Patna: Senior JDU Leader and former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would meet Governor today afternoon in order to stake claim for the post of Chief Minister. On Saturday, the 97 JDU Legislators had supported Nitish Kumar’s bid for the post of Chief Minister in place of incumbent Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Nitish Kumar
However, Mr. Manjhi has refused to resign and reiterated his stand that he would prove his majority in the State Legislature Vidhan Sabha.
He attacked his predecessor Nitish Kumar for his greed for power and termed him as a person, who couldnot live out of power for long.
However, the situation seems tough for Mr. Manjhi. If the 97 MLAs, sideline with Nitish Kumar, Manjhi would be left with only 14 MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha. Even if BJP supports him with 87 legislators, he would need 21 more MLA Suport to retain his majority in the house.
But even if the Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi accepts the claim of Nitish Kumar, he is most likely to ask Mr. Manjhi to prove his majority, before inviting Kumar to form the Government.
A Floor test is most likely to happen on February 20, when the budget session of Vidhan Sabha is scheduled to begin. In case, Mr. Manjhi wins the vote trust, he will continue his term till November this year. However, in case he loses and Nitish Kumar forms the Government, he too will have to prove his stake, which is likely to be done in February end or first week of March.
Whoever wins, this month of February 2015, would be always remembered as the turning point in the Politics of Bihar.