Nitish Kumar to be Bihar chief minister again, invited to form government on Feb 22

Nitish Kumar will get back the reins of Bihar on Sunday, capping a fortnight-long political drama which ended in an anti-climax with rebel JD(U) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi resigning as chief minister shortly before the floor test today sensing imminent defeat.

"The Governor accepted our claim to form government and invited me to take oath in Raj Bhavan at 5 PM on February 22," Kumar told reporters after meeting Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and staking claim to form government.

Kumar, who was accompanied by RJD, Congress, CPI MLAs and an independent legislator, said he has been asked to prove his majority on the floor of Assembly in three weeks time before March 16.

His government would take a decision to call the new budget session and fix a date for the Governor's speech in the joint session, the chief minister-designate said.

A series of high-voltage political events that saw Kumar back to power after nine months began today with the resignation of Manjhi who sensed the clear lack of number to pass the crucial floor test in the Assembly.

Manjhi, who had been throwing a challenge to Kumar with the support of a handful of dissident JD(U) legislators and ministers and support from BJP, submitted his resignation to the Governor at 10:15 AM in the morning.

With politics taking centre stage, Tripathi had cancelled his inaugural speech at the joint sitting of Bihar legislature.

Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary announced cancellation of the Governor's address due to "special circumstances" and later adjourned the house sine die.

This would be the fourth time that Kumar will take on the mantle of Bihar chief minister.

 14:00 IST Friday, 20 February 2015

I appealed Bihar Governor to allow for secret voting,but he said there is no constitutional provision for such an arrangement: Jitan Manjhi

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

I could have proved majority as many JDU MLAs could have voted for me if they didn't have fear of cancellation of membership: Jitan Manjhi

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

Manjhi squarely blamed Nitish Kumar for not letting him work properly

Nitish ji acted like 'Bhishma Pitamah', did not utter a word when I was not allowed to do any work: Jitan Ram Manjhi pic.twitter.com/2JOv5GnO8o

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

11:14 IST Friday, 20 February 2015

Jod tod ki koshish ki gyi, safalta nhi mili, to iss prakar ka faisla sun ne mein aa rha hai: Nitish Kumar on Jitan Ram Manjhi’s resignation

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

We've been saying since the start that decision must be taken before budget session: Nitish Kumar pic.twitter.com/xSWGCMUpjL

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

 BJP is trying to disassociate itself from the entire controversy. Shahnawaz Hussain has branded it as an internal matter of JD(U). 

10:54 IST Friday, 20 February 2015

Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has resigned from his post. He submitted his resignation about meeting governor Keshari Nath Tripathy. The numbers were always stacked against him, amd probably reading the writing on the wall, CM decided to call it quits. 

10:45 IST Friday, 20 February 2015

Manjhi meets Governor

Patna: Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi reaches Bihar Governor's House pic.twitter.com/pq9X3GUVm4

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

Protest outside Bihar Assembly bu pro Nitish MLA's 

Patna: JDU MLAs in support of Nitish Kumar, protest outside Bihar Assembly pic.twitter.com/tmxhiEiptt

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

Congress to support JD(U) in the floor test 

Congress has taken a decision based on our ideology, we will be voting in favor of Nitish ji: Premchand Mishra, Cong pic.twitter.com/hhd7LWWYPk

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

9:38 IST Friday, 20 February 2015

Patna: Heavy security deployment outside Bihar Assembly pic.twitter.com/G20f5hKED1

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

All eyes are on Bihar Assembly today. CM Jitan Ram Manjhi is set to take a floor-test. Manjhi who was appointed CM by JDU after party's LokSabha debacle had a fallout with party's top leadership. Finally JDU decided to remove Manjhi from the post of CM but the leader didn't pay any heed to party's instruction. According to Manjhi, he has numbers on his side. BJP has lent support to Jitan Ram Manjhi, but the numbers still stack up heavily against current CM. Meanwhile, Speaker gave JD(U), the post of the opposition on Thursday. 

In the 243-member Bihar assembly whose effective strength at present is 233, JD(U) has 110 MLAs including the Speaker, one unattached member in Manjhi, BJP 87, RJD 24, Congress 5, CPI 1, Independents 5 while 10 seats are vacant.

As both sides made last-ditch efforts to mobilise MLAs to their sides, JD(U) MLA Sharfuddin dropped a bombshell alleging before mediapersons that RJD MP Pappu Yadav had telephoned him offering money and a minister's post if he supports Manjhi during the floor test.

"Pappu Yadav called me on my mobile and tried to lure me into supporting Manjhi by promising all sorts of things. He said I will be given a minister's post, money and whatever I wish for if I vote in favour of Manjhi during the confidence vote," Sharfuddin claimed with state party chief Basistha Narayan Singh by his side.

The MLA also played a purported recording of the phone call and said that he was staunchly with Nitish Kumar.

Pappu Yadav denied making the call and said he was prepared for any kind of inquiry. "I do not know Sharfuddin. I have nothing to do with him," he told PTI.

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.

Pledging support to Manjhi, BJP said that , "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.

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.

With PTI inputs