Nitish Kumar Wins Bihar Floor Test Amid Opposition Walkout

Patna: Two weeks after returning to the NDA fold, Nitish Kumar-BJP alliance government on Monday emerged victorious in the floor test conducted in the Bihar Assembly by voice vote.

His government secured 129 votes in its favour against the majority mark of 122 amid walkout by former ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Tejashwi Yadav.

Ahead of the trust vote, Nitish accused Tejashwi Yadav’s party of corruption while alleging that “they were minting money”. “Before this, his father and mother got the chance to work, what happened in Bihar then? Would anybody dare to go out at night at that time? Was there any road?,” he said.

He further alleged that Lalu Yadav-led party was trying to take credit for the initiatives he had started. “There was no law and order. The RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule (before 2005)… I will get these probed,” he added.

Earlier Tejashwi Yadav launched a scathing attack on Nitish Kumar over his ‘latest flip-flop’ and said, “When you came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you said ‘mann nhi lag raha tha, hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai (you said you weren’t enjoying it, are we there to entertain you)?. We were there to support you.”

The former deputy CM further said that he was not  aware of the reasons that forced Nitish Kumar to ditch the Mahagathbandhan, which comprised the JDU, RJD, and Congress.

“Will PM Modi guarantee that Nitish Kumar won’t flip?” he asked.

Stating that Nitish often referred to him as a son, Tejashwi said that too regarded him as a guardian. “Maybe he had compulsions, just like King Dasrath had when he sent Ram to the forest. Dasrath never wanted that, but Kaikeyi did. We want to you remain the Chief Minister and fulfil the promises you made. But also identify the Kaikeyi around you,” he said, taking a leaf from the Ramayana.