The coalition government of Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), emerged victorious in a crucial trust vote held in the Bihar Assembly. The vote of confidence was won decisively with 129 MLAs extending their support to the resolution. Following the announcement of the result, the Opposition chose to walk out of the state Assembly.
During the proceedings, BJP MLA Nandkishore Yadav tabled a motion for the removal of Bihar Assembly Speaker, Awadh Bihari Choudhary, who is affiliated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Subsequently, Choudhary was removed from his position as Speaker.
In the no-confidence motion, 125 members voted in favor of the resolution brought forward by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance, while 112 MLAs voted against it.
Prior to the trust vote, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar leveled allegations against the RJD, claiming that the party engaged in corrupt practices during its tenure in the state. Kumar asserted that the new government, under the NDA, would launch an investigation into these alleged corrupt activities. He also criticized the RJD for purportedly failing to maintain law and order, citing incidents of communal riots and concerns over women’s safety during their rule.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar emphasized that maintaining the rule of law was the top priority of the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar. He reassured the public that measures were being taken to strengthen law enforcement in the state.
The necessity for a trust vote arose after Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister and ended the coalition with the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan alliance. Upon rejoining forces with the BJP-led NDA, Kumar assumed office as Chief Minister for the ninth time, necessitating a vote of confidence in the assembly.
Reports suggest that Nitish Kumar expressed dissatisfaction after not being named the convener of the Opposition bloc, INDIA, which formed under his initiative. This discontent reportedly led to his resignation as Chief Minister on January 28.
In terms of legislative strength, the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) commands 45 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, while the BJP and the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) hold 79 and four seats, respectively. With the combined support of 128 MLAs, the NDA comfortably secured a majority, surpassing the required threshold of 122.