Patna: BJP today claimed that all is not well between JD(U) and RJD and that is the reason behind new Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar taking ‘so much time' to face confidence vote.
Lalu Prasad and his family members excused themselves from Kumar's swearing-in ceremony yesterday citing the wedding of his daughter and this proves there is a discord between the two alliance partners, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said here.
Kumar's predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi had taken trust vote three days after taking oath last year and Kumar himself had done so within five days of being sworn-in as chief minister in 2010, Modi said.
“But this time, Kumar would have to prove his majority on the floor of Assembly before March 16, more than three weeks,” he said, adding that if the new CM was confident that his government enjoys majority support, he should have immediately taken trust vote.
It was surprising that the RJD supremo kept mum on the turn of political events in Bihar since he accompanied Kumar to parade 130 MLAs before the President, Modi said.
Actually, the BJP leader claimed, it was simmering trust deficit between the two leaders due to which Kumar was reluctant to take trust vote and expand his ministry.
Apart from this, there was no reason why the budget session of the legislature could not be convened soon as the Governor's address to joint sitting of the two houses as well as the budget of the JD(U) government led by Manjhai was ready, he said.
Modi said as far as he was concerned, the JD(U) is continuing in power as the same ministers constituted the governments headed by Kumar and Manjhi over the past 21 months and these ministers held same portfolios under the two.
The former deputy chief minister also criticised his erstwhile boss for apologising for resigning as chief minister after JD(U)'s drubbing in general elections last year.
Kumar should reply to a question whether the people are happy with him for joining hands with the RJD and Congress to run a minority JD(U) government, Modi said.
