The disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and not the floor test in the Bihar Assembly, ruled conversation in the Central Hall of Parliament today.  


BJP MPs, who were in large attendance, were of course rejoicing at the imminent sacking of Nawaz Sharif by the Pakistan Supreme Court, but the jubilation was tempered with concern over the Pakistan Army getting a upper hand.  


Of course, Nitish winning the vote of confidence in the Bihar Assembly was also discussed and many BJP and JD-U MPs wanted to know the view of JD-U leader Sharad Yadav, who has maintained a studied silence over Nitish Kumar's political realignments. Yadav was being comforted by BJP's Bihar MPs and it is now almost certain that he will be inducted as Union Minister in the ensuing Cabinet expansion.  


Many Congress MPs were justifiably upset with the news that as many as six MLAs had resigned from the party in Gujarat, which would mean Ahmed Patel, the party's contender for a Rajya Sabha seat from the state may be defeated.  


Being Friday, many MPs were heading back to their home states for the weekend ahead. On Fridays, the Parliament also deliberates on private members' bills and if the MP's name figures on the agenda in the House, they have to be present, otherwise many will fly out of Delhi.  


Congress MPs were also heard commenting on Rahul Gandhi's statement that he knew about Nitish Kumar's ploy of deserting the Mahagadbandhan. In private, Congerss MPs said they were worried that in 2019 Rahul Gandhi will not be able to put a fight against the BJP and Narendra Modi. Friends of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan were heard saying that the Congress does not have a tall leader who can take on Narendra Modi and expressed little confidence in Rahul Gandhi's leadership.  


Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab is a hero in Central Hall for exhuming the ghost of Bofors. Mahatab created a furore in the Public Accounts Committee for saying certain aspects in the Bofors files were missing which was confirmed later.  


CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri was denied a third term in the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. Kerala CPM MPs who are in the good books of Karat were joyful. They were murmuring that it was the CPM under the leadership of Karat that withdrew support to the UPA, but Yechuri despite being a hardcore comrade was cosying up to the Congress to get a third term in the Rajya Sabha.  


Jairam Ramesh walked upto EM Sudarsana Natchiappan, a former MP and congratulated him in advance. It is believed that Rahul Gandhi has cleared the appointment of Natchiappan as President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in place of S Thirunavukkarasar. On hearing this, many Congress MPs from Kerala went to greet Natchiappan since he is also the AICC observer for Kerala and many MPs want to remain in his good books. Jairam Ramesh told a Kerala MP that Natchiappan will be made TNCC Chief by September.

-- R Rajagopalan

Nawaz Sharif's brother Shehbaz Sharif will be the next prime minister of Pakistan after the Supreme Court  disqualified the former from holding public office in a landmark decision on the Panama Papers case.

E-tailing giant Amazon's net profits tanked 77 per cent to USD 197 million (Rs 1,264 crore) in the June quarter hurt by wider losses in international operations, but said it remains committed to investing in India. Amazon's operating losses in its international business widened to USD 724 million (Rs 4,646 crore) in June 2017 quarter against a loss of USD 135 million in the year-ago period. Its revenues, on the other hand, jumped close to 25 per cent to USD 37.5 billion. Operating income of Amazon's North America business fell 38 per cent, while that from Amazon Web Services rose 27 per cent. Despite widening losses, Amazon remains committed to making further investments in India.

Facing an alarming exodus on MLAs, the Congress party in Gujarat huddled on Friday to discuss their future strategy ahead of Rajya Sabha elections .

Congress top brass Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot and Randeep Singh Surjewala held a key meeting with Gujarat Congress MLAs amidst the resignations of six MLAs since yesterday.

Meanwhile, Ramsinh Parmar has become the sixth Congress MLA to submit his resignation.

Earlier in the day two Congress MLAs, Maan Singh Chouhan and Sana Bhai Choudhari offered their resignations.

This came a day after three Congress MLAs, P. I. Patel, Balwantsinh Rajput and Tejashree Patel quit the party and joined the BJP.

