Heavy security deployed ahead of Bihar floor test, JD(U) MLAs shifted to hotel

Bihar's Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, in alliance with the NDA, is preparing to seek a trust vote in the state assembly on 12 February. The ruling party, Janata Dal (United), which has returned to the BJP-led NDA, is facing a significant challenge on the Assembly floor. In anticipation of the trust vote, the party has relocated its MLAs to a nearby hotel.

Kumar took the oath as Bihar Chief Minister for the ninth time last month, following his departure from the opposition's INDIA bloc and subsequent rejoining of the NDA-BJP alliance. This was confirmed in a video clip from news agency ANI, showing JD(U) MLAs heading to the Chanakya Hotel in Patna.

The newly formed state government is a coalition between Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAMS). In a surprising move, Nitish resigned as chief minister on January 28, marking his second major political reversal in less than 18 months.

He cited internal issues within the grand alliance as the reason for his decision. Nitish also revealed that his decision was influenced by advice from supporters, party workers, and well-wishers, which he took into consideration while determining his future political path.

In the lead-up to the critical floor test, three MLAs from JD(U) were absent from the important legislative meeting held in Patna on Sunday evening. Prior to the trust vote, JD(U) mandated all its MLAs to attend the floor test through a three-line whip. Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder, Jitan Ram Manjhi, has also instructed its four MLAs to vote in support of the NDA government in the upcoming trust vote in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha on 12 February.

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