Bihar Floor Test LIVE Updates: Nitish Kumar wins trust vote as Opposition walks out

Opposition had walked out from the House during trust vote .

The NDA government wins the trust vote in Bihar assembly by voice vote .

The BJP-JD(U) combine wins the trust vote by garnering the support of 129 MLAs. 

Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari made the formal announcement.

Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari is conducting the proceedings after the Speaker is removed. 

Nitish Kumar accuses RJD of indulging in corrupt practices. He says a probe will be ordered. 

Congress MLA Dr. Shakeel Ahmad Khan says, “...Despite winning, their (BJP-JDU) heads are hanging in shame, they have no answer to any questions...When politics is done with deceit and deception and without ideology, then this happens...”

Tejashwi Yadav thanks the Centre for honouring Socialist leader Karpoori Thakur with the Bharat Ratna. “I am happy that Karpoori Thakur got it. But they (BJP) have made Bharat Ratna a deal. Deal with us and we will give you Bharat Ratna.”

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which has lost power in Bihar,received a jolt inside the Bihar assembly where at least three of its members sat on the ruling party benches.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav raised a point of order, taking objection to party MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav sitting among members of the ruling NDA, ahead of voting on a no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary.

However, no ruling was given on the point of order by Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, who was in the Chair.

RJD leader Awadh Bihari Chaudhary has been removed as Bihar assembly speaker.

A no-confidence motion moved by the ruling NDA against the Speaker received the support of 125 MLAs, while 112 members voted against it in the 243-strong assembly.

Chaudhary had refused to step down after his party lost power a fortnight ago when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties with ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and returned to the BJP-led coalition.

BJP MLA Nandkishore Yadav moved the no-confidence motion against the Speaker. - PTI

RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejshwi Yadav calls himself as the “nephew” of Nitish Kumar. “We are all from the same Samajwadi family,” he says recollecting the earlier Janata Dal days. “You wanted to end Modiji’s rule, your nephew will now fulfill it,” he says

125 MLAs vote in favour of no-confidence motion against Bihar Assembly Speaker, 112 members vote against it.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which has lost power in Bihar, on Monday received a jolt inside the Bihar assembly where at least three of its members sat on the ruling party benches.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav raised a point of order, taking objection to party MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav sitting among members of the ruling NDA, ahead of voting on a no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary.

However, no ruling was given on the point of order by Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, who was in the Chair.

PTI

A no-confidence motion moved by the ruling NDA in Bihar against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary was on Monday taken up by the state assembly.

Chaudhary, who belongs to the RJD, had refused to step down after his party lost power a fortnight ago when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties with ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and returned to the BJP-led coalition.

BJP MLA Nandkishore Yadav moved the no-confidence motion against the Speaker.

Rashtriya Janata Dal legislators raise slogans of “Tejashwi Yadav zindabad” during Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s address to both Houses of the State legislature when he pointed out achievements in departments like Health and education held by RJD party in the previous Mahagathbandhan government.

Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Monday asserted that rule of law was the “top priority” of the Nitish Kumar government in the state.

The governor made the averment in his customary address to members of both Houses of the state legislature, on the inaugural day of the budget session.

“Rule of law prevails in the state.....that is the top priority of the government. To improve law and order strength of (police) force has been increased”, said Arlekar.

PTI

The BJP, which is back in power in Bihar after a recent realignment with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. 

State BJP president Samrat Choudhary, who has landed the job of a deputy CM, reached the assembly premises ahead of the trust vote flashing a victory sign.

He was accompanied by party colleague Vijay Kumar Sinha, who is also a deputy CM.

“Democracy shall win”, said Sinha, as he sauntered towards the central hall where the day’s proceedings will begin with the governor’s address to members of the bicameral legislature.

PTI

Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar addresses Joint session of Bihar legislature ahead of trust vote

Ahead of the crucial floor test in Bihar, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday targeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying, when ‘Palti Kumar’ is ruling, who knows where he will take a turn?

“When ‘Palti Kumar’ is ruling, who knows where he will take a turn? A floor test is important. In Jharkhand, the floor test was done on February 5, and in Bihar, time was given till February 12. This is all a conspiracy...INDIA bloc is united,” he said.

Further, Jairam Ramesh stated that the BJP’s plan to break the Congress party and RJD party will fail and added that the INDIA alliance will remain together.

ANI

Legislators have reached the Bihar Assembly ahead of the critical floor test of the Nitish Kumar government. JDU legislators were seen sporting the victory sign as they entered the house. The JDU is confident of scoring the numbers to ensure the government’s survival.

The trust vote follows after Nitish took the oath as the chief minister of Bihar for the record ninth time after ditching its alliance with the RJD and forming a government with the BJP.

ANI

Political parties in Bihar were busy trying to stay on top of the game with closed-door meetings for their MLAs and measures to keep their flock together.

Adding to the suspense, rumour mills in the State were abuzz with news of legislators not showing up at meetings, contacting leaders of rival parties or turning off their mobile offices.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on February 10 sent his emissary to the residence of Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Bihar Chief Minister and founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), a key player ahead of floor test on in the State Assembly. 

Important constituents of Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) MLA Mehboob Alam, visited Mr. Manjhi’s residence, and both had closed door meetings lasting nearly half-an-hour. Mr. Prasad has reportedly offered Mr. Manjhi, who has four MLAs backing him, the Chief Minister’s post, if the Opposition formed the government in Bihar.

The inaugural day of the budget session will commence with the Governor’s customary address to members of the bicameral legislature after which the assembly will take up the no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary before the trust vote.

Chaudhary, who belongs to RJD, the largest constituent of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which Kumar quit a fortnight ago, has made it clear that he will not step down despite the motion moved by legislators of the NDA soon after the new government was formed.

The NDA, which includes JD(U), BJP, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha and an Independent, has a combined strength of 128 MLAs in the 243-strong assembly, six more than the majority mark.

The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ has a combined strength of 114 MLAs, eight short of the majority mark, but claims that while all its legislators were firmly intact, quite a few in the NDA camp were unhappy over the sudden change of tack by JD(U) and BJP and might turn the tables on the new government.

PTI

Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United (JDU) exuded confidence that the party’s president will win the trust vote during the crucial floor test. 

JD(U) national secretary Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, “Under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, we will get the majority and the government will complete its tenure.”

ANI