Speaking on the issue, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ramanbhai Vora said that nine MLAs have given resignation since yesterday, but he received only five resignations in paper.

"I got the resignation of the three MLAs of Gujarat yesterday. Sana Bhai Choudhari gave me his resignation. Maan Singh Chauhan gave me his resignation today. No one has asked for the time, whoever will come to my office, I will talk to them," he added.

This comes when the Rajya Sabha election is around the corner in Gujarat.

BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani will contest for Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat.

Currently, Shah is an MLA from Gujarat's Naranpura constituency.

Indrani Mukerjea's driver Shyamvar Rai who is a witness in the Sheena Bora murder case, deposed in the court on Friday and confessed that Indrani had told him that she would kill Sheena Bora and her stepson Mikhail.


"I was alone in office at that time, Indrani Madam told me on Skype I am a very trustworthy person and she wanted to tell me something which I cannot tell anyone. She told me that she will take responsibility of my child's education and all medical expenses of my family. She assured that my job as a driver will stay forever. She said that Sheena and Mikhail are defaming her by calling their 'mother' everywhere and this has started quarrels. Peter Mukerjea's son Rahul is in love with Sheena Bora and therefore she would have to kill Sheena and Mikhail," Rai told the court.


He added that Indrani told him to not worry and that a man will come from Kolkata to kill Sheena and Mikhail.


Rai, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, further said that he was offered a job of driver at Indrani's place with a salary of Rs. 10,000 per month.


The driver also admitted that Indrani had paid him money for helping with the murder. "I along with Indrani and her husband Sanjeev Khanna, left to dispose of Sheena's body and burnt it in a forest in Gagode village of Raigad district on April 24, 2012," he said.


He added that his Skype account was created, but he could not recollect the password, however, the ID was "Shyawarrai".


Bora was allegedly killed in 2012, but the case came to light in 2015, after Rai's arrest. Rai is the crucial link in the case which led to the arrest of Indrani Mukerjea, her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna for the murder of Sheena.


Meanwhile, Indrani will be interrogated in connection with the murder of Manjula Shetye, a Byculla jail prisoner, said Maharashtra minister Ranjit Patil. Patil announced the development in the monsoon session of the Legislature. Action will also be taken against the doctor of the JJ Hospital's Casualty Department, who gave false reports on Shetye's death.

Nalini Sriharan, a lifer in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has moved the Madras High Court seeking 'ordinary leave' for six months to make arrangements for her daughter's marriage.


Nalini, lodged in a special prison for women in Vellore, said she had sent representations to the Tamil Nadu chief minister and inspector general of prisons seeking parole, but there was no response from them. As a life convict she was entitled to be granted ordinary leave for one month once in two years, Nalini, who has been in prison for 26 years, contended, adding she had not availed any such leave so far.


"Since I have to make certain arrangements for the marriage of my daughter Harithra, who is currently living with her grandparents in London, I made a representation to the chief minister seeking six months parole on November 12, 2016," she said in her petition.


As there was no response, she sent another representation to the IG Prisons on January 23, but this too failed to get any response. Hence, she was compelled to move the court, Nalini said. The petition is likely to be taken up for hearing on Monday. Nalini was initially awarded death sentence which was later commuted to life imprisonment by the state government.


Also read:Explained: The Rajiv Gandhi assassination case

Newly sworn-in Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi expressed his happiness at the victory in the floor test and said he and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will soon sit down to discuss about the Cabinet.


Addressing reporters after winning the trust vote, Modi said "Happy that the government led by chief minister Nitish Kumar has won vote of confidence, we will sit down soon to discuss about the cabinet.


"Lashing out at the Congress party, Modi said if they (Congress) had majority they would have proved it today in the House."It has become clear that the new alliance has received the mandate now and the un-natural alliance died naturally today. And that is why we kept saying that this alliance will not run for long," he added.


Attacking the RJD fraction, Modi said the people of Bihar want to know from Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi as to how, at the mere age of 28, did he amass so much wealth.


"Nitish Kumar took the right step at the right time and fought against corruption and did not bow down before Lalu," he added.


