Nitish wins trust vote; Tejashwi asks ‘aren’t you ashamed’
July 28, 2017
The Nitish Kumar government on Friday won the crucial confidence vote in the Bihar Assembly.
The ruling coalition of the Janata Dal-United, the Bharatiya Janata Party and others got 131 votes while the opposition got 108 votes, Speaker Vijay Kumar Chowdhury said.
The trust vote was taken through lobby division.
Rashtriya Janata Dal MLAs protested outside the assembly before the proceedings began.
Right before the floor test, the Patna high court refused to hear RJD’s plea challenging formation of the new government in Bihar.
The court said that the hearing is not possible before July 31.
Speaking on the confidence motion, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose refusal to resign after begin booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a corruption case led to the fall of the government, asked Kumar ‘did he not feel ashamed after sitting next to BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi’.
“Do you not feel ashamed sitting next to Sushil Kumar Modi? You take out Champaran yatra and then stitch an alliance with a party which assassinated Mahatma Gandhi,” said Tejashwi.
Speaking on the matter of his resignation, Tejashwi said Kumar never asked him to step down from his post and it never occurred to him that the Bihar chief does not want him to be a part of his team.
“Nitish ji never asked me to resign. I also thought that he does not want me to resign. I would like to ask him why he quit the alliance and toppled the government,” said Tejashwi.
Tejashwi further highlighted that thanks to Kumar’s hasty decision, people have suffered immensely, while accusing his ex-ally of viciously planning to check-mate the grand alliance.
“People of Bihar have suffered immensely. I am deeply saddened by Nitish ji‘s move. It was all planned,” said Tejashwi in the assembly.
“We did not put any pressure on the chief minister ever,” he added.
Slamming his former boss, Tejashwi said that Kumar knew that he had huge support and that it was not possible for the JD-U supremo to oust him from his post.
“We have 80 MLAs, Nitish ji knew he could not have removed me. If it is about one’s image then I would like to say that the whole nation knows what the real basis of Nitish Kumar is,” he added.
Responding to Tejashwi, Kumar said he would not support anyone who indulges in corruption and accumulates income through wrong means.
Taking a jibe at RJD’s family politics, Nitish said the chair is not for rejoicing power but for serving the people.
“We were given a mandate to work. We tried to overcome all the problems by respecting the ‘Mahagatbandhan’. You (Tejashwi) were not clarifying on the corruption charges. I had only asked your explanation,” Nitish said.
Asserting that his decision to break the alliance with RJD was taken in favour of the state, Nitish said, “This government will work and serve the people of Bihar. We will not tolerate corruption and injustice.”
He further said that his government will show a mirror to RJD.
“Secularism is not to hide your corruption and wrongdoings. We will not support the one who will accumulate income through wrong means,” Nitish added.(Agencies)
