New Delhi: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar won a trust votes 130-0 on Monday (February 12), with the opposition led by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav walking out of the assembly.
The floor test comes two weeks after Nitish decided that the Janata Dal (United) will quit the INDIA alliance and join hands once again with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Speaking ahead of the floor test, Nitish lashed out at Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family – even though he had been in alliance with them until just two weeks ago. Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi had 15 years to work for the state, he claimed, “before I was elected in 2005”. “The contrast is visible,” he said.
“They say that Muslims are with them. But what did they do? So many fights happened between Hindus and Muslims during their rule. It all stopped once I came (to power),” he said.
“What they didn’t do for 15 years, I took up immediately,” he continued. “I have worked for every level of society, for their development. …Law and order has improved: women roam around till late at night.”
“When they came again, they just continued my policies and initiatives, and are now trying to take credit,” he added.
Before the opposition walked out, Tejashwi spoke in the assembly and hit out at Nitish. What is the guarantee he won’t swap sides again, the former deputy chief minister asked: “Can PM Modi guarantee that Nitish won’t switch camps again?”
“When you [Nitish] came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you said ”mann nhi lag raha tha’… hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai (you said you weren’t ‘enjoying it’… are we there to entertain you)? We were there to support you,” he said. “… but he took oath thrice in a single term. This is something we never saw before.”
MLAs from the RJD, Congress and Left Front all walked out of the assembly.
