Nitish Kumar

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for openly supporting GST and appealed to those opposing it that a message should not go to the world that Parliament in India is being an "obstruction".

The CEA panel may also recommend concessional, lower, standard and higher GST rates. Sources suggest cigarettes, luxury cars and beverages may have a higher GST rate. Precious metals on the other hand may be taxed at a concessional GST rate.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, KC Tyagi, Secretary General (JDU) says that it is the efficiency of the administrator that will ensure effectiveness of the ban.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today banned alcohol in the state, which will be imposed from April 1, 2016.

Alcohol ban decision by Bihar will not only have huge ramifications for the people of the state but also on the exchequer because 67 percent of the state's sales tax revenue comes from liquor which was over Rs 3,600 crore in the last fiscal.

The state, which earns Rs 4,000 crore annually from the taxes collected from the liquor sales, will now come up with plans to make up for the losses.

Bhupendra Chaubey of CNN-IBN says the poll result will be a referendum on Nitish Kumar because much of the campaign has been fought around Kumar's image. According to Chaubey, the election will throw up a clear verdict either for the Grand Alliance or the BJP

Bhupendra Chaubey, the national affairs editor of CNN-IBN, says the Saffron combine has been hit by a jam of sorts. The BJP poll strategists feel the first three phases haven't gone down well for them. The BJP had thought that the Yadavs will vote in favour of Modi

Outcome of Bihar elections is a prestige issue for the two main competitors - Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, said Sanjay Kumar, professor at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

The urban votes will go the BJP-led alliance, but victory in Bihar polls essentially will depend on dalit and backward class votes.

Gautam Trivedi of Religare Capital Markets believes the election fever is just starting to warm up in Bihar, and the pre-polls don't give any real outcome.

Both sides have jumped into the election bandwagon with a lot of energy and elections haven't been called in the state yet, says Anil Padmanabhan, deputy managing editor, Mint.

In a big bang announcement during the rally, the Prime Minister announced a special package worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore, and an addition fund of Rs 40,000 crore for the poll-bound state.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital following the Niti Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley claimed that several Chief Ministers had earlier agreed the land bill amendments.

An amalgamation of 11 political parties, the Third Front on Tuesday claimed that India was not a two-party nation and people were willing to try out an alternative.

All eyes will be on the fledgling Aam Admi Party (AAP) as Delhi votes on December 4 in the Assembly elections in which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to stop Congress from clinching a record fourth win even as the entry of Arvind Kejriwal's AAP has changed the dimension of the fight.

CNBC-TV18 reports that Rajya Sabha MP and JD(U) member NK Singh assured that his party and Nitish Kumar would support the Food Security Bill.

The government‘s track record does not inspire any confidence. There was nothing in that cabinet reshuffle yesterday, which inspired confidence that this government means business, says Rajdeep Sardesai, editor-in-chief, CNN-IBN

Rajdeep Sardesai, editor in-chief, CNN-IBN says Modi's projection as the Prime Ministerial candidate, if at all, will cause further rift in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) . Naveen Patnaik has already said he sees coming up of a third front and cannot attach himself to the NDA.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director of New Indian Express spoke about the current political uncertainty and where things are headed in terms of an early election.