The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Patna): The government of Nitish Kumar in Bihar successfully secured a win in the trust vote held in the state assembly on Monday. Garnering 129 votes, the government surpassed the required majority, while the opposition chose to walk out of the House.
In an unexpected turn, three MLAs from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) – Chetan Anand of Sheohar, Neelam Devi of Mokama, and Prahlad Yadav – voted in favor of the Nitish Kumar-led government. This cross-voting played a crucial role in the outcome of the trust vote.
Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari, a member of the Janata Dal (United), did not participate in the voting. His vote was held in reserve in case the government needed additional support to reach the crucial number of 122 votes, the minimum required for a majority.
Following the victory, former industry minister Shahnawaz Hussain expressed his congratulations to Nitish Kumar. He emphasized the potential for accelerated development in Bihar under the combined leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, describing it as a fresh start with new energy for the state.
The opposition, including the RJD and the broader Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), put up a strategic fight during the trust vote. However, their efforts were undermined by the unexpected cross-voting of the three RJD legislators.
Prior to the vote, NDA leaders had expressed confidence in their majority, citing support from 128 MLAs in the Bihar assembly. The defection of the RJD MLAs, Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi, and Prahlad Yadav, came after a no-confidence motion was passed against Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, leading to a significant shift in the assembly’s dynamics.
