Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday emerged victorious in the Assembly floor test amid the walkout by former ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Tejashwi Yadav. The trust vote took place two weeks after Kumar switched sides from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) to join the NDA bloc.
CM Nitish Kumar-led government got 129 votes in its favour. The Opposition did not attend the voting as they staged a walkout when Kumar was speaking in the Assembly. The Bihar assembly has a strength of 243 MLAs.
Nitish targets Lalu-Rabri rule
Speaking in the Assembly, Nitish Kumar hit back at the RJD and said that Lalu Yadav-led party was trying to take credit for the initiatives he had started. He also alleged that the Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi governments had not done anything for Bihar's development for 15 years during RJD's reign.
He also alleged that the RJD indulged in corrupt practices during the party’s rule in Bihar, and the new NDA-led government will initiate a probe into it. Kumar also claimed that during RJD's tenure, several communal riots took place in Bihar. "There was no law and order. The RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule. I will get these probed,” he added.
Nitish dumped 'Mahagathbandhan'
Earlier in January, Nitish Kumar, who had reportedly gone into a sulk after not being named the convenor of I.N.D.I.A, the Opposition bloc that took shape through his efforts, dumped the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar and the national coalition to form a new government with the support of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Putting to rest frenzied speculations around his future and that of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, Nitish resigned as chief minister on January 28, his second volte face in less than 18 months.
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