On day 2 of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Bihar, Rahul to address a rally
Patna (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will on Tuesday address his first rally in Bihar ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, seeking to pick up the threads for the opposition INDIA bloc which has been tattered with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit.
Gandhi's rally in Purnea district falls on the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra's march across the state where it made an entry through Kishanganj district and made a night halt at adjoining Araria.
According to Congress legislature party leader in Bihar, the rally will also be addressed by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge who has also invited other leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc to share the stage.
Also likely to be present is young leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who hails from the state's Begusarai district and is known to stir the crowds with his oratory.
The Congress' oldest and most important ally in the state, the RJD, is likely to be represented by a representative of its de facto leaders Lalu Prasad, the founding president, and his son Tejashwi Yadav who has twice been deprived of the Deputy Chief Minister's chair as a result of Nitish Kumar's somersaults.
According to state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh, "both Lalu and Tejashwi would have attended the rally, but for the ED summonses which seem to be aimed primarily at thwarting their visit to Purnea".
Notably, Lalu Prasad, who is in his 70s and suffers from many ailments, was grilled by the Enforcement Directorate at the Patna office for close to nine hours on Monday. Tejashwi Yadav, who like his father is named in the alleged land-for-jobs scam, has been asked to appear for questioning on Tuesday.
Besides, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, whose party is the third largest constituent of the state's 'Mahagathbandhan', after RJD and Congress, is slated to address the rally at Purnea, the Left party's state secretary Kunal said.
Gandhi, who was last seen in Bihar last year to attend a meeting of parties opposed to the BJP hosted by Nitish Kumar, has so far refrained from launching into a direct criticism of the JD(U) president for his volte-face two days ago.
However, Gandhi's close aide and Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had on Monday launched a blistering attack on Kumar, claiming his exit from the opposition INDIA bloc was "good riddance" which was causing many leaders of the opposition coalition to "heave a sigh of relief".
Kumar, who had joined the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, accusing the BJP of having tried to engineer a split in the JD(U), made an abrupt return to the NDA on Sunday when he resigned, only to form a new government with the saffron party.
#WATCH | Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra resumes from Araria in Bihar. Rahul Gandhi to interact with farmers and also hold a public meeting in Purnea today.. pic.twitter.com/p65K25lb7L
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2024
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India, Jamaica agree to boost trade, skilled mobility: Jaishankar
Kingston (PTI): India and Jamaica agreed to further strengthen trade linkages and explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including healthcare workers and teachers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
Addressing a joint press conference here after talks with his Jamaican counterpart Kamina J Smith on Monday, Jaishankar said the discussions were comprehensive, and they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, identifying new avenues to deepen the partnership.
"We signed several important agreements and discussed effective implementations of MOUs which have been recently concluded in the fields of digital transformation, cultural exchange, sports and digital payments to ensure tangible outcomes on the ground," he said.
India recognised Jamaica's growing role as a logistics hub and gateway to the Caribbean for trade and investment, Jaishankar said.
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"We agreed to further strengthen trade, business and investment linkages, explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including nurses, healthcare workers and teachers," he said.
The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in defence and security, healthcare, digitisation, agriculture, education and infrastructure, the minister said.
Highlighting development cooperation as a key pillar of ties, Jaishankar noted the successful completion of the Improving Rural Livelihoods Project in Kitson Town in March 2026, implemented with Indian assistance of USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, benefiting over 200 individuals and impacting thousands more.
He said India is also discussing the feasibility of establishing an artisan empowerment hub in Jamaica and reiterated support for the country's recovery following Hurricane Melissa.
As part of humanitarian assistance, India has supplied relief material, deployed a medical team and is in the process of providing 30 dialysis units. It is also sending 40 fishing boats and 200 GPS units to aid recovery efforts.
The ministers reaffirmed close cooperation in multilateral fora and discussed issues such as reformed multilateralism, climate justice and priorities of the Global South.
India appreciated Jamaica’s support for its candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2028-29.
Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Jaishankar also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, noting the popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Jamaica and the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the country’s development.
He announced a contribution of two million Jamaican dollars towards celebrations marking 181 years of the arrival of Indians in Jamaica on India Heritage Day.
According to the website of the High Commission of India in Kingston, Jamaica has an Indian diaspora of around 70,000 people whose forefathers came mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as indentured labour between 1845 and 1917. Some also came from South India.
The diaspora constitutes around 3 per cent of Jamaica's population and continues to nurture an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history, serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries. May 10 is observed as India Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Later in the day, Jaishankar interacted with Jamaica’s industry and business leaders, underlining the need to deepen economic engagement as countries diversify partnerships globally.
“Emphasised that as we all diversify and seek reliable partners, the imperative to deepen India-Jamaica business ties is that much stronger,” he said in a social media post, noting that the potential for bilateral and regional economic cooperation should be "explored more vigorously".
He also appreciated Industry Minister Aubyn Hill for convening the interaction with business leaders.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
