Conspiracy being hatched to prevent entry of Nitish Kumar's son into politics: Tejashwi Yadav
Patna, Feb 27 (PTI): RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday claimed that "Sanghi elements" in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) were hatching a "conspiracy" to thwart his son Nishant's entry into politics.
The leader of the opposition was of the view that there was a possibility of JD(U) being "saved from extinction" upon Nishant taking the plunge, which was not to the liking of the BJP and its sympathisers.
Speaking to reporters here, Yadav said, "First of all, it must be clear that be it Nishant or anybody else, the decision to enter politics has to be one's own. I was not asked by my parents (ex-CMs Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi) to join politics. I took the decision myself after touring Bihar, when I sensed the mood of party cadre and the general public."
"Nishant has been like family, notwithstanding political differences with his father who has been cutting a sorry figure of late. Of course, the party may be saved from extinction if he comes forward. Therefore, many in the BJP with help from Sanghis in the JD(U), are engaged in a conspiracy to prevent his entry," Yadav alleged.
The former deputy CM made light of the cabinet expansion on Wednesday when seven BJP MLAs were inducted into the council of ministers, saying, "It is going to make no impact. Of course, it could be the last chance for them all as polls are just a few months away and the people of Bihar have made up their minds to vote out the NDA, which has ruled the state for close to 20 years."
He also mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for showering affection on the Bihar CM, while on a visit to Bhagalpur recently, and reminded the two leaders of past acrimony.
"The PM called Nitish ji 'laadla' (dear), though the latter was once accused of pulling away dinner plates," said Yadav, referring to the much talked about cancellation of a dinner by Kumar years ago, when Modi was his Gujarat counterpart.
"Modi felt so much shame when Nitish ji, while not in the NDA, made some indiscreet remarks inside the assembly. Now, Nitish ji is a BJP ally and his outrageous utterances make the PM's chest swell beyond 56 inches," the RJD leader said.
Bihar has made up its mind. The BJP will not be able to capture power here. But it may keep trying, by sending its poster boys like Modi and Yogi, he added.
Reacting to Yadav's statement, JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said, "A conspiracy against Nitish Kumar is an impossibility. Nishant is an engineering graduate. His assertion that Nitish Kumar is 100 per cent fit has been like a googly thrown at Tejashwi and other opposition leaders who are carrying out a vile propaganda."
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Rupee falls 28 paise to 94.77 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 28 paise to 94.77 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday as market sentiment took a dramatic turn after reports emerged that the US and Iran are discussing a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at reducing tensions and reopening negotiations.
Forex traders said Brent oil prices, which had fallen to USD 98 on the US-Iran peace deal, edged slightly higher to USD 101 per barrel after investors weighed the prospects for a Middle East peace deal.
Moreover, factors such as unabated foreign capital outflows amid rising geopolitical uncertainties further dented investor sentiment.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 94.77 against the US dollar, registering a fall of 28 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the rupee appreciated 69 paise to close at 94.49 against the US dollar.
"Markets are currently focused on the critical 48-hour window during which the US expects Tehran’s formal response through Pakistani mediators," said CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Iran with more bombing if it doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, amid a report that the warring sides were nearing an agreement to end the war.
US media outlet Axios reported, quoting US officials and two other sources, that the US and Iran were getting close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
The US expects Iranian responses on several key points over the next 48 hours, Axios reported, adding that nothing has been agreed yet. This was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 98.01, down 0.01 per cent.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.65 per cent at USD 101.83 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex declined 160.24 points to 77,798.28 in early trade, while the Nifty was down 30.25 points to 24,300.70.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 5,834.90 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
On the domestic macroeconomic front, the country's goods and services exports rose 4.6 per cent to an all-time high of USD 863.11 billion during 2025-26, up from USD 825.26 billion in 2024-25, despite global economic uncertainties, according to revised commerce ministry data.
Merchandise exports grew 0.93 per cent to USD 441.78 billion in the last fiscal year from USD 437.70 billion in 2024-25, the data showed.
