Bihar Floor Test LIVE Updates | JD(U)-BJP Govt Led by CM Nitish Kumar Wins Floor Test by 129 Votes
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Bihar Floor Test Live Updates: The renewed coalition government comprising the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) proved its majority in the Bihar legislative Assembly on Monday, 12 February.
Over 129 MLAs voted in support of the CM Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government even as the Opposition walked out of the Assembly.
Ahead of the floor test, "resort politics" was reportedly in full-swing in Bihar as the ruling alliance as well as the Opposition moved their MLAs to "secure" locations to prevent them from being poached by either side. On Monday, three Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs reportedly switched sides to the NDA.
While the BJP-JD(U) alliance is said to have 128 MLAs, the Opposition has 114 MLAs in the 243-member Assembly. The majority mark is 122.
The remaining seats are held by independents.
On Monday, the Assembly speaker was removed from his post following a no-confidence motion against him.
RJD's Tejashwi Yadav mocked Nitish Kumar for his frequent switching of sides and "thanked" him for having taken oath as CM nine times.
Several RJD workers were detained by the Patna Police after they took to the streets to protest against the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.
Two Opposition MLAs, Chetan Anand and Neelam Devi, are reportedly expected to side with the ruling alliance.
AIMIM legislator Akhtarul Iman said that the party will vote against "communal forces" during the floor test on Monday.
JD(U)-BJP Govt Proves Majority, Opposition Walks Out
The CM Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar won the floor test by over 129 votes in the state legislative Assembly on Monday, 12 February. The majority mark in the 243-member Assembly is 122.
Meanwhile, the RJD and other Opposition parties staged a walkout while the floor test was being carried out in the Assembly.
'Will Initiate Probe': Nitish Kumar Slams RJD
"During RJD's rule, several communal riots took place in Bihar; there was no law and order," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, while addressing the state Assembly ahead of a crucial floor test facing the JD(U)-BJP coalition government on Monday.
"RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule in Bihar, will initiate probe," he added, according to news agency PTI.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Addresses Assembly
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is now addressing the state Assembly ahead of the crucial floor test facing the JD(U)-BJP coalition government in the state on Monday.
'New Govt Will Make Bihar Crime-Free': BJP's Vijay Sinha
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Vijay Sinha said that the new JD(U)-BJP government would make Bihar "crime-free."
"We have resolved to make Bihar free of crime and corruption," he said while addressing the Assembly ahead of the trust vote.
'Want To Thank Nitish Kumar for Taking Oath 9 Times': Tejashwi
Hitting out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's frequent switching of political sides, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, "I stand against this new government. I want to thank CM Nitish Kumar for creating history by taking oath 9 times."
"We will always respect CM Nitish Kumar...When you came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you (Nitish Kumar) said 'Mann nhi lag raha tha, hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai...we were there to support you," Yadav added.
Further, Yadav said, "I feel bad for JDU MLAs because they will have to go among the public and answer. If someone asks you why Nitish Kumar took oath so many times, what will you say? Earlier you used to criticise them (BJP) and now you are praising them, what will you say? We (RJD) will say that we have given jobs."
He also took a jibe at "guarantees" given to the public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and asked whether the PM could give a guarantee that Nitish Kumar won't switch sides again.
"We were not there for your entertainment, we were there to support you," he further said.
Bihar Assembly Speaker Removed From Post
Bihar Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, an RJD leader who was reluctant to step down from his post despite calls from the BJP-JD(U) alliance for his resignation, has been removed from his post.
This comes after a no-confidence motion was passed against him, with 125 legislators in favour of his removal and 112 against.
'MLAs Should Sit on Designated Seats': Tejashwi Yadav
Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, "MLAs should sit on their respective seats till the end of voting, otherwise voting will be considered invalid."
This comes in the backdrop of two Opposition MLAs, namely Chetan Anand and Neelam Devi, sitting on the JD(U)'s side ahead of the trust vote.
No-Confidence Motion Against Speaker Tabled
A no-confidence motion was tabled against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary.
'2 Opposition MLAs Threatened': RJD Spokesperson
RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav claimed that two Opposition MLAs, namely Chetan Anand and Neelam Devi, were "threatened" and made to sit beside the JDU(U)'s chief whip in the Assembly.
"Chetan Anand & Neelam Devi have been made to sit on the side of JDU's whip. They were given threats and whatnot. What kind of trading is this?" he told ANI.
RJD Workers Detained in Patna
Ahead of the floor test, RJD workers were detained by the Patna Police after they took to the streets to protest against the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.
'AIMIM Will Vote Against Communal Forces'
AIMIM legislator Akhtarul Iman said that the party will vote against "communal forces" during the floor test on Monday.
"AIMIM's stand is clear that we will vote against communal forces," he told ANI.
'JD(U) Don't Have Numbers to Remove Speaker': Congress MLA
Ahead of the floor test, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan claimed that the JD(U)-BJP alliance does not have the numbers to remove the Speaker, who is an RJD leader.
"First they will have to remove the Speaker on the basis of majority and according to us, they do not have the majority," he told news agency ANI.
Bihar Speaker Faces Calls to Resign
Bihar Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, an RJD leader, has refused to step down from his post despite calls from the BJP-JD(U) alliance calling for his resignation.
Absence of MLAs Raise Concerns for JD(U)-BJP
While it is expected that the JD(U)-BJP combine will win the floor test in the Bihar Assembly, it won't be smooth sailing for the alliance.
While the combine is said to have around 127 MLAs in the 243-member Assembly, there are allegations that some of the MLAs might switch over to the Opposition's side.
This comes after three of the alliance's MLAs missed a significant legislators' meeting in Patna on Sunday. On Saturday, as many as six MLAs were absent at a meeting at the residence of minister Shravan Kumar.
Meanwhile, the RJD-Congress combine is said to have 114 seats in the Assembly – eight short of the majority.
On the other hand, the JD(U) has claimed that they are in touch with some MLAs from the Opposition camp. Party leader Gopal Mandal said that at least three Opposition legislators were in contact with the alliance, but added that there was no "political game" afoot.
Meanwhile, police officials visited the residence of Tejashwi Yadav in Patna late on Sunday following a complaint that RJD MLA Chetan Anand was "missing".
'Resort Politics' in Full-Swing
Ahead of the floor test, "resort politics" has been in full-swing as the ruling alliance as well as the Opposition moved their MLAs to "secure" locations to prevent them from being poached by either side.
While BJP legislators were shifted to a resort in Bodh Gaya for two days and then brought back to Patna on Sunday, RJD MLAs have been camping at the residence of former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav since Saturday.
The JD(U) had also reportedly shifted its MLAs to Patna's Hotel Chanakya.
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Published: 12 Feb 2024,10:38 AM IST