Guv asks Bihar CM Manjhi to prove majority on Feb 20
New Delhi:Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Thursday alleged that he was behind the move to allow Bihar Chief Minis-ter Jitan Ram Manjhi more time to prove his majority so that “horse-trading” of MLAs could be done.
Denouncing the decision to ask Manjhi to prove majority on February 20 and not immediately as demanded by him, Kumar said the Governor was following the “script” written at the “highest level” in the national capital so that “license for horse-trading” given by the Centre could be executed.
Accu-sing ruling BJP of “throttling” democracy, he said the saffron party has told Manjhi to lure about 35 MLAs if he needed their support and is helping him in doing so.
“First a delay (by Gover-nor) in taking decision and then giving him (Manjhi) more time show that it is being done according to the script written in Delhi and to give adequate time to execute the license for horse-trading. “This has been decided at the highest level. It started after Manjhi met the Prime Minister.
The Governor was earlier convinced that an early floor test should be held. But things changed after Manjhi’s meeting with the Prime Minister.
Kumar said things were unfolding as Manjhi had said in his press conference on February 8 in Delhi after meeting Modi. While the Prime Minister’s Office always releases photograph of a Chief Minister meeting the Prime Minister, it did not put out picture of Manjhi’s meeting with Modi, he said. Kumar had yesterday paraded about 130 MLAs and met President Pranab Mukherjee demanding his intervention.
Bihar Governer Keshari Nath Tripathi tonight asked Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove his majority on the floor of the House on February 20.
“Immediately after Governor’s address of the joint session of Bihar Legislature on the opening day of Budget session on February 20, Manjhi will have to prove majority in the Legislative Assembly,” highly places sources in Raj Bhavan said here.
There was, however, no information whether the Governor has accepted Manjhi’s request for secret ballot or not, they said.
Governor’s direction to Manjhi came hours after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, who was accompanied by JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, RJD leader Lalu Prasad and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, took the 130 MLAs to the President’s House in New Delhi to show that he enjoys majority support in the state Assembly. (PTI)
