Nitish flays Guv for giving Manjhi undue time for floor test

Patna, Feb 17: Blaming BJP for the "chaos" in Bihar by propping up Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi against him, senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar today trashed the saffron party for justifying the 14-day time given to Manjhi to seek a vote of confidence. Rueing he had only got seven days to prove his majority in 2000, Kumar said "Both situations are not comparable".

In 2000, the alliance of JD(U), Samata Party, BJP, LJP and independents had won 152 seats in the 324-member Bihar Assembly (before creation of Jharkhand), while the number with RJD was less than 152.

Kumar was asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House within seven days. He failed to muster the numbers and quit before the trust vote could be taken up. "Manjhi has been expelled by JD(U) for refusing to vacate the chair of Chief Minister and the party is reclaiming the post on the basis of its majority.

Though BJP is clandestinely supporting Manjhi, still he does not have the numbers," he said. "The writing is clearly on the wall that 130 MLAs of JD(U), RJD, Congress, one CPI and an Independent are with us. In such a condition, giving 14-day time to Manjhi by the Governor for floor test cannot be justified from any angle," Kumar, who was elected as the new JD(U) Legislature Party leader said.

PTI