Nitish: BJP creating trouble in society in name of religion

The Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance government in Bihar won the trust vote on Wednesday amid a walkout by BJP. There were 160 votes in favour of the government and no vote in opposition. Four MLAs couldn't participate because of ill health.

At the beginning of the special session, assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha offered his resignation and later in the afternoon, the House proceedings were conducted by deputy speaker Maheshwar Hajari. The election of the new Speaker will take place on Friday.

BJP nominated Sinha as the leader of opposition.

Speaking on the confidence motion, Nitish Kumar accused the BJP of creating trouble in society in the name of religion and called for opposition unity before 2024. "Leaders from across the country called to congratulate me about my decision and I told everyone of them to fight together in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The opposition will visit all parts of the country and make people aware of the wrong policies of the central government," Kumar said.

Responding to BJP leaders' allegations of being a turncoat, Kumar said the leaders stand to benefit something from the Centre if they criticise him. Kumar also accused the central government of no work and only publicity. He said those who are celebrating 75 years of independence were nowhere in the freedom struggle. Kumar also said that an attempt was being made by the BJP to weaken his party and he never wanted to be the CM after the election in 2020.

BJP leaders staged a walkout while Kumar was speaking.

Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said constant attempts were being made by the BJP to defame him and his family by organising raids by central agencies. "Some cases were filed against me in 2017. Nothing happened in those cases. Now, again attempts are being made through central agencies to tarnish the image of my family," he said.

BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad said Kumar has defamed Bihar through his flip flops. "Has those issues on which Kumar has left the Grand Alliance in 2017, been resolved? I want to warn Tejashwi and the RJD that Kumar could make a U-turn again," Prasad said.