Bihar Speaker recognises JD(U) as Main Opposition Party

Hours before Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi seeking a trust vote inside the House, Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary granted the status of Principal Opposition Party to JD(U) in place of BJP, which is seen as an ‘arbitrary’ move to make things for the JD(U), which was in a dillema, as being the ruling party, it was not possible for them to issue a whip to vote against Manjhi.

JD(U) leader Vijay Chaudhary has been granted the status of Leader of Opposition in place of BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav. The Speaker said he had no option but to accede to the demand of JD(U) to be given the Main Opposition Party status because of their numerical strength, which is more than the BJP.

JD(U) would also be given status of main opposition in the Legislative Council. The BJP MLAs protested outside the Speaker’s chamber and then the Assembly entrance to protest his decision. BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav slammed the decision, saying for the first time a party will sit in both treasury and opposition benches.

Meanwhile, JD(U) has accused the BJP, Jitan Ram Manjhi and rebel RJD MP Pappu Yadav of collusion to purchase the JD(U) MLAs to vote in favour of the incumbent CM. A JD(U) MLA even played an audio clip to prove his claims. In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, JD(U) has 110 MLAs, while the BJP has 87 MLAs. RJD (24), Congress (5), CPI (1), Independents (5) are the other members of the House. Jitan Ram Manjhi has been declared as an unattached member, while 10 seats are vacant.