Nitish Kumar-led NDA government to seek trust vote in Bihar Assembly

In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led government will face a vote of trust today in the state assembly on the first day of the Budget Session of the state legislature. To achieve the majority mark the NDA alliance needs the support of 122 MLAs in the House of the 243 members. The BJP-JD(U) led alliance had submitted the letter of support of 128 members on the 28th January to the governor on the day of formation of government. The Budget Session will begin this morning at 11.30 with the address of the Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar to the joint sitting of both the Houses in the Central Hall of the State Assembly. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said after the governor’s address the House will first take up the no-confidence motion brought by NDA members against the incumbent Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, who is a RJD member. The present Speaker who was elected during the Grand Alliance government had refused to resign despite the formation of the NDA government.

Amid claims and counter claims of defection of MLAs the ruling NDA and opposition Grand Alliance have taken measures to flock together their legislators.

Both the JD(U) and BJP shifted their MLAs to a private hotel in Patna last evening after the meeting. The RJD, Left and Congress members are camping at the residence of former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. All members will reach the State Assembly  straight from their respective camps. JD(U) President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting of party MLAs and briefed them about the strategy last evening.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nityanand Rai said the NDA will easily win the trust vote. He said NDA is intact and there is no cause of any concern. In view of high voltage political drama the security has been enhanced around the Assembly premises and official residences of Chief Minister and RJD leaders. In the 243 member state assembly NDA constituent BJP has 78 members, JD(U) has 45 and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has 04 members. One Independent is also part of the NDA. The total number of support is 128. On the other hand the opposition Grand Alliance led by the RJD-Congress has support of 114 MLAs. RJD which is the largest party has 79 members. The Congress party has 19 MLAs and the Left parties together have 16 members. One member of  AIMIM is not supporting any faction in the state.