Bihar: BJP suspends ex-Union minister Raj Kumar Singh, MLC, his Mayor wife
Patna (PTI): Former Union minister Raj Kumar Singh, who has been in the news for his outbursts against the ruling NDA in Bihar, was on Saturday suspended from the BJP for "anti-party" activities, a party leader said.
Singh, who has been served with a suspension order by the BJP headquarters in the state, has also been asked to show cause why he should not be expelled from the party.
In a similar action, the party also suspended MLC Ashok Kumar Agrawal and his wife Usha Agrawal, the mayor of Katihar, the BJP leader said.
The couple had canvassed for their son Saurabh, who was contesting the Katihar assembly seat on a ticket of Vikassheel Insan Party, against sitting BJP MLA and former Deputy CM Tarkishor Prasad.
Singh, the bureaucrat-turned-politician, who joined the BJP in 2014, months after retiring as the Union home secretary, has been critical of leaders, like Samrat Choudhary, a deputy chief minister of Bihar and a former state BJP president, for their alleged involvement in criminal cases.
He failed to retain his Ara Lok Sabha seat for a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha polls last year,
Singh has also been critical of the "deal" struck by the state government with the Adani Group for setting up a power plant in Bhagalpur.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
