In anticipation of the much-awaited floor test of the newly formed NDA government in Bihar, opposition legislators of opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ have begun showing up at Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD), in Patna.
The NDA government will seek a trust vote on February 12 (Monday), when the state assembly’s Budget session commences.
The MLAs had been staying at Tejashwi Yadav’s house since Saturday night when they shared a bed. Tejashwi Yadav was seen singing and bonding with the MLAs around a bonfire.
A person was seen strumming a guitar and leading the group in a rendition of the well-known Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan song ‘Kali Kali Zulfon ke’ in a video published by ANI on X.
Meanwhile, the Janata Dal-United JD-U has issued a three-line whip to all of its MLAs to be present during the floor test. They received a call on Saturday at JDU leader and Bihar minister Shrawon Kumar’s Patna home.
All parties’ moves of MLAs are interpreted as an effort to prevent poaching and preempt poaching attempts.
This comes after Tejaswi Yadav had earlier hinted at many unexpected developments in the state.
“‘Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hain” (The game is yet to begin in Bihar),” Yadav had reportedly said at a party meeting in Patna. Meanwhile, the MLAs of the RJD also gathered at the residence of Tejaswi Yadav. RJD MP Manoj Jha said that the party did not start the game, but it will finish it.
“For us, February 12 is an ordinary date…Our MLAs had decided that for the next 48 hours, they would stay together and discuss various issues. You will find it very interesting that they are playing ‘antakshari’ inside…February 12 is a small episode. We had not started this game but like Tejashwi Yadav said, we will finish it…Nitish Kumar had himself come forward for the alliance (INDIA),” Jha told reporters in Patna.
Nitish Kumar, earlier this month, had dumped the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and the INDIA bloc to form a new government with the support of the BJP in Bihar.
At present, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-bloc led by the Bharatiya Janata Party has 128 seats in the Bihar assembly, out of which the BJP holds 78 seats, the JDU has 45 seats, the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) has four, and an independent MLA holds one seat. The opposition holds 114 seats. For a majority, 122 seats are required.
(with inputs from ANI)
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