Earlier, former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on said that the mandate which was handed over by the people of Bihar in 2015 elections was for the grand alliance, adding that Nitish Kumar and the BJP had insulted that mandate.


"It is a murder of democracy. People of Bihar had given mandate in 2015 not for the BJP but for the grand alliance. He (Nitish) along with the saffron party has insulted the mandate," Tejashwi told the media here.


Tejashwi added the entire disturbing series of events had been planned in advance by the saffron party."Nitish ji is sitting in the lap of BJP and RSS which has disappointed the people of Bihar. The public feels betrayal. If he had to ultimately go to the BJP then did he change four parties in four years," he asserted.

Amid the Doklam standoff between India and China, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing yesterday to attend the BRICS NSA's meeting on July 27-28. Doval met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, along with other BRICS High Representatives.

The latest standoff between two nuclear armed countries started when China started building a motorable road in Doklam area near Sikkim on June 16. India as well as Bhutan have raised strong objection to the Chinese aggression on the border.

China on June 26 alleged that Indian troops crossed the boundary line in the Sikkim sector of the China-India boundary.

Since then there is a tension between two countries.

India on June 30 told China that its attempt to construct a road in the Doklam area in Bhutan will cause a "significant change of status quo", is a "violation of a 2012 understanding", and will lead to "serious security implications."

However, given the Chinese stand on Doval's visit, it is not likely that the Indian NSA would be holding parleys with Chinese officials to cool-off the simmering tensions on India-China border.

Nawaz Sharif steps down as Prime Minister of Pakistan after Supreme Court's verdict on Panama Papers, says the Pakistan media.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Friday disqualified from office by the Supreme Court which sent his case to an anti-corruption court for trial in the Panamagate graft scandal.

In a unanimous verdict, the Supreme Court ordered that a case be registered against Sharif and ruled that a reference be sent against him and his family to an accountability court.

The court also ordered the National Accountability Bureau to wrap up the case within six weeks.

Tejashwi Yadav still very angry, speaks to reporters outside the Bihar Assembly, after Nitish Kumar wins the trust vote. Tejashwi says, "Mandate mahagathbandhan ko tha, aaj us mandate ko BJP aur Nitish Kumar ne apmaanit karne ka kaam kiya hai. People of Bihar will teach them a lesson.

"Asked several questions in assembly today, but BJP and Nitish Kumar had no answers to them. When they couldn't answer my questions in the Assembly, then how will they answer the people?"


Image: Tejashwi Yadav with his brother Tej Pratap after the RJD lost the trust vote.

Nitish Kumar wins the trust vote allowing him to remain as Bihar CM with a new alliance with the BJP. He received 131 votes against 108. There was no cross voting at all, because the voting was conducted by division of votes by going into lobbies,with the division clerk simultaneously calling out the name of the member to sign a register.

Nitish had claimed the support of 131 members, including the BJP, two independents and legislators of BJP allies Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular and Rashtriya Lok Samata party. Opposition RJD has 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the CPI-ML 3.

Nitish led JD (U)-NDA government has a support of 132 MLAs, which helped it to prove a comfortable majority in the 243 member state assembly where 122 MLAs are required to prove majority.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is now speaking in the Bihar Assembly. He is saying this government will focus only on development. The mandate was not for amassing benami properties, the CM says. "The RJD ignored our party. The mandate was for a transparent, corruption-free government. No one can lecture me on secularism. I know what I am doing. I will not support anyone amassing personal wealth by using political power. It was impossible for me to continue with the arrangement. This is a mandate for janta ka sewa. The people gave a mandate to serve the people."

Trust vote underway in Bihar Assembly. RJD opposes voice vote, asks for secret vote.

And as expected Nitish Kumar has won the floor test in the Bihar Assembly.

Dawn:  Cases would be opened against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family Captain Muhammad Safdar, Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz as well as Sharif himself. The Pakistan prime minister was additionally disqualified from holding his office. The judges ruled that the prime minister had been dishonest to parliament and the courts and could not be deemed fit for his office.

The judgement was an unanimous, 5:0.

