JD (U) sure of securing absolute majority in house

With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar facing a floor test to prove his majority in the state assembly on 28 July, Janata Dal (United) has said that they were sure of securing absolute majority in the house.

JD (U) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Sanjay Singh told ANI, "We will get the majority of votes today".

Toeing similar lines, JD (U) spokesperson Ajay Alok asserted that the party would have an absolute majority in the house.

"We have an absolute majority in the house. We will smoothly sail", he said.

Commenting upon possible rift in the party due to its alliance with the BJP, Alok said that there were no leaders who were unhappy about it.

"Ali Anwar has issued a statement, but he has also said that this is not a revolt and I would speak in the party. Ali Anwar should also remember that he has gone to Rajya Sabha twice with the votes of BJP", he added.

Earlier in the day, party leader Neeraj Kumar assured that Nitish Kumar will get full majority and prove his ethical politics.

"The Chief Minister will get a full majority today. Politics is about serving people, it's not a medium to collect money or property. According to the wishes of the state, the Chief Minister will win with complete majority and prove his ethical politics. We hope that he will strongly present his case in the assembly and also win the majority," Kumar said.

Nitish will move the confidence motion in the special session at 11 a.m.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) have issued whip to their legislators to vote in favour of the trust vote. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress have also issued a similar whip to their legislators.

Nitish led JD (U)-NDA government has a support of 132 MLAs, which will help it to prove a comfortable majority in the 243 member state assembly where 122 MLAs are required to prove majority.

According to the communique issued from the Raj Bhawan, Nitish has claimed the support of 131 members, including the BJP, two independents and legislators of BJP allies Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)-Secular and Rashtriya Lok Samata party (RLSP).

Opposition RJD has 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the CPI-ML 3.

Yesterday, Nitish and BJP leader Sushil Modi were sworn-in as Bihar Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, and former has been asked to prove his majority on the floor by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

-ANI