Nitish Kumar wins Bihar trust vote with 129 MLAs’ support, Opposition walks out

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New Delhi, Feb 12, 2024: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA government on Monday won the crucial floor test in Bihar with the support of as many as 129 MLAs, including three from the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The new government secured 129 votes amid a walkout by the opposition members.

 

Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar moved a motion before the state assembly, seeking confidence in the new government he has formed with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Nitish Kumar, who recently took over as JD(U) chief, moved the motion soon after the House passed the resolution for the removal of RJD’s Awadh Bihari Chaudhary as Speaker of the Assembly.

Here’s all you need to know about Bihar floor test:

1. After winning the floor test, Nitish Kumar slammed his former deputy alleging that the RJD indulged in corrupt practices during the party’s rule in the state, and the new NDA-led government will initiate a probe into it. "There was no law and order. The RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule (before 2005)... I will get these probed,” he said.

2. Nitish Kumar also reminded Tejashwi Yadav about the time when his father Lalu Prasad and mother Rabri Dev ruled the state. "Before this, his father and mother got the chance to work. What happened in Bihar then? Would anybody dare to go out at night at that time? Was there any road?," he said in his emotive speech.

"Kama rahe the ye log (they were making money)," the JD(U) chief alleged.

3. Tejashwi Yadav, in his speech, targeted Nitish Kumar and referred to himself as the "nephew" who will stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the state. Tejashwi Yadav expressed his anger by launching a series of sarcastic taunts and jabs at his former boss and reminded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ’paltu Kumar’ label.

"The BJP was scared of the ’Mahagathbandhan’ government in Bihar. Can Prime Minister Narendra Modi guarantee that Nitish Kumar will not do another volte-face?" he said.

4. Further in his speech, Lalu Prasad’s apparent heir also asked Nitish Kumar to explain his actions to the people of Bihar.

"When you came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you said ’mann nhi lag raha tha’. Hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai (you said you weren’t ’enjoying it’. Are we there to entertain you)? We were there to support you," he said.

5. Kumar had recently dumped the ’Mahagathbandhan’, of which the RJD was a key constituent, and returned to the NDA fold to form the government with support of the BJP.

After Tejashwi Yadav’s speech, MLAs of RJD, the Congress, and the Left Front walked out of the Assembly.

6. Before the commencement of the session, ’Mahagathabandhan’ suffered a setback after a no-confidence motion was passed in the Bihar assembly on Monday against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and he was removed from his position.

As many as 125 MLAs voted in favour of the motion, while 112 MLAs voted against the motion. A new Speaker is likely to be elected by the House soon.

7. The ’Mahagathbandhan’ suffered a double jolt after three RJD MLAs -- Neelam Devi, Chetan Anand and Pralhad Yadav -- defected from the party and joined Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar.

The three RJD MLAs sat on the ruling party benches in the Bihar assembly during the floor test. Tejashwi Yadav raised a point of order, taking objection to party MLAs sitting among members of the ruling NDA. Addressing Neelam Devi during his speech, RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said that he "respects her decision".

8. Notably, Chetan Anand’s brother on Sunday lodged a complaint with Patna Police alleging that the former was kidnapped and put under house arrest at Tejashwi Yadav’s house where ’Mahagathbandhan’ legislators camped over the weekend before today’s floor test.

However, when police arrived at RJD leader’s residence, Chetan Anand said he had gone there on his free will.

9. Despite the unprecedented setbacks and the loss of power, several legislators from the ’Mahagathbandhan’ coalition, including RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI, and CPI(M), gathered at Tejashwi Yadav’s residence on Sunday in a show of solidarity.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal shared a video of all the MLAs sitting around a bonfire and Tejashwi Yadav, dressed in a tracksuit, applauding a young MLA who crooned a song while playing the guitar.

The legislators, who had reached Yadav’s home on Saturday for a luncheon, but were asked to stay back till the trust vote, seem to be enjoying a carnival-like atmosphere.

10. Last month, Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the ninth time, citing the inadequacies of the ’Mahagathbandhan’ with the RJD. Sources, however, suggest that his dissatisfaction stemmed more from the INDIA bloc’s insufficient election preparations.

After weeks-long speculation, Nitish Kumar ditched the ’Mahagathbandan’ and Opposition-led INDIA bloc and formed a new government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Courtesy: India Today