Threats of ‘poaching’, Speaker yet to resign: Bihar political intrigues continue ahead of trust vote

With days to go for the Bihar trust vote on February 12, the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are engaged in mind games. Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary has yet to step down from his position, with the RJD saying that the Nitish government is “precariously placed” and hinting at more changes in political equations in the state. The BJP, meanwhile, has warned of “stern action” if horse-trading is attempted.

An RJD leader told The Indian Express, “It is always safe to have our Speaker in a situation when the Nitish government is precariously placed. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), which has been supporting the government, looks non-committal. Some JD(U) MLAs also look upset with Nitish changing sides.”

The Mahagathbandhan has 114 MLAs in the 243-member Assembly, eight short of a simple majority. Even if Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha backs it, the Opposition alliance will be four short of the majority mark. The NDA has the support of 128 MLAs, including Manjhi’s party and one Independent MLA.

The other scenario in which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government can fall is if legislators in the ruling alliance break ranks. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary of the BJP on Thursday said, “The NDA government will comfortably win the trust vote. It is the Opposition that needs to worry about keeping its flock together.”

On Tuesday, Samrat Choudhary had warned the RJD of any “stern action”, saying, “Lalu Prasad should know I am well aware of his party’s vulnerability to a split, though the BJP does not believe in such tactics.”

About the Speaker, he said, “It is only a matter of time before the Speaker, against whom all NDA MLAs have moved a no-confidence motion, is replaced.