Bihar Floor Test: Speaker Out, Opposition Loses 3 MLAs To NDA

The Janata Dal (United) led by Nitish Kumar and the BJP alliance in Bihar will face floor test in the state assembly. To secure victory, the coalition must garner a majority of 122 votes out of the 243-member assembly. Sources indicate that Nitish Kumar has the backing of 127 MLAs.

The state assembly proceedings, which include the presentation of the Bihar Budget, have commenced. With the NDA boasting a strength of 128 members, the outcome of the floor test is expected to favor them. In preparation for the vote, an essential meeting was convened on Sunday at the residence of JD(U) leader and Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. During the meeting, Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister, expressed confidence in winning the trust vote. He urged all party MLAs to be present in the House during the floor test and refrain from engaging in any actions that could disrupt the assembly proceedings.

Here are the top developments of the day:

• During Sunday's meeting at Vijay Kumar Chaudhary's residence, a few JD(U) MLAs were notably absent. However, Bihar Minister Chaudhary explained that their absence was due to "unavoidable circumstances" for which they had given "prior information." He emphasized that they would be present in the assembly for the trust vote scheduled for today.
• The NDA alliance in Bihar initiated their preparations on Saturday (February 10) with a lunch at Minister Shrawan Kumar's house, where several legislators were missing. BJP MLAs, who were attending a two-day workshop in Bodh Gaya, were summoned back to Patna on Sunday. According to news agency PTI, a couple of MLAs had skipped the workshop.
• Meanwhile, RJD MLAs, along with their Left allies, have been staying at former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's residence since Saturday night. The members of the Mahagathbandhan are expected to arrive at the state assembly today together, demonstrating solidarity.
• Several videos have surfaced showing Mahagathbandhan members enjoying music, having a bonfire, and even playing cricket during their stay at Tejashwi Yadav's residence.
• Late on Sunday night, Patna Police briefly visited Tejashwi Yadav's residence following a complaint from RJD MLA Chetan Anand, who claimed to have been kidnapped and put under house arrest there. However, upon police arrival, Chetan Anand stated that he had visited voluntarily and later departed from Tejashwi Yadav's residence. India Today has learned that Chetan Anand is likely to abstain from voting in today's floor test.
• Chetan Anand's younger brother reportedly filed the complaint with Patna Police. Notably, Chetan Anand is the son of former MP and gangster-politician Anand Mohan. In response, the RJD accused Nitish Kumar of sending police to Tejashwi Yadav's residence, alleging fear of defeat in the trust vote.
• There was a sudden concern within the Nitish Kumar-led NDA alliance overnight as eight MLAs-five JD(U) and three BJP-went missing. However, all five JD(U) legislators have returned, according to sources from India Today. Meanwhile, two BJP legislators, Bhagirithi Devi and Rashmi Verma, have returned, while BJP MLA Mishri Lal Yadav remains unreachable.
• Congress MLAs, who were stationed in Hyderabad for a week due to fears of poaching, returned to Patna on Sunday. All 19 Congress MLAs later convened at Tejashwi Yadav's residence at 5, Deshratna Marg, the bungalow allocated to the RJD leader during his tenure as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister.
• As the situation unfolds, it's notable that Bihar Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari belongs to JD(U), while Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary belongs to RJD, which lost power due to Nitish Kumar's recent alignment with the BJP-led NDA. A no-confidence motion against the Speaker will be addressed today at the assembly.
• The Mahagathbandhan alliance comprises RJD, Congress, and Left allies, totaling 114 MLAs. Additionally, there is one member from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, whose stance remains undisclosed.