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The Nitish Kumar government on Friday won the crucial floor test in the Bihar Assembly, securing 131 votes against the Opposition’s 108.
Four members in the 243-member House could not vote, reducing its strength during the trust vote to 239.
Bihar’s new government thus needed 120 votes to win the confidence vote.
While Raj Ballabh Yadav of the RJD could not attend as he is in jail, BJP’s Anand Shankar Pandey was absent as he is undergoing medical treatment outside the State. The Congress’ Sudarshan was outside the House when the doors were shut for lobby division and was therefore not allowed to vote.
Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary did not participate in the voting.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi did not take part in the voting as both are members of the Legislative Council. However, they were present in the House.
Lobby division
In the voting under lobby division, members in favour of the confidence vote went inside one lobby, where they signed a register; those against it headed for another lobby to do the same.
At the end of the process, the Speaker announced the result of the trust vote, which was 131-108 in favour of the NDA government.
Of the 131 votes the Nitish Kumar government won, 70 came from his JD(U), 52 from ally BJP, one from Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, two from Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP, two from Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP and four independents.
The 108 votes against it comprised 79 votes of the RJD, 26 of its ally, the Congress, and three of the CPI-ML.
The Speaker’s effort to decide the fate of the confidence motion through a voice vote failed twice following shouting from both the Treasury and the Opposition benches.
Secret ballot denied
Senior RJD MLA Abdul Bari Siddiqui demanded a secret voting but it was rejected by the Speaker.
At the end of the confidence vote, the Speaker announced the House’s adjournment for an indefinite period.
Friday’s was a one-day special session for taking up the trust vote.
Speeches of senior leaders of various parties were frequently disrupted by members of rival parties.
RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, former deputy chief minister and the son of Lalu Prasad, began the discussion on confidence motion, which was moved by the CM. The Congress fielded its legislature party leader Sadanand Singh.
Sushil Modi spoke on behalf of the BJP while the Chief Minister spoke last.
Kumar, 66, was sworn in on Thursday, after he returned to the National Democratic Alliance after four years. On Wednesday earlier, he had resigned as chief minister, breaking ranks with his Mahagathbandhan allies — Lalu’s RJD and the Congress.
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