PATNA: Bihar Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav of RJD on Friday led a delegation of MLAs of his party and allies Congress and HAM to meet Governor Satya Pal Malik and staked claim to forming the government in the state.
Citing Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala’s “principled position” in inviting the single largest party to form the government, the 28-year-old former deputy chief minister demanded dissolution of the Bihar Assembly and an opportunity to his party to form the government. RJD, currently Bihar’s main Opposition party, has 80 MLAs, making it the single largest party in the Assembly.
“We urged the Governor to allow us to form the government. RJD remains the single largest party, and we have the support of all the MLAs of Congress, HAM and CPI(ML). We can prove our majority easily,” said Yadav, who is the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, after meeting Malik.
Congress, HAM and CPI(ML) also submitted memorandums to the Governor demanding that RJD be given an opportunity to form a government in the state. The delegation led by Tejashwi Yadav had several leaders from Congress, HAM and CPI(ML).
“Our (RJD-led) alliance currently has the support of 111 MLAs. We are confident of proving majority in a floor test if given a chance as several MLAs are going to vote in our favour,” said Tejashwi. “The Governor kindly heard us out and sought some time to think over our demand and take suitable decision,” he added.
Referring to the formation of JD(U)-BJP government in July 2017 a day after CM Nitish Kumar of JD(U) walking out of the RJD-JD(U)-Congress grand alliance, Tejashwi wrote in the memorandum he submitted to the Governor: “The political situation in the state remains in perpetual turmoil on account of the great robbery of mandate in July 2017”.
In Bihar’s 243-member Assembly, the ruling NDA has the support of 127 MLAs – JD(U)’s 70, BJP’s 53, LJP’s 2, RLSP’s 2. The Opposition bloc has 111 – RJD’s 80, Congress’s 27, HAM’s 1 and CPI(ML)’s three MLAs. There are four independent MLAs and a bypoll for one seat is due later this month.
The ruling JD(U) and BJP derided RJD and Congress for seeking dissolution of the Assembly. “These parties are desperate to grab power. If they are so sure of their majority, why do not they bring a no-confidence motion against the government?” asked JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.