Even as Nitish Kumar on Monday met Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi and staked claim to form government in Bihar, beleaguered Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also met Tripathi and said Kumar’s election as the new JD(U) LP leader was “unconstitutional” and exuded confidence that he would prove his majority on the floor of the House.
Manjhi met the Governor minutes after Kumar left Raj Bhavan after staking claim to form the government.
“I told the Governor that I can prove majority on the floor of the House whenever he asks me,” Manjhi told reporters emerging from Raj Bhavan after a nearly 45-minute-long meeting.
“I requested him that the floor test be held by secret ballot and one leader from each of the two (rival) groups of JD(U) be present during counting of votes,” Manjhi, who was accompanied by ministers Bhim Singh, Vinay Bihari, Nitish Mishra and Samrat Chaudhary, said.
“I have requested the governor to give me time after February 19 and put in place system of secret ballots and independent observer from both sides,” said Manjhi.
Meanwhile, the JD (U) expelled Manjhi from the party after both Houses of Bihar legislature notified Nitish Kumar as legislature party leader.
Earlier, Nitish Kumar, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav met the Governor and said Kumar had 130 MLAs in his support, as against requisite number of 117 to form government. Kumar told reporters that though he had full faith in discretion of the Governor, JD (U) was planning to parade MLAs before the President if he was not invited to form government.
All 130 MLAs from JD (U), RJD, Congress and an Independent MLA in Kumar’s support were present outside Raj Bhavan with their I cards to “show” majority before media cameras.
“We tried to impress upon the Governor importance of time, especially when the he will have to address assembly at start of the Budget session. He should be knowing whose government he is speaking for. And the way Jitan Ram Manjhi looked confident and spoke to media after meeting PM suggested BJP had been trying to gain from the situation,” said Kumar.
Lalu Prasad added: “We clearly told the Governor that he should not take much time in inviting Nitish Kumar to form government because any delay will encourage horse trading. Nitish has clear majority and hence, there must not be any delay.”
Though Manjhi has not recommended dissolution of assembly, Kumar said Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who had attended Manjhi’s cabinet, told Tripathy how only seven ministers authorised Manjhi for the dissolution of House whereas rules say dissent of two-third ministers make any resolution invalid.
The Indian Express
