Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state won the trust vote in the assembly on Monday.
The new government received 129 votes amid a walkout by the opposition members. Deputy speaker Mahesh Hazari is also from the JD-U and he was not required to vote.
The Bihar assembly has a strength of 243 members of legislative assemblies (MLAs).
The government needed 122 votes for removal of the Speaker, but it got 125 after three legislators of the Grand Alliance (GA) voted for the government – Chetan Anand (Congress) and Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav (RJD).
Speaking on the trust vote, the Janata Dal (United) chief said he could not continue when he found out there was corruption taking place.
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His statement evoked sharp protest from the Opposition bench but Kumar who was at the receiving end of criticism by former deputy chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, said that he will now remain with the NDA forever.
“The RJD wants to take credit, but they should know the condition of the state prior to 2005 when he took over. There was utter lawlessness, darkness and total absence of roads. My government has been working for Bihar’s development and that will continue. The jobs being provided are also part of the government’s -7-Resolves programme,” he added.
Deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary also attacked the RJD for epitomising corruption.
“Even reservation could not go beyond one family in the RJD, and its leaders have no right to speak about marginalised sections of the society,” he added.
Tejashwi initiated the debate and hit out at the CM Kumar for his “frequent flip-flop and creating a record of taking oath as CM thrice in three years”.
“I respected Nitishji and will continue to respect him. He may have some compulsions for banishing me, who he often described one like his son.
“Nitishi knows that I was not interested in joining the government. I wanted to support from outside. But I assure Nitishji, if he again has a rethink and needs support, we will think over it”, he said.
Tejashwi also took a dig at former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose HAM-S with four MLAs played a key role in ensuring the removal of the Speaker.
“After Nitish Kumar’s outburst against him, Manjhiji had said that the CM was being administered wrong medicine. Without stability, there cannot be development in the state. I really feel pain for the JD-U legislators as to how they will go to the people. The CM keeps his chair intact, but what about them,” he added.
