NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Opposition gangs up against Nitish

The entire opposition in Bihar today stood firmly behind Sadanand Singh, the Congress candidate for the speaker's post, posing a serious challenge to the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance government.

The speaker's election has gained significance because Nitish Kumar's minority government is scheduled to face a confidence motion on March 10.

The NDA has nominated Gajendra Singh Himanshu of the Janata Dal (United) for the post.

Nitish Kumar on Tuesday requested the opposition to agree upon a consensus candidate, but the offer was rejected.

As of now, 151 MLAs have agreed to support the confidence motion and Nitish Kumar needs the support of 11 more.

It is now clear that Nitish Kumar has given up his attempts to split the Congress. Had it not been so, he would have certainly nominated somebody from the break-way Congress group for the speaker's post.

Much now depends on which way the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (ML) vote. Both have not yet made their stand clear.

Of the two, CPI-ML is unlikely to vote for the National Democratic Alliance candidate. The party boycotted yesterday's all-party meet and has all along opposed the governor's decision to invite Nitish Kumar to form the government.

The NDA on its part has claimed that it has split the five-member Bahujan Samaj Party winning three of its MLAs to its side.

If this is true then the speaker's election will be a close contest with the number of MLAs supporting Nitish Kumar rising to 154 and that those backing Rabri Devi falling to 158.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report