Posters declaring Samrat as new Bihar CM put up outside Patna BJP office as Nitish heads to Delhi
Patna (PTI): Posters declaring Samrat Choudhary, the deputy CM of Bihar, as the man who would head the new government in the state, were on Thursday put up outside the BJP office in Patna as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar left for Delhi to be sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP.
The posters, a few of which were pulled down by the party office staff, bore the label of 'Valmiki Samaj', a community of Dalits associated with scavenging work.
"We do not know who has put up these posters. We can, at this moment, only say that who would be the next CM is a decision to be taken collectively, as has been the party's tradition," BJP state media in charge Danish Eqbal told reporters.
Speculations are rife that upon being sworn in as Rajya Sabha MP on Friday, Kumar, who turned 75 last month, will hold the last meeting of his cabinet next week before giving up the chief minister's post.
Choudhary, who is seen as the front-runner among those in the race for the top job, has experienced a meteoric rise since he joined the BJP less than a decade ago.
Hailing from the Koeri caste, an influential OBC group which both the BJP and the main opposition party RJD have been trying to woo with equal intensity, Choudhary was made the state party president in 2023 and became the Deputy CM a year later, when the NDA was back in power following the JD(U) supremo's return to the coalition.
When the NDA retained power in the assembly polls held last year, Choudhary returned as Deputy CM, this time with the crucial Home portfolio, which Kumar had so far been averse to parting with.
According to sources in the BJP, which is currently the single largest party in the 243-strong assembly, the new government will be formed after April 14, when the month-long inauspicious Hindu calendar period of 'Kharmaas' ends.
The sources said top leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to be present at a "grand ceremony" that will mark the formation of the "first ever BJP government in Bihar", the only Hindi heartland state where the seat of power has eluded the party.
While Choudhary was being admittedly seen as the "most preferred" candidate for the top job, a "surprise" could not be ruled out since the final decision would be taken by the BJP's top leadership, known for adopting a "shock and awe" strategy.
Meanwhile, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad was asked about reports that the BJP was likely to hold a meeting in Delhi to discuss the formation of the new government in Bihar.
Prasad told PTI Video, "Of course, being a significant constituent of the NDA, the BJP has the right to hold deliberations on the emerging situation. But one thing is clear. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's consent will be sought while deciding his successor. Moreover, he will continue to spend as much time as possible in the state to offer guidance to the new government."
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Man chased, brutally stabbed inside public toilet in northwest Delhi; one arrested; juvenile held
New Delhi (PTI): An alleged road rage incident took a fatal turn when a 27-year-old factory worker was chased down by assailants and stabbed multiple times inside a public toilet in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar area, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday night, when witnesses saw the victim, Santosh Kumar, running into a public toilet in a desperate bid to save his life, with his attackers hot on his heels.
"A PCR call was received at 6:23 pm on April 8 regarding a man being stabbed inside the compound of a Sulabh Sauchalaya located at the fish market in Wazirpur Industrial Area," a senior police officer said.
A police team rushed to the spot and found the victim lying in a pool of blood inside the toilet premises. The victim, originally from Nepal, was residing in Macchi Market area, the official said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the incident stemmed from an altercation between the victim and a motorcycle rider. The verbal spat soon escalated into a physical scuffle, during which the accused, along with an associate, allegedly attacked Santosh with a knife.
Police sources said in a desperate attempt to save himself, the injured victim ran towards the nearby public toilet and tried to latch the door from inside. Eyewitness accounts suggest he tried to take refuge inside the public toilet and shut the door to prevent his attackers from entering. However, he was chased down, overpowered, and stabbed multiple times.
Santosh collapsed on the spot, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.
A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intentions) was registered at Ashok Vihar police station and an investigation was taken up.
During the probe, police arrested one accused identified as Tanish (19), a resident of CSA Colony in Macchi Market area, and apprehended a juvenile allegedly involved in the incident.
Police said the motorcycle used by the accused, which they had abandoned while fleeing after the attack, was recovered near the crime scene.
Family members and acquaintances of the deceased expressed shock over the killing. Santosh's uncle, who reached the spot after being informed, recounted the scene.
"When I came here, I saw him lying on the floor, dead. I noticed that he had been stabbed twice. I am not aware of what exactly happened. He was just 27 years old and used to work in a steel company with me. I don't know how many people were involved in the attack. We are from Nepal, and I have been working here for 15 years. I think he was stabbed outside and later came inside the toilet to save himself. There was a bike outside which I think belonged to the attackers," he said.
Police said the motive behind the crime appears to be road rage -- a sudden and heated altercation on the road that spiralled into a violent assault resulting in the victim's death.
Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend any other persons involved in the attack. Police teams are analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area and examining local witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
