You all can protest as much as you want, but Modi will surely amend Waqf Act: Amit Shah

New Delhi: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which also includes Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU, is heading for a sweeping victory in Bihar, crossing the 204-seat mark in the 243-member Assembly and leaving the Mahagathbandhan in disarray.

Top Highlights of the Big Bihar Verdict

BJP leads in 93 seats, while Nitish Kumar’s JDU is ahead in 83. Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leads in 19, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha in four, and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha in four constituencies.

The Mahagathbandhan is struggling, ahead in just 32 seats: Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD in 26, Congress in five, and CPI(ML)(L) and CPM in one each.

Jan Suraaj Party, launched by poll strategist Prashant Kishor and seen as a potential disruptor, has failed to take off; its vote share has fallen below even NOTA.

A surprise performer is Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, which is leading in six seats, largely driven by votes from the Seemanchal region.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav faces an unexpectedly tight contest in Raghopur, his family stronghold, which he has represented since 2015.

Maithili Thakur, the 25-year-old singer making her debut on a BJP ticket, is leading in Alinagar. Meanwhile, Tejashwi's estranged brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who floated his own party, is trailing by more than 12,000 votes.

The Mahagathbandhan’s collapse comes as a major shock. In 2020, the RJD had bagged 75 seats and emerged as the single largest party, while the Congress contributed 19 seats, bolstering the Opposition’s strength.

In the last election, the Opposition had fallen short of the majority mark by just 12 seats, raising hopes of a potential victory this year. Instead, it now appears unlikely to even claim the Leader of the Opposition post.

For the BJP, the performance continues its upward trajectory from 2020, when it surpassed Nitish Kumar’s JDU for the first time and became the dominant partner in the alliance.

Although the JDU has made significant gains compared to its 2020 tally of 43 seats, it still trails the BJP by around 10 seats. Analysts say the NDA’s strong showing is partly due to heavy participation by women voters, traditionally a strong base for Nitish Kumar.

Bengaluru, Nov 13: Karnataka Minister M B Patil has recommended renaming Vijayapura, Belagavi, Bidar and Shivamogga Railway stations after prominent saints.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Patil said that the renaming is in accordance with local cultural significance.

The recommendation has been sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

In his letter, Patil has proposed that Vijayapura Railway Station be renamed Jnana Yogi Sri Siddeshwara Swamiji Railway Station, Belagavi Station be named Sri Basava Mahaswamiji Railway Station, Bidar Station as Channabasava Pattadevaru Railway Station, and Sooragondanakoppa Station as Bhayagada Railway Station.

He explained that the state government has recommended naming these four stations after revered saints and that approval from the Union Home Ministry is required for this.

Accordingly, the Infrastructure Department has sent the official communication, the minister said.

All four railway stations fall under the jurisdiction of the Hubballi Division of South Western Railway.

The minister noted that the saints proposed have made significant contributions to these regions of Karnataka, and urged the Centre to approve the renaming and notify it in the official gazette at the earliest.

Bengaluru: A viral video purportedly showing a group of Muslims offering 'namaz' at Terminal-2 of the Kempegowda International Airport in the city has ignited a political controversy, with the opposition BJP taking strong exception to the incident and demanding accountability from the state government.

BJP Karnataka unit spokesperson Vijay Prasad asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Priyank Kharge whether those who performed prayers in a public place had obtained any prior permission as mandated in the recent rule framed by the state government.

"How is this even allowed inside the T2 Terminal of Bengaluru International Airport? Hon'ble Chief Minister @siddaramaiah and Minister @PriyankKharge do you approve of this?" Prasad asked in a post on 'X' on late Saturday night.

"Did these individuals obtain prior permission to offer Namaz in a high-security airport zone?" Referring to the rules, which the BJP alleged were framed to restrict RSS activities in the state, Prasad said, "Why is it that the government objects when the RSS conducts Patha Sanchalana (route march) after obtaining due permission from the concerned authorities, but turns a blind eye to such activities in a restricted public area?"

The BJP spokesperson sought to know whether this does not pose a serious security concern in such a sensitive zone.