Nitish Kumar triumphs in Bihar floor test, launching new CM tenure
Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, has secured a vote of confidence in the assembly with 129 votes out of the 243-member assembly, following the opposition’s decision to walk out.
On Monday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emerged victorious in a trust vote in the assembly, marking the culmination of a turbulent period characterized by alliance shifts, his historic ninth swearing-in, and heightened tensions in the lead-up to the crucial floor test.
After the Opposition walked out, the ruling coalition secured 129 votes in the 243-member assembly, with three members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) switching sides and supporting the government. During the pre-voting debate, Tejashwi Yadav, former deputy of Kumar, ridiculed the CM for his frequent alliance changes, leading the Janata Dal (United) chief to retaliate by criticizing his former allies and attributing the state’s impoverished condition to them.
Kumar asserted, “There was a lack of law and order. The RJD engaged in corrupt activities during its previous tenure (before 2005)… I will initiate investigations into these matters.”
Yadav, who served as deputy CM from August 2022 to January 2024, when Kumar exited the alliance and formed a new one with the BJP, criticized the CM for his frequent changes in position.
“There’s much talk about Modi’s guarantee. But can he (Modi) assure that Nitish Kumar won’t make another turnaround? I have respected Nitish ji and will continue to do so. He may have had reasons for sidelining me, despite often likening me to his own son,” he remarked.
Additionally, the government successfully defeated a no-confidence motion against Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhury, an RJD leader, with 125 votes in favor of his dismissal and 112 against.
The ruling coalition, comprising 128 legislators in the assembly, was anticipated to secure victory in the trust vote. However, tensions escalated on Saturday when the RJD gathered all its lawmakers and two of the three alliance parties at Yadav’s residence. Simultaneously, three BJP lawmakers and two from the JD(U) became unreachable, sparking speculation that the outcome of the trust vote might take an unexpected turn.
But the voting was largely on expected lines.
Out of the 45 JD(U) members, 44 lent their support to the government, alongside all 78 BJP members and four from the Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular). However, Sursand lawmaker Dilip Ray disregarded the JD(U) whip and was absent. Additionally, one independent legislator sided with the government, as did three members of the RJD: Chetan Anand, the lawmaker from Sheohar and son of the former criminal-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh; Prahlad Yadav, the RJD MLA from Surgarha; and Neelam Devi, the lawmaker from Mokama and wife of the incarcerated strongman Anant Singh.
Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, who belongs to the JD(U), abstained from voting, as it was not necessary for the presiding officer to participate in the ballot.
Earlier in the day, it appeared that drama was imminent as all NDA MLAs tabled a motion of no-confidence against Choudhury. During the subsequent voting, two BJP members and one from JD(U) were absent, resulting in the ruling alliance securing a victory in the motion with a narrower margin than anticipated, prevailing 125-112.
At 3:30 pm, when the voting for the floor test commenced, a total of 129 individuals were present in the assembly. Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, affiliated with the JD(U), presided over the session. Kumar proposed that Hazari’s vote be included in the count, despite the unusual nature of such an action as the chair’s vote is typically only utilized in the event of a tie. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary advocated for the inclusion of all votes to eliminate any confusion, a proposal that Kumar supported.
The trust vote marked the culmination of several intense weeks of political upheaval in the state, initiated by Kumar assuming leadership of the party on December 29 and displacing Lalan Singh. This action fueled speculation that Kumar was contemplating his fifth party switch in the past decade. On January 28, Kumar officially abandoned the Opposition grand alliance and forged an alliance with the BJP.
Subsequently, Sudhanshu Shekhar, the JD(U) MLA from Harlakhi, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against his party colleague Sanjiv Kumar from Parbatta and the RJD’s Sunil at the Kotwali police station in Patna. In the FIR, Shekhar accused Sanjiv Kumar of conspiring to abduct JD(U) MLAs Bima Bharti and Dilip Rai, offering them ₹10 crore to switch their votes.
Yadav tried to claim recognition for the accomplishments achieved during the 17-month tenure of the Grand Alliance government.
“Nitish ji is aware that I had no inclination to become part of his government. My intention was to extend support from the outside. However, I want to assure Nitish ji that if he reconsiders and requires support again, we will contemplate it. We compelled an exhausted CM to take action. We held him accountable for fulfilling our promises regarding employment. Despite the BJP’s reluctance, we pushed for the government to conduct a caste survey. However, you abruptly changed course once more without even communicating the rationale to your deputy CM. You were the one who consistently referred to me as the torchbearer of the next generation. What has become of all that?” he inquired.
Yadav also spoke to former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had voiced dissatisfaction regarding the portfolio assigned to his son Santosh Kumar Suman in early February.
“After Nitish Kumar’s criticism towards him on November 10, 2023, Manjhi ji remarked that the CM was receiving incorrect treatment. Now, it’s up to you to ensure he receives the appropriate care. If feasible, consider staying nearby for his welfare. Stability is essential for the state’s progress,” he stated.
He further urged the government to persist with the employment initiatives initiated during the Mahagathbandhan government. “Regardless of any constraints you may face, please ensure that job opportunities in the healthcare sector continue to be provided to the people. If you were reluctant to let us take credit, why should we not claim it now? We were instrumental in making it happen,” Yadav asserted.
Kumar swiftly responded, stating that he had been informed of corruption within his government, a matter he could not tolerate.
“RJD seeks recognition, yet they should be aware of the state’s condition prior to my assumption of office in 2005. Bihar was plagued by lawlessness, darkness, and a complete lack of infrastructure. My administration remains committed to Bihar’s progress, and this dedication will persist as we continue our alliance with the BJP,” Kumar declared.
“…during the tenure of his (Tejashwi’s) father and mother, who served Bihar for 15 years. Additionally, I provided him with two opportunities myself. It saddened me to discover that while I extended respect to you, you were preoccupied with financial gains. When the BJP was in alliance with us, such misconduct never occurred. There were also allegations of large sums being offered to destabilize my party. The source of this money must be investigated thoroughly,” he further stated.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary criticized the RJD, accusing them of corruption and suggesting that they were currently dealing with legal cases as a consequence of their past wrongdoing.
“Even within the RJD, reservation policies were limited to benefiting just one family, rendering its leaders unfit to advocate for marginalized sections of society,” he remarked.
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