A five-judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court has announced the Panama Papers verdict disqualifying PM Nawaz Sharif.  There is no clarity on the who will take over as the prime minister.

The bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa announced the historic and unanimous verdict today. Khosa in the April 20 judgement declared Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif 'disqualified' for not being honest to the nation.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan had last week concluded the entire hearings and reserved its judgment in the Panamagate case in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family are accused of amassing offshore assets, reports Dawn.

However, the majority judgement by the three-member bench gave an opportunity to the Prime Minister and his children to explain their position before a specially constituted six-man Joint Invesatigating Team (JIT).

Later, a three-judge bench consisting of the judges, who passed on the majority verdict, became the implementation bench overseeing the working of the JIT.

The bench closed proceedings on July 21, after going through the JIT report.

Nitish Kumar speaking in the Bihar Assembly now.

Congress leader Mukesh Goud's son Vikram Goud was shot at by unidentified assailant at his residence in Hyderabad's Banjara Hills in the early hours of Friday.

Goud, who suffered two bullet injuries in his hands, was admitted to Jubilee Hills Apollo Hospital and is undergoing treatment.

Goud's wife Shipali lodged a police complaint alleging that someone tried to kill her husband.

The incident took place at around 2.30 am today when Goud and his wife were going to Haqi Baba Dargah to offer food to the poor.

Goud's wife, in her complaint, said the assailant attacked her husband with the intention to kill him.

Bollywood actor Inder Kumar passes away at the age of 44, suffered a heart attack at his Andheri residence.

In a massive setback to the Congress in Gujarat, two Congress MLAs offered their resignations today.

This came a day after three Congress MLAs quit the party and joined the  BJP taking the total to five.

Maan Singh Chouhan and Sana Bhai Choudhari are the two MLAs who resigned from the grand old party. Speaking on the issue, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ramanbhai Vora said that nine MLAs have given resignation since yesterday, but he received only 5 resignations in paper.

Yesterday, three Congress MLAs P. I. Patel, Balwantsinh Rajput and Tejashree Patel resigned from the party. Rajput is a relative of Shankersinh Vaghela, who quit the Congress last week, while P.I. Patel was the Congress legislator from Vijapur.

This comes when the Rajya Sabha election is around the corner in Gujarat.BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani will contest for Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat.Currently, Shah is an MLA from Gujarat's Naranpura constituency.  -- ANI

In the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav holds forth:

He says CM Nitish Kumar never discussed my resignation with him. "If he had, I would have thought about it. I was taking legal opinion and I told him that. I am 22-years-old but I am never afraid. Nitish Kumar is still my uncle, but he betrayed me. If Nitish had asked me to resign, I would have thought of it: ," Tejashwi said.


"Sushil Modi is also facing cases. So why did he take oath (as deputy chief minister). Why was the timing of the oath-taking ceremony changed? How did Narendra Modi tweet so quickly on Nitish Kumars resignation?"


Prime Minister Narendra Modi had welcomed the Bihar Chief Minister's decision to resign from the post, congratulating Nitish on joining the battle against corruption. "125 crore people are welcoming and supporting your decision," the Prime Minister said on Wednesday moments after Nitish announced his resignation.

In another tweet, PM Modi wrote: "For the bright future of India, and particularly Bihar, it is imperative that one goes beyond political differences and fights corruption."

Tejashwi Yadav is occupying the chair of the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly.

Tejashwi has been speaking for the last 15 minutes and is expected to speak for at least 40 minutes more.

Highlights of his speech...

There have been four governments in four years. Who is responsible for this? People want an answer.

Nitish Kumar has betrayed the 2015 mandate of the people.

You (Nitish Kumar) are using me as a pawn to go over to the BJP. You have gone from saying 'He Ram' when you saw the BJP to saying 'Jai Shri Ram'. He Ram se Jai Shri Ram mein chale gaye.  

The mandate was for five years and it was against the BJP.

Nitish Kumar could not dare to sack me The BJP is greedy. Nitish fought alone in 1995 and got seven seats. In 2014, he was reduced to two seats. Where was his image then?

