First Blow to RJD in Bihar Assembly After Nitish's Jump: NDA MLAs Seek Removal of Awadh Bihari

Patna: In one of the first blows to Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) after Nitish KUmar dumped Mahagathbandhan to join the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, the NDA MLAs have moved no-confidence motion against the sitting assembly speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary. 

Awadh Bihari Choudhary, a prominent RJD leader, was appointed as the speaker for Bihar assembly under the Mahagathbandhan government which came to power 18 months ago after Nitish had jumped ships, dumping BJP. 

After Nitish Kumar’s swearing in on January 28, BJP leaders including Nand Kishore Yadav and Tarkishore Prasad (former Deputy Chief Minister); HAM chief and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi; JD(U)'s Vinay Kumar Choudhary, Ratnesh Sada, and other MLAs from the NDA alliance gave a no-confidence motion notice to the assembly secretary seeking the removal of Awadh Bihari Choudhary.

Nitish sworn-in as Bihar CM for 9th time 

Nitish Kumar was sworn in by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan in Patna, hours after he resigned from the post, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Grand Alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA.

"I was with them (NDA) earlier, too. We went on different paths, but now we are together and will remain so... I came back to where I was (NDA), and now there is no question of going anywhere else," the 72-year-old leader told reporters after taking oath as the CM in Patna. 

BJP leaders - Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha - have been sworn in as the deputy chief ministers. 

RJD responds to Nitish’s switch 

However, on the other side, RJD leader and Nitish’s former deputy Tejashwi Yadav said that the game is not over yet. 

Calling Nitish Kumar a ‘tired CM’, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Nitish Kumar was tired. RJD made him do all the work that the government did. I want to stay away from making any personal comments. But Nitish Kumar does not even know what he is saying. Mark my word that JD(U) will be finished by 2024. Whatever they do, the public is with us. I want to thank the BJP for taking along the JD(U)," Tejashwi said.