The newly-formed Mahagathbandhan Government in Bihar on Wednesday comfortably won the motion of confidence amid a walkout by the BJP MLAs.
Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari ordered a headcount upon a request by Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, who said that though a voice vote had clearly shown support of the majority, the count would “leave no room for any confusion”. Altogether 160 MLAs voted in favour of the confidence motion, while no vote was cast against the same.
The lone MLA of AIMIM, Akhtarul Iman, whose party is not a part of the ruling alliance, also took part in the exercise and supported the confidence motion.
Some of the BJP MLAs, who had staged a walkout while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was delivering his speech, stormed into the Well of the House demanding that the Deputy Speaker not waste time on a redundant headcount but take up businesses scheduled for the day and announced boycott of the proceedings.
The Deputy Speaker subsequently adjourned the House till Friday and informed that on Thursday nomination papers will be filed for election of a new Speaker. The post fell vacant after BJP’s Vijay Kumar Sinha, who was served several no-confidence motions by RJD MLAs, resigned as Speaker.
In his speech that lasted for about half an hour, Nitish Kumar made indirect references to rebellion by LJP’s Chirag Paswan, allegedly at the BJP’s behest, and attempts to cause a split in the JD (U) through his former protege RCP Singh.
Kumar asserted that he had “no personal ambitions”, rejecting the BJP’s charge that his latest volte face was aimed at becoming the prime ministerial candidate of the Opposition camp. He, nonetheless, spoke of his interactions with leaders from across the country and his appeal to them to stay united for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The JD(U) leader also recounted his old association with the BJP and underscored the contrast between the current dispensation and the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. Without mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name, he said, “The current dispensation does little except publicity (prachar prasar)”. As BJP MLAs protested, he added, “Speak against me. Maybe this will earn you some rewards from your political bosses.”
Stung by raids on a number of RJD leaders during the day, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav called the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax (IT) department “three jamaai” (sons in-law), which the BJP sent to States where it was not in power.
He also accused the BJP of having tried to “break” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party in a bid to “wipe out socialist ideology”. “My father Lalu Prasad, mother Rabri Devi, my sisters and I are all paying the price for our commitment to socialism. The CM and I have the same ideology. You (BJP) cannot reap what we socialists have sown,” said Yadav.
Tejashwai also expressed dismay over a section of the media saying that a mall being raided by CBI in Gurugram belonged to him. “These media outlets should do some research. It belongs to someone based in Haryana, and was inaugurated by a BJP MP,” said Yadav.
Yadav also said that Nitish Kumar has taken a “courageous decision” and that brought a “new ray of hope” for the people of the country. “You are all scared of facing 2024 polls as the united Opposition in Bihar will trounce the BJP. Hence the three ‘jamaai’ are being sent,” he added.
Taking part in the discussion, former Deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad said Nitish Kumar has lost “political credibility” and mocked Kumar’s “personal ambition to become the Prime Minister despite not having the ability to become the Chief Minister on his own steam”.
“He remains the CM though his deputy keeps changing. He is like a batsman who causes others to get run out to remain on the pitch. RJD should remember that its president Lalu Prasad had compared him to a snake that sheds its skin,” alleged the BJP leader.