NEW DELHI: The AAP’s resounding victory in Delhi appeared to have forced the BJP to recalibrate its position in Bihar, which is currently facing a political crisis.
The BJP which started with its leaders demanding immediate elections in Bihar, has now changed its stand by demanding to allow Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove his majority in the Assembly. However, on Wednesday a day after the Delhi election results, the party said the JD(U) should let the Governor take a call on the issue, and even the ‘floor test’ demand was the JD(U)’s ‘internal matter’ as it was demanded by Manjhi.
Sources said, after the Delhi mandate, the party is cautious on taking a lead in helping Manjhi to retain the post and may keep hands-off approach. Though the BJP had assured Manjhi of support, going out of the way to gather support for him would invite charges of horse-trading.
After former Bihar CM Nitish Kumar took his 130 MLAs and other senior leaders of the alliance to meet President Pranab Mukherjee, he accused the BJP of horse-trading. The BJP was quick to rubbish the charges, instead termed Nitish the “bigger horse-trader”.
“No one is a bigger horse-trader than Nitish. He has been indulging in such activities earlier too. He has no faith in constitutional authorities or his own MLAs whose support he is claiming himself to be become the Chief Minister. He should wait for the Governor’s decision,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
He added that all options were open before the BJP, and it would decide on the floor of the House.