It was all set for BJP national president Nitin Nabin to resign from the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Sunday, but he shelved the plan and rushed to Delhi for an important meeting.. BJP national president Nitin Nabin addressing during Abhinandan Samaroh at Sahay Sadan in Patna. (Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times). Bihar Legislative Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, who was in New Delhi, rushed to Patna Saturday evening to do the necessary arrangement as soon as he got the news that Nabin would resign.. “I got the information from BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi that the national party president would resign and accordingly, I returned. Suddenly, it got delayed due to some important work. The rule mandates he can remain a member of only one House beyond 14 days, but let us see,” said Prem Kumar.. The Speaker said he would again go to Delhi for a function and return by evening. For Nabin, March 30 is the deadline by which he has to resign from one House, as after being elected to the Rajya Sabha he cannot remain a member of both Parliament and a state legislature.. Also Read: Bihar Governor reinstates Patna University VC sent on leave by predecessor. The same applies to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has also been elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time. Both were elected to Rajya Sabha on March 16. Kumar is the member of the Bihar Legislative Council and he is likely to resign on March 30. “Both may resign on Monday, the last day, Nabin had some pressing engagement and it is no big deal” said a party leader.. According to the Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules, 1950 (under Articles 101/190 of the Constitution), a member elected to both Parliament and a State Legislature must resign from one within 14 days.. Sources in the BJP said that serious deliberations were on in both the BJP and the RSS for a replacement of Nitish Kumar, as Bihar has remained the only state in the Hindi heartland where it has struggled over the years. “There has to be deliberations also on the new cabinet. BJP may like to give a message from the word go that it wants to walk the talk,” they added.. Incidentally, the elevation of Nabin, 45, to the apex BJP position was also a surprise move and seen as a generational shift in the party. Nobody in the state seemed to have any inkling about five-time MLA Nabin’s elevation until it happened.. Also Read: Pushpanjali, Sabreen toppers, Nahid Sultana at second spot: Girls outshine in Bihar BSEB Class 10 merit list. “Having a first BJP CM in Bihar requires serious thinking, as the person donning the post will replace Nitish Kumar, who held the chair for two decades and built an aura around him. Besides, there will be a lot of expectations from the BJP CM to deliver on multiple parameters and also lend strength to the party. It has to be a face that nobody could finger at and at the same time have administrative astuteness,” said a senior leader.. Though there are wide-ranging speculations 

 Ram Navami has just been celebrated. On this occasion, my thoughts go to the beautifully lyrical way in which Tulsidas (1532–1623), in the Ramcharitmanas, describes this iconic moment. Tulsi was a committed Ram bhakt. In fact, he was to Ram what Surdas was to Krishna. Anyone less than such a complete and unwavering devotee could not have written the Ramcharitmanas. The epic, written in Avadhi—an easily comprehensible language in north India—is still sung and recited by millions upon millions. The unprecedented popularity of the Manas led the historian Vincent Smith to call Tulsidas the greatest man of his age in India, greater even than Akbar himself, of whom the poet was a contemporary.. On Ram Navami, delve into Tulsidas’ timeless narration of Ram’s journey (Getty). Tulsidas describes the time and milieu of the Lord’s birth with precision and lyrical aplomb: Naumi tithi madhu maasa punita; Sakala paccha Abhijita Hariprita; Madhyadivasa ati seeta na ghaama; Pavana kala loka bishrama. It was the ninth day of the waxing moon (sakala—bright half) of the sacred month of Chaitra; the moon had entered the asterism named Abhijit, which is so dear to Hari; it was midday, when it is neither too hot nor too cold; the entire ambience was imbued with holiness, and people felt serene and at rest.. In the further chaupais on the birth of Shri Ram, Tulsi weaves in several complex thoughts and emotions. The poet begins by setting the mood, elaborating on how the time of the birth was most auspicious and had the blessings of all the gods. The atmosphere was one of joy and celebration, and the entire cosmos was vibrating with the imminence of the emergence of the Lord.. When Shri Ram is born, the first two qualities that Tulsi ascribes to him are mercy and compassion. Bhai prakat kripala, deen dayala, Kaushalya hitkari, he writes. ‘Kripala’ is one who is kind, benevolent, and humane. ‘Deen dayala’ means the saviour of the weak and vulnerable.. In later verses, Tulsi consistently associates these virtues with Ram. When Lakshman asks Ram for a definition of dharma, the Lord replies: Par hita sarisa dharam nahi bhai; Para peeda sam nahi athamai (There is no greater dharma than the benefit of others, and no greater sin than causing injury to others).. To return to the birth, Tulsidas, the dexterous poet, plays upon Kaushalya’s incredulity at the fact that she had given birth to the Lord of the universe. When Ram is born, he appears in the full regalia of his divine splendour, with his four arms bearing weapons and his body adorned with all the symbols of divinity. Tulsi brings out Kaushalya’s sense of amazement at how she—an ordinary lady—could be the mother of one who is the master and ruler of the world.. Kaushalya says that for the Lord—in whose every pore reside several universes—to be born to her is a matter of disbelief, even laughter. Ram smiles at her puzzlement and sets her at ease by narrating many stories of the past, expl 

 Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday highlighted UP’s achievement in providing nine lakh govt jobs in nine years and emphasised transparency in the selection process.. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath addresses a gathering on the occasion of the inauguration of the Noida International Airport, in Jewar on Saturday. (ANI PHOTO). CM Yogi also challenged the opposition to question the transparency of the job selection process. Addressing the distribution ceremony of appointment letters related to 665 nursing officers in Lucknow, CM Yogi said, “Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in the country. A population of 25 crore resides in this state, and in the past 9 years, we have provided government jobs to 9 lakh youths. No one, not even the opposition, can raise questions on the transparency of even a single job or the selection process,” said CM Yogi.. Meanwhile, CM Yogi Adityanath on Saturday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for slashing excise duty on petrol and diesel.. Also Read: Noida International Airport: Yogi says it’s a landmark moment for landlocked state. Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Phase I of the Noida International Airport in Jewar, CM Yogi acknowledged the global fuel crisis and noted that the prices of petroleum products in India have remained stable.. He said, “Today is an occasion to express gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On the occasion of Ram Navami, there was enthusiasm across the nation. There is currently chaos and tensions across the globe, and prices of petroleum products are skyrocketing. However, with his far-sightedness and the nation-first attitude, we are witnessing the results of the work done in the last 11-12 years. Prices of petroleum products in India are stable, and the supply is smooth. Even developed nations like the US are witnessing high petroleum prices, and India’s neighbouring countries are experiencing a shortage of fuel and chaos. But, I thank PM Modi, for the historic decision of cutting excise duties.”. Noida International Airport is among the largest greenfield airport projects in India. The airport will initially have a passenger handling capacity of 12 million passengers per annum (MPPA), with scalability up to 70 MPPA upon full development. It features a 3,900-meter runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting to support efficient, all-weather, round-the-clock operations. 

 Congress on Sunday released the full list of 284 candidates for West Bengal Assembly Election, naming Adhir Ranjan Choudhury from Baharampur.. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and Party Secretary KC Venugopal during the Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting for West Bengal, at 24 Akbar Road, in New Delhi. (AICC/ANI Photo) (AICC). The party has named Pradip Prasad from Bhabanipur, where Mamata Banerjee successfully contested in last election. The list also included former MP Mausam Noor from Malatipur.. The party has decided to go solo in the poll, which is witnessing a direct contest between Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).. West Bengal will go to polls in two phases, with the first phase scheduled on April 23 and the second phase on April 29. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.. In the last assembly election in the state, held in eight phases in 2021, the Trinamool Congress recorded a landslide victory with 213 seats. The Congress and its Left Front ally drew a blank in the 2021 state polls. 

 Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day’s supply of the country’s cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores in the next couple of days.. Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, reached Indian ports between March 26 and March 28. Prior to that, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 tonnes of LPG, had reached Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16 and Kandla port in the state on March 17, respectively. (Deendayal Port Authority Kandla). “Two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, carrying a combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 tonnes, have safely transited the region and are moving towards Indian shores,” an official statement said.. While BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai with an expected arrival on March 31, BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1.. The US and Israel attacks on Iran and Tehran’s sweeping retaliation have all but halted shipping through the strait – the narrow shipping lane that is a conduit for oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to the world. Iran, however, last week said “non-hostile vessels” may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities.. Previously, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers had safely sailed through the strait.. Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, reached Indian ports between March 26 and March 28. Prior to that, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 tonnes of LPG, had reached Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16 and Kandla port in the state on March 17, respectively.. For a country that relies on imports from Gulf nations to meet as much as 60 per cent of its cooking gas needs, the arrivals will help ease the worst LPG shortage it is battling in decades. India consumed 33.15 million tonnes of LPG last year, with imports accounting for about 60 per cent of demand. As much as 90 per cent of those imports came from West Asia.. With the strait all but shut, it is sourcing LPG from nations like the US and Argentina.. “A total of 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region,” the statement said.. Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke out. Of these, 24 were on the West side of the strait and four on the East side. In the last few days, six vessels from the west side and two from the east have managed to sail to safety.. Besides the six LPG tankers, the Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki, with 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, reached Mundra on March 18.. Another tanker, Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously safely crossed the strait and is en route to Tanzania.. LPG carriers Jag Vikram, Green Asha and Green Sanvi are still in the western Strait of Hormuz. One empty vessel is being filled with LPG.. The DG Shipping control room is operating round-the-clock and has handl