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Countdown For Final Showdown In Bihar Power Tussle Begins

Countdown For Final Showdown In Bihar Power Tussle Begins
PATNA, INDIA - FEBRUARY 13: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi addressing the media at his residence on February 13, 2015 in Patna, India. Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said his predecessor and senior JD-U leader Nitish Kumar made a mahagalti (huge mistake) by nominating him chief minister last year and that he is not a rubber stamp chief minister. BJP demanded secret voting during the vote of confidence sought by Jitan Ram Manjhi government on the floor of the House on February 20. (Photo by AP Dube/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
PATNA, INDIA - FEBRUARY 13: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi addressing the media at his residence on February 13, 2015 in Patna, India. Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said his predecessor and senior JD-U leader Nitish Kumar made a mahagalti (huge mistake) by nominating him chief minister last year and that he is not a rubber stamp chief minister. BJP demanded secret voting during the vote of confidence sought by Jitan Ram Manjhi government on the floor of the House on February 20. (Photo by AP Dube/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

With the showdown between Jitan Ram Manjhi and his mentor-turned-foe Nitish Kumar inching towards an exciting finish, BJP today lent its support to the chief minister even as both houses of Bihar legislature today recognised JD(U) as their principal Opposition party.

The decision to support embattled Manjhi at the floor of the house was taken at a meeting of the BJP LP, which was held for the second consecutive day today.

"BJP will stand with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and vote in his favour if there is a confidence vote tomorrow," senior party leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.

The party has issued a whip to its MLAs to vote in support of Manjhi in the floor test, which he said was aimed at avenging the insult meted out by Nitish Kumar to a Mahadalit, the poorest among Dalits.

Acting Bihar Governor Keshrai Nath Tripathi will arrive here from Kolkata late this evening, highly-placed sources in Raj Bhawan said.

JD(U) National President Sharad Yadav has already reached Patna, but RJD President Lalu Prasad would not be here as he would be busy in 'tilak' function of his youngest daughter with the grandson of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at Safai, his close aide and MLC Bhola Yadav said.

Earlier in the day, Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary accepted the plea of JD(U) and granted it permission to sit in the Opposition gallery tomorrow. He also granted Vijay Chaudhary the status of the Leader of Opposition in place of BJP's Nand Kishore Yadav.

BJP reacted angrily to this and sat on dharna in front of the assembly entrance.

"Assembly secretariat has to act according to numerical strength and since JD(U) had sought the status of the main Opposition, we had no reason to deny them this considering their numbers," the speaker told PTI.

Manjhi after his expulsion from JD(U) by Sharad Yadav has been declared as unattached member in the assembly.

Barely a few hours later, JD(U) was recognised as principal Opposition party in the legislative council as well.

Chairperson Awdesh Narayan Singh recognised Nitish Kumar as leader of Opposition in the council in place of Sushil Kumar Modi.

The day brought bad news for Manjhi as Patna High Court refused permission to four MLAs owing allegiance to him to cast their votes in floor test. It also dismissed a petition by minister Vinay Bihari to keep Speaker Chaudhary away from the trust vote.

Both Kumar and Manjhi organised dinner for their supporting MLAs tonight. .

Asked if he was working in Manjhi's favour despite RJD's stand to support Nitish Kumar, the MP said, "I am working to save only the poor. I am not an MLA who can mobilise legislators in favour of somebody. I have merely appealed to legislators to vote after hearing their conscience."

His conduct has not gone down well with RJD and Lalu Prasad's son Tejaswi Yadav reminding him that he is the party's Lok Sabha member.

Meanwhile, Manjhi in his last public engagement before the confidence vote virtually dangled the carrot of ministerial berths to garner support from MLAs.

Manjhi, who was speaking at Garib Swabhiman Sammelan here, appealed to the people to request their MLAs to support him.

"You all should request your MLAs that they should support me if I have not done anything wrong in thinking about the poor. If they are going against me for becoming ministers, tell them I too have many such vacant posts. I will also make them ministers," he said.

Later, he presided over a meeting of his cabinet, second one since yesterday, and approved many proposals.

The Patna High Court had yesterday allowed him to take decisions but had directed those be implemented only after February 21. .

Sharad Yadav after landing here mocked Manjhi saying "Mungeri Lal ke hasin sapne kabhi pure nahi honge (his dreams will never be fullfilled)."

JD(U) Chief Whip Shrawan Kumar on receiving notification from the Speaker issued a three line whip to all its 110 MLAs, including Manjhi to vote against the confidence motion.

"Despite being expelled from the party and being declared unattached member, Manjhi is binded by whip and if he violates it that it could cause his disqualification from the house," Shrawan Kumar, a former parliamentary affairs minister and a Nitish Kumar close aide, told PTI.

He said except for the speaker, the three line whip in accordance with 10th schedule of Constitution (pertaining to Anti-Defection Law) has been issued also to seven ministers still in the Manjhi cabinet.

All the seven ministers have been suspended from the party.

RJD and Congress who are supporting Nitish Kumar also issued whip to their members.

Considering volatality of the situation, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana said elaborate security arrangements have been made inside and outside the Assembly.

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