Stage set for trust vote by Nitish Kumar amid intense political drama

Patna: Amid high voltage political drama, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is all set to seek trust vote of his newly formed NDA government in Assembly on Monday, with both ruling and opposition parties making best efforts to keep their MLAs insulated from poaching.

Chief Minister Kumar held meeting with JD(U) legislators at the residence of senior party leader and Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. Kumar asked all MLAs to remain united and ensure their presence in Assembly on Monday. He assured all MLAs that his government would easily prove majority on floor of the House. Later, all JD(U) MLAs were taken to a posh hotel of the city where they would spend the night.

Chaudhary, after the meeting, told media persons that almost all party MLAs barring two to three, participated in the meeting. Those who did not attend the meeting, had already informed the party leadership about the reasons for delay in reaching Patna, he added. All those who could not attend the meeting, would reach Patna by tonight or early morning, he informed.

"After the customary address by Governor, the issue of no confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary would be taken up in Assembly on Monday", the Minister said adding that as per business rules, Speaker would have to vacate the chair for Deputy Speaker if the no confidence motion was supported by 38 MLAs. His government had majority and during the voting, no confidence motion would get approval of the House formalising the process for exit of incumbent Speaker from the office, he added.

Chaudhary sought to clarify the business rules of House for removal of Speaker as RJD leader Manoj Jha had earlier pointed out that in light of Supreme Court judgements in Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra case, Speaker could be removed only majority of total strength barring vacant seats, supported the proposal for removal. Jha had mentioned the fact that majority of only those present in House would not decide the fate of Speaker.

In an apparent bid to insulate party MLAs from any possibility of poaching by other side, Congress has sent all its MLAs to Hyderabad few days back, who returned to Patna late Sunday evening. All Congress MLAs have been lodged at the residence of former Deputy CM Tejaswi Prasad Yadav.

The main opposition RJD huddled all its legislators at the residence of former Deputy CM Tejaswi Prasad Yadav after calling them on the pretext of a crucial meeting on Sunday. RJD member of Rajya Sabha Manoj Jha defended his party's decision to keep its MLAs at the residence of Tejaswi, saying they had decided to spend their time together before the crucial trust vote of Nitish Kumar government on February 12.

There was nothing wrong if arrangements were made for food and lodging of party MLAs at the residence of Tejaswi, if they expressed their desire to spend time together there, he pointed out.

BJP legislators who were taken to Bodh Gaya to avoid any chance of its MLAs crossing the fence, returned to Patna late Sunday evening. Senior BJP leaders had defended the shifting of its MLAs, saying a training camp was organised there and they had gone to attend it.

Meanwhile, national spokesman of JD(U) K C Tyagi told media persons that NDA government would succeed in seeking the trust of the House on Monday. NDA's MLA strength was intact, he claimed.

NDA - comprising BJP, JD(U) and HAM as its constituents, and backed by an independent - has 128 MLAs in the House. Grand Alliance - comprising RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M), and supported by an AIMIM legislator - has 115 lawmakers. 122 is the magic number to form the government. All eyes are now on Chief Minister Kumar to see whether he succeeds in sailing through the floor test successfully on Monday.