Nitish calls crucial NDA meeting ahead of assembly polls
Leaders of the JD(U), BJP and smaller partners Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Hindustani Awam Morcha met at Kumar’s 1, Anne Marg residence for the meeting.
Bihar floor test: Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar will face the crucial floor test on Monday. Kumar, who ditched the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan last month to form a new government with the help of the BJP, have been asked to prove majority on the floor of the House on February 12.
The BJP has been keeping it’s flock together at a resort in Bodh Gaya ahead of the floor test. The saffron party, however, said that the MLAs were sent there for training and that there was no fear of poaching by the Opposition.
The Congress MLA’s were kept at a Hyderabad resort, while RJD lawmakers camped at Tejashwi Yadav’s residence.
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How numbers stack up in Bihar Assembly?
Both, the BJP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU are confident to prove majority in the 243-member strong Bihar Legislative Assembly. The NDA is believed to have the support of 128 MLAs, six more than the required numbers.
The BJP has 78 seats in Bihar, while JDU’s current strength is 45. They are also supported by four MLAs of Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha. An Independent lawmaker Sumit Singh has also given his support to the Nitish Kumar government.
On the other hand, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has 79 MLAs in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. With 19 lawmakers from the Congress, and 16 from the Left parties, the Opposition has 114 legislators. If the lone AIMIM MLA joins them, they will still have only 115 lawmakers and will require at least 7 more to challenge the Nitish Kumar government.
Meanwhile, the JDU has issued a three-line whip to its MLAs, asking them remain present in the Assembly on Monday.
When Nitish joined hands with the BJP and formed new government, he had said that the “game is not over yet”.
While the numbers are in favour of the NDA and it appears an easy win, Tejashwi Yadav is hoping for a last minute turnaround.
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