Patna: A day before the trust vote in Bihar Assembly on Friday, both Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Janata Dal United leader Nitish Kumar are in talks with locals MLAs to secure their support. While Bharatiya Janata Party has hinted at backing Manjhi, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal have extended their support to Nitish.
All BJP MLAs hinted at unanimously supporting Manjhi saying such a move is aimed at sending "a strong reply to Nitish Kumar for humiliating a Mahadalit".
"BJP MLAs unanimously expressed their views that the party should support Jitan Ram Manjhi during the trust vote to give a strong reply to (former CM) Kumar for humiliating a Mahadalit," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
The BJP's unanimous view emerged during a meeting of BJP Legislature Party at the residence of Modi in Patna, where all party MLAs felt that the way former Chief Minister Kumar has "humiliated a Mahadalit" he should be taught a lesson.
A final decision on the matter is likely by Thursday evening ahead of Friday's floor test.
The possibility of BJP MLAs voting in his favour came as a moral booster for embattled Chief Minister Manjhi. BJP has 87 MLAs in Bihar Legislative Assembly. With BJP in his side, Manjhi now needs to muster support of 30 more MLAs to reach the magic figure of 117 in Bihar House whose effective strength lies at 233 at present.
On the other hand, Bihar Congress said while it supported Nitish Kumar, the decision to join the new Bihar government under him if formed after the February 20 trust vote would be taken by the party high command.
The support to JDU led by Nitish was being provided on clear instructions by AICC General Secretary and Bihar in-charge CP Joshi, Singh said adding this was being done to strengthen secular forces in Bihar.
"Congress gave unconditional support to JD(U) when it separated from BJP in June 2013. The motive was to strengthen secular parties in Bihar. We are continuing our support to Kumar and JDU led by him as he was chosen its leader on February 7 meeting in which 98 out of total 111 MLAs of his party were present," CLP leader Sadanand Singh said.
Meanhile, JDU has 110 members in the House including that of Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary. Manjhi has been expelled from the party and declared unattached members in the House. RJD has 24 MLAs, Congress 5, CPI 1, Independent 5 and 10 seats are vacant in the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Comments
0 comment