BJP walks out of Bihar assembly during trust vote

Patna, March 11: The BJP on Wednesday walked out of the Bihar assembly during the confidence vote of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of insulting Mahadalit leader Jitan Ram Manjhi by removing him from the chief minister's post.

Apparently convinced that the Janata Dal-United government led by Nitish Kumar has adequate support to win the trust vote, the BJP legislators walked out of the house after attacking the chief minister.

"There is no need to waste time to listen to reply of chief minister. We are walking out of the state assembly," Leader of Opposition Nandkishore Yadav said in the assembly.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party staging a walk-out, it is certain that Nitish Kumar will smoothly prove his majority.

The JD-U's allies, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress have issued whip to their legislators to support Nitish Kumar during the confidence vote. The JD-U also issued similar whip to its assembly members.

Besides, the JD-U has the support of the Communist Party of India.

After Governor K.N. Tripathi addressed the joint sitting of the Bihar legislature, Nitish Kumar moved a confidence motion for his government.

Nitish Kumar last year resigned as chief minister after the JD-U's rout in the Lok Sabha polls. Manjhi, who was made chief minister in May 2014, resigned on February 20 after a political crisis.

In the 243-member assembly, the JD-U has 115 legislators. The party has the support of 24 RJD legislators, five of the Congress, two Independents and a CPI member.

The BJP has 88 legislators and is supported by three Independents.

On Tuesday, BJP legislators also met here to finalise the party's strategy during the over-a-month-long budget session of the Bihar assembly that began on Wednesday.

IANS