Bihar political crisis: Nitish Kumar accuses BJP of 'throttling' democracy

As the Bihar political crisis continues to simmer, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi late Wednesday night asked Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on February 20.

Bihar political crisis: Nitish Kumar accuses BJP of 'throttling' democracy

12:30 pm: Upbeat after being asked to prove his majority on the floor of the state Assembly Feb 20, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's loyalists sounded confident of their victory with the BJP's support. "We are 100 percent sure that Manjhi would prove his majority with BJP's support," state minister Bhim Singh, one of the leading vocal supporters of Manjhi, told the media.

11:30 am: Commenting on Bihar political crisis, JD(U) leader and Rajya Sabha MP KC Tyagi says, BJP is trying to break parties like they broke Trinamool Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM).

10:55 am: Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar accuses Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi of acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.

Kumar's reaction comes after the Bihar Governor on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove majority on the floor of the Assembly on February 20.

The JD(U) chief accuses Tripathi of following the 'script' written at the highest level in Delhi.

Kumar further lambasts the BJP leadership for trying to stifle democracy in Bihar.

10:40 am: The Manjhi camp hits back at the JD(U) chief and maintained that 'Nitish Kumar has been exposed'.

Virshan Patel, Manjhi's supporter, alleges that JD(U) is indulging in horse-trading in Bihar.

10:35 am: Nitish Kumar hits out at the BJP central leadership saying that license of horse-trading that has been given from Delhi has created trouble in Bihar.

10:20 am: JD(U) leader Pawan Verma expresses unhappiness over Tripathi's, saying that all we requested from the Governor was to call a special Assembly session for a floor test, but he didn't pay heed and now there will be horse-trading in Bihar.

Kumar Wednesday evening took the political battle to President Pranab Mukherjee. Kumar flanked with leaders of the JD-U, RJD and the Congress paraded about 130 MLAs supporting him at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Congress general secretary CP Joshi accompanied Kumar to President's House.

Speaking to mediapersons outside President's house, Kumar accused the BJP of wanting to impose President' Rule in Bihar ahead of the Assembly election scheduled to be held later this year.

In an apparent change of tactics from demanding that he be called upon to form the government, Kumar said Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi can ask Manjhi to prove his majority if he wished so but the Chief Minister should be given only minimal time.

Echoing his line, Prasad also said Tripathi should take immediate decision and ask Manjhi to prove his majority. He alleged that the Narendra Modi government was "conspiring" to impose Governor's rule in Bihar.

"Bihar is a sensitive state. If Governor's rule is imposed, then we don't know what will happen in Bihar," he said.

In a set back to JD-U leader Nitish Kumar, the Patna High Court on Wednesday stayed his election as the new leader of the legislature party.

Hearing a petition filed by CM Manjhi's loyalist, legislator Rajeshwar Raj, a bench of the court stayed Nitish Kumar's election as the new leader of the JD-U legislature party.

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