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 caste survey may set off political churn in state: Experts
Ninety-two years after they were last enumerated, the Bihar government on Monday announced the results of a caste census carried out by the state government.
Updated on Oct 03, 2023 08:28 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Bihar caste survey report: Experts see a Mandal replay
The finding that castes in the “reserved” category constitute 84.48% of Bihar’s population, for whom the quota in government jobs is capped at 50%.
Published on Oct 02, 2023 09:44 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Nitish attends BJP function in Patna; downplays speculation about NDA return
The INLD had invited most of the leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, including Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, among others
Published on Sep 25, 2023 04:39 PM IST
“Nothing new”, says Tejashwi Yadav on court summon in land-for-jobs case
The special judge took cognizance of a fresh chargesheet filed by the CBI and issued summons
Updated on Sep 22, 2023 03:06 PM IST
Nitish Kumar’s JD-U to support women’s quota bill, ally RJD says it will oppose
The JD-U and RJD questioned the delay in conducting the decadal headcount, saying the 33% quota will kick in only after the census and delimitation is done
Published on Sep 19, 2023 08:09 PM IST
Ready if BJP government chooses to call for early national polls: Nitish Kumar
Kumar maintained that the Opposition National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is strong and will contest elections strongly
Published on Sep 18, 2023 02:27 PM IST
In Bihar, BJP works out a tentative seat-sharing formula for 2024 elections
BJP vice president Santosh Pathak said the party was very strong on seats won by its alliance partners in 2019 and the party was working on winning these seats in 2024
Published on Sep 08, 2023 03:16 PM IST
Amit Shah to visit Bihar on Sept 16, address rally in Jhanjharpur
Union home minister Amit Shah is expected to chair the meeting of BJP leaders in the state as the party gears up to battle for the general election next year
Updated on Sep 06, 2023 11:41 AM IST
Electoral battlelines drawn in Bihar over caste survey
The last data on the caste composition is found in the 1931 census, nine decades ago. In 1941, though caste was enumerated, the report wasn’t published
Published on Aug 30, 2023 06:36 PM IST
Just wanted to unite parties, no desire to become INDIA convenor: Nitish Kumar
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar made the comments in response to a question on whether he will accept the role of the convenor ahead of the two-day third meeting of the grouping in Mumbai
Updated on Aug 28, 2023 01:16 PM IST
JD-U announces 98-member national executive; Harivansh’s name missing
The Rajya Sabha deputy chairman has been at the receiving end of the party leaders for attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building and was accused of working for BJP.
Updated on Aug 23, 2023 09:27 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Renaming of ‘Vajpayee’ park in Patna put on hold amid row
The park in Kankarbagh locality, which was earlier named after late PM Vajpayee, has been renamed as Cocunut park by the department of environment and forest and was to be inaugurated by its minister Tej Pratap Yadav.
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 09:36 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Tej Pratap Yadav pauses plan to rename Patna park after Bihar BJP’s sharp pitch
The Bihar government postponed the inauguration of a park in Patna after BJP leaders claimed it was already named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 09:21 PM IST
In Delhi to meet Oppn leaders, Nitish Kumar’s first stop is Vajpayee’s memorial
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is hold meetings with senior opposition leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi of the Congress and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal
Updated on Aug 16, 2023 07:35 PM IST
Chirag pitches mother’s name for Hajipur seat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Monday said his party will contest no less than six Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, and that he wants his mother to fight next year’s General Elections from Hajipur seat
Updated on Aug 08, 2023 12:39 AM IST
‘She has first claim’: Chirag Paswan floats his mother’s name for Hajipur seat
Ram Vilas Paswan, who founded the Lok Janshakti Party, represented Hajipur Lok Sabha seat nine times. In 2019, the party fielded Chirag Paswan’s uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras from the seat
Updated on Aug 07, 2023 06:12 PM IST
Can Chirag be BJP’s trump card in Bihar?
The younger Paswan, who could extract a union cabinet berth, is in the middle of a family feud with his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras who is already a minister.
Published on Jul 12, 2023 03:36 PM IST
JD-U junks talks of cracks in ruling alliance as RJD raises heat
Heated exchange that shows no sign of a let-up despite the intervention of chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD national president Lalu Prasad.
Updated on Jul 08, 2023 09:50 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Nitish Kumar meets Rajya Sabha dy chairman Harivansh N Singh; his party explains
Bihar minister and senior Janata Dal-United leader Ashok Chowdhary said the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh met the CM in his capacity as a party MP
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 06:28 PM IST
Days after Raj Bhawan visit, Nitish meets JD-U legislators one-on-one
The JD-U currently has 45 members of legislative assembly (MLAs) in the 243-member House and 23 members in the legislative council whose total strength is 75.
Updated on Jun 30, 2023 09:49 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Shah targets Nitish, alleges Opposition leaders’ role in ₹20L-cr scam
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday alleged Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had shunned all political principles and accused Opposition parties of being involved in scams worth ₹20 lakh crore.
Updated on Jun 30, 2023 01:11 AM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Opp leaders who attended Patna meet involved in scams worth ₹20 lakh cr: Amit Shah
Taking on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who organised the meeting, Shah said the people of the state will give a “befitting reply to corrupt leaders” in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Updated on Jun 29, 2023 05:48 PM IST
Opposition politics | The importance of Nitish's earnestness
The Bihar CM has taken on an ambitious and difficult job: to unite the Opposition in time for 2024. The question of what will happen to him if he doesn't looms
Updated on Jun 22, 2023 05:04 PM IST
Nitish Kumar cancels his Tamil Nadu visit at last minute
No official reason was given for the cancellation of the visit, which has been given much importance against the backdrop of efforts to forge unity among non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties
Updated on Jun 20, 2023 02:19 PM IST
Shah, Nadda rallies in Bihar after June 23 Oppn unity meet in Patna
The rallies by two top BJP leaders have been scheduled close on the heels of a crucial meeting of key political figures from across the country due on June 23 in Patna, where they are expected to deliberate on forging a coalition against the BJP for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Updated on Jun 15, 2023 10:07 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Can’t rule out early LS polls: Nitish
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expressed the possibility of early Lok Sabha elections, due in March-April 2024, during a function of the rural development department.
Updated on Jun 14, 2023 10:10 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
Lok Sabha elections may be preponed, says Nitish Kumar ahead of Oppn unity meet
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that t is possible that Lok Sabha elections may be held before time, i.e., this year itself
Updated on Jun 14, 2023 09:05 PM IST
K C Tyagi's resurgence in Bihar politics and what it means
A deep dive into K C Tyagi's storied career is warranted as Nitish Kumar is busy mobilising forces in Bihar to get ready for 2024 polls.
Published on Jun 08, 2023 09:13 PM IST
Opposition unity meet postponed as party chiefs weren’t available: Nitish Kumar
Due to prior engagements of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi along with Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin were unable to mark their presence for the June 12 meeting
Updated on Jun 05, 2023 05:26 PM IST
In making, anti-BJP front agrees to press mute on Savarkar
Leaders of 18 political parties, among them three chief ministers, are scheduled to meet in Patna on June 12.
Updated on Jun 01, 2023 09:59 PM IST
Vijay Swaroop, Patna