He said Nitish had planned to go with the BJP well in advance. Nitish's move is well planned. This whole farce was to save Nitish.


Both sides are shouting  at each other in the Bihar Assembly after Tejashwi Yadav tells BJPs Sushil Modi to be ashamed of what he has done.

Gandhinagar: BJP President Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat.

Just in: Bihar Assembly proceedings begin. Tejashwi Yadav speaking in the Assembly. Tejashwi reminds the BJP that Nitish Kumar had ditched them earlier to form the mahagathbandhan with the RJD and the Congress.

The Patna High Court responds to the petition filed by the RJD challenging the formation of a new government by Nitish Kumar's JDU with the BJP. The court says that a hearing is not possible before July 31st, Monday.

JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar said that Nitish Kumar will get a full majority today. "Politics is about serving people, it's not a medium to collect money or property. According to the wishes of the state, the Chief Minister will win with complete majority and prove his ethical politics. We hope that he will strongly present his case in the assembly and also win the majority."


The BJP and Janata Dal (United) have issued whip to their legislators to vote in favour of the trust vote.

The RJD and the Congress have also issued a similar whip to their legislators.

Nitish led JD (U)-NDA government has a support of 132 MLAs, which will help it to prove a comfortable majority in the 243 member state assembly where 122 MLAs are required to prove majority.

According to the communique issued from the Raj Bhawan, Nitish has claimed the support of 131 members, including the BJP, two independents and legislators of BJP allies Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)-Secular and Rashtriya Lok Samata party (RLSP).Opposition RJD has 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the CPI-ML 3.

Tejashwi Yadav outside Bihar assembly ahead of CM Nitish Kumar's floor test. , Rahul Gandhi had said yesterday that he was aware that Nitish would do this. "For personal politics Nitishji has now embraced the same people. This is the problem with India's politics. In politics you get to know what is in (the) other person's mind. Clearly, I got to know that Nitishji was planning this, we knew this for three or four months that this planning is on."

Meanwhile, the RJD has filed a writ petition in the Patna High Court.

RJD MLAs protest outside the Bihar assembly ahead of CM Nitish Kumar's floor test. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi has also arrived just after Nitish Kumar, as has RJD's Tejashwi Yadav. The RJD wants a secret vote, a vote of conscience since they feel they can tap in to those JD-U MLAs who are unhappy with Nitish's alliance with the BJP. The RJD said this is vishwasghat or a betrayal by the JD-U and they will bring this up in the floor of the House. The JD-U has maintained that it is confident of a win. One RJD poster  calls Nitish Kumar, 'Kursi' Kumar.


Yesterday, in a flurry of tweets, Tejashwi hit out at the JDU and Nitish Kumar saying, "Vicious greed for power of opportunism will spell it's own doom. People are not fools that they digest their penchant for wicked power grab. Past baggage, though unjustified, didn't perturb me when I was entrusted to carry the expectations of people's mandate, in the role of DyCM! I delivered manifolds than what was expected of me. My performance perturbed our ally & BJP. Vendetta against me exposes their viciousness."

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar arrives at the Bihar state assembly amid protests by RJD supporters, who are shouting slogans against Nitish and holding up placards, one of which says, "Aisa koi saga nahin jise Nitish Kumar ne thaga nahin. None who is close to Nitish Kumar has not been betrayed."

Nitish arrived with a big smile, but did not speak to the media converging outside the Assembly.  

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today seek a vote of confidence in the Bihar Legislative Assembly today to prove his majority to form the state government.

Nitish will move the confidence motion in the special session at 11 am.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-United have issued whips to their legislators to vote in favour of the government.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress have also issued a whip to their MLAs. The RJD has sought legal action and has threatened to hold protests in the Assembly.

Here's what will happen when Assembly convenes at 11 am.

1. Nitish will move the confidence motion in the special session at 11 am.

2. Deputy CM and former RJD ally Tejashwani Yadav will speak first.

3. The leaders of all political parties to speak thereater.

4. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will be the last to speak.

