Bihar: Nitish's New Govt Backed By NDA Strikes RJD In First Order After Switch

NDA govt issued a no-confidence motion notice against state Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary.

A day after JDU Chief Nitish Kumar crossed sides and became the NDA alliance's Chief Minister, numerous BJP leaders issued a no-confidence motion notice to the assembly secretary, requesting the removal of Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, an RJD politician. 

Awadh Bihari Choudhary, a senior RJD leader, was named speaker of the Bihar legislature by the Mahagathbandhan administration, which came to power 18 months ago when Nitish jumped ship and abandoned the BJP. 

Following Nitish Kumar's swearing-in on January 28, many BJP leaders and other NDA alliance MLAs issued a no-confidence motion notice to the assembly secretary, requesting the dismissal of Awadh Bihari Choudhary.

Notably, after Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP yesterday, the House order shifted, giving the NDA 128 MLAs and the Opposition (Mahagathbandhan) 114 MLAs.

The RJD is the largest party in Bihar's 243-seat legislature, with 79 MLAs, followed by the BJP (78), JD(U) (45), and Congress (19).

The Left parties have 16 MLAs, but the HAM and AIMIM have four and one, respectively. There is one independent MLA in the House.

Nitish Kumar Quits Mahagathbandhan 

Nitish Kumar ended days of uncertainty on Sunday by severing connections with the RJD and the Congress, the components of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government, and taking oath as Chief Minister of the NDA coalition for the record ninth time.

The JD(U) supremo joined the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, after he severed relations with the BJP, claiming it of attempting to "split" his party. 

Nitish's move elicited harsh comments from opposition leaders, who warned that the people of Bihar will teach him a lesson in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

However, they claimed that Nitish Kumar's unexpected action had harmed them and stated that the INDIA coalition is strong and will battle the general elections together against the BJP-led NDA.