitish Kumar will be the next Chief Minister of Bihar. Everyone from senior BJP leader and former party chief Amit Shah, to senior BJP leader of party's Bihar unit Sushil Modi, to party general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, has over the past one week unambiguously stated that no matter who, between BJP and JD(U), gets more seats, the one thing that's certain upon NDA's victory is Nitish Kumar becoming Bihar's next Chief Minister. Read more.

Bridge and rail projects over rivers hold significant importance in Bihar as 6 major rivers crisscross major transport routes between districts hindering rural and infrastructural development.

Nitish Kumar to be Bihar CM: Amit Shah | Nitish Kumar will be the next CM of Bihar no matter which NDA constituent, the BJP or the JD(U), gets more seats, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday while predicting that the alliance will return to power with a two-thirds majority in the state. "I have said this publicly as party chief. Nadda ji (JP Nadda, BJP national president) has also said this. So there are no two ways about it, no doubt about it. The elections are being fought in Bihar under the leadership of Shri Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi is the NDA's tallest leader. Whatever rumours are being floated, I want to put a full stop to this. Nitish Kumar will be the next chief minister of Bihar," Shah said in an exclusive interview to News18.

Tejashwi had recently announced that if his party were to be voted to power, 10 lakh government jobs will be sanctioned in the very first cabinet meeting.

Kamal Nath, in the letter to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan yesterday wrote, "If you had been moved over the honor of women and Dalits, you would have observed silence and fast for Hathras incident, the incident involving Swami Chinmayanand, one involving BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar and the incident with women detainees in Rewa Jail, but by mentioning the woman's caste in the letter (to Sonia Gandhi) you clearly demonstrated the mindset of your immoral politics."

Kamal Nath, in a letter to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan yesterday evening, alleged that the BJP was misleading people. Chouhan had earlier written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, asking her to condemn Nath's remarks and remove the former CM from all party posts. "I didn't make any disgraceful remarks but you served lies....The word I said has a lot of meanings. Your party is serving lies and misleading by interpreting the word arbitrarily," he said in the letter. "Under your 16-year-long government, the state remained on top in rape cases, crime against women but you remained silent."

Kamal Nath Apologised for Controversial Remark | Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath apologised for his remarks at state minister Imarti Devi yesterday, which landed him in controversy. At a bypoll campaign meeting in Dabra (SC) Assembly constituency in Gwalior on Sunday, Nath had compared the qualities of Congress candidate Suresh Raje and rival candidate Devi from the BJP. "Suresh Raje is a simple man. He is not like the person. What is the name of the person?" he had said. As the crowd shouted Devi's name, Nath called her an "item", saying, "Why should I name her? You know her better than I do. You should have warned me. Ye kya item hai."

A lot can change in the next five years. A new Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar may emerge to challenge the established players.

JP Nadda to Adress Rallies Today | BJP president JP Nadda will address rallies at Ara and Buxar today. Among 30 star campaigners for the party, BJP has named Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, state faces like Bihar President Sanjay Jaiswal and Deputy CM Sushil Modi, Devendra Fadnavis apart from PM Modi.

BJP Has 30 Star Campaigners | While PM Modi is expected to attend 12 physical and some virtual rallies in the state, CM Yogi is expected to address 18-22 rallies. The party leadership has names 30 star campaigners for the assembly elections in Bihar. Many senior BJP leaders will start the campaign from today.

CM Yogi Likely to Attend Rallies Today | Yogi Adityanath will begin campaign from October 20 in Ramgarh constituency. "We have received schedule for 20th and 21st our CM will be doing 3 rallies a day. On 20th Yogi ji will canvass in Ramgarh, Arwal and Karakat constituency. On 21st he'll be in Jamui, Tarari and Paliaganj," Mrityunjay Jha, media advisor to UP CM said.

HIGHLIGHT | BJP is contesting on 110 seats and has given 11 to VIP out of its quota, and JD(U) has fielded its candidates on 115 seats and left the remaining seven seats for HAM. There are 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar and the counting of votes will be done on November 10.

Rajnath Singh to Adress More Than 18 Rallies | As Bihar approaches for elections, many senior BJP leaders and Chief Ministers are scheduled to address rallies in the state. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address more than 18 rallies over six days in poll-bound Bihar. Singh will address a rally each in Badh, Nokha and Aurangabad on October 21, and in Banka, Barhara and Ramgarh on October 22.