5. A voice vote followed by voting by slips or button will take place.

The Nitish-led National Democratic Alliance government has the support of 132 MLAs, which will help it to prove a comfortable majority in the 243-member state assembly where 122 MLAs are required to prove majority.

According to the communique issued from the Raj Bhawan, Nitish has claimed the support of 131 members, including the BJP, two Independents and two legislators of BJP allies Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Samata party.

Opposition RJD has 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist 3.

Security arrangements have been made in and around the assembly building ahead of the floor test.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today called on BRICS countries to show leadership on issues of regional and global importance, including countering terrorism. Speaking at the meeting of NSAs from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), Doval said, "We should hold a BRICS forum to discuss security issues that impact global peace and stability."


He said the five-member bloc of emerging countries needs to "show leadership in countering terrorism". In his brief opening remarks at the meeting hosted by his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, Doval said BRICS countries also should take leadership role on strategic issues of regional and global importance specially in the areas where they have "consensus".


There was no reference to the ongoing Doklam standoff in his speech. Yang and Doval are Special Representatives for the India-China boundary talks.


The two officials held a separate meeting yesterday to discuss bilateral issues. During that meeting, they were understood to have discussed the standoff between the troops of both the countries at Doklam area in the Sikkim section.


Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the 7th meeting of 'BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues' is a major platform for BRICS countries to discuss and carry out cooperation in the political security field.


The meeting aims to enhance strategic communication, political mutual trust and international influence of BRICS countries, it said. The meeting will focus on global governance, counter- terrorism, cyber security and energy security, international and regional hotspots, and national security and development, it said.

The Guardian reports:

Former Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Zakir Rashid Bhat, popularly known as Zakir Musa, has been appointed as the head of a newly created Al Qaeda cell in Kashmir.

'The appointment of Zakir Musa as head of the new group represents the first time terrorists linked to Al Qaeda have operated openly in Kashmir,' the report said.

'The new cell, named Ansar Ghawzat-Ul-Hind, is the deepest inroad Al Qaeda has yet made in Kashmir,' it said.

Recently, breaking from the secessionist movement's traditional leadership -- the Hurriyat Conference -- Musa had advocated Kashmiri allegiance to Islamic State.

In an audio slideshow released in May, Musa spoke about establishing an Islamic caliphate in Kashmir.

In the 5.40-minute-long clip, Musa also warned separatist leaders not to meddle in the move to set up a caliphate in Jammu and Kashmir 'along the lines of the rule established by the Islamic State in parts of Syria and Iraq'.

However, a Hizb-ul spokesman later claimed 'that the statement of Musa isnt acceptable and that the outfit has nothing to do with it'.

Musa, who succeeded Burhan Wani in the outfit, had dumped Hizb-ul after this fallout.  -- Agencies

The office-bearers of the Bhim Army on Thursday gheraoed the office of the Saharanpur district magistrate and submitted a memorandum to administrative officials alleging assaults on the outfit's founder Chandrasekhar inside the district jail.

They demanded necessary action and an unbiased investigation into their charges by the administration.

The mother of Bhim Army's district unit president Kamal Walia said if 'the innocent people' of the Dalit outfit were attacked, they would not sit silent.

The office-bearers sought an early resolution to the issue and warned of launching a stir if their demands are not met.

Chandrashekhar, a lawyer by profession, was arrested onJune 8 by Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police from Himachal Pradesh's Dalhousie in connection with his alleged role in the violence in Saharanpur.

He had shot to limelight after holding a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against violence on Dalits in Saharanpur.

Earlier, two members of the Bhim Army were arrested in Saharanpur for their alleged involvement in the Ramnagar caste violence on May 9 after a person was killed and several others were injured in a clash between Dalits and Thakurs at Shabbirpur village on May 5. -- PTI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to face floor test in the assembly today.

The National Democratic Alliance had submitted a list of 132 MLAs to the governor, which is well past the required number of 122 in the 243-member assembly.

These MLAs include 71 of the Janata Dal-United, Bharatiya Janata Partys 53, two of the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, two of the Lok Janshakti Party, one of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha and three independents.

On the other side, the Rashtriya Janata Dal has 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist has three.