BJP's 'labourers' jibe as Congress shifts MLAs out of Bihar ahead of trust vote

Alleging a fear of poaching in Bihar, the Congress has relocated 17 out of 19 of its MLAs to Telangana.

Published on: Feb 5, 2024, 15:26:14 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday criticised the Congress for moving its MLAs from Bihar to Hyderabad ahead of the crucial floor test of the newly elected NDA government in the state on February 12.

BJP deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha. ((Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times))

Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha told ANI that the move “reflects the mindset of the Congress party.”

"Congress' mindset is that of dynastic politics. They should trust their MLAs. They are treating their MLAs as labourers...This is not BJP's character..." Sinha told ANI.

Alleging a fear of poaching in Bihar, the Congress has relocated 17 out of 19 of its MLAs to Siri Nature's Valley Resort in Kagazghat village in Telangana's Rangareddy district on Sunday.

Earlier today, Bihar Congress MLA Siddharth Saurav told ANI that he was unable to join the MLAs heading to Hyderabad as he was preoccupied with some work in his constituency.

Also Read | Bihar govt dissolves 4 key panels formed by previous regime

"I have not gone to Hyderabad as there is a lot of work going on in my constituency. I was asked to go with them (MLAs gone to Hyderabad) but I refused to go due to the work here in the constituency," Saurav told the news agency on Sunday.

The floor test, which was necessitated after the Janata Dal (United) quit the Mahagathbandhan on February 28 to rejoin the NDA, is scheduled to be held on February 12.

The Congress has 19 MLAs in the 243-member assembly. To be sure, the NDA will, in all likelihood, clear the floor test as it has the support of 128 legislators – 45 from Kumar’s JD(U), 78 from the BJP, four from HAM and one independent.

Also Read | Bihar portfolio allocation: CM Kumar retains home, dy CM Samrat gets finance

Bikram MLA Siddharth Saurav and Manihari MLA Manohar Prasad Singh were among those who skipped Saturday’s meeting which was convened by Mallikarjun Kharge to exercise “extra caution”, without citing any “plausible” reason, party leaders said.

Saurav did not even attend the Congress leader’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that was held in the state between January 29 and 31.

“The JD(U) and BJP are desperate to cause a rebellion in the opposition alliance, particularly in the Congress, to strengthen its numerical strength in the assembly in case the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) poses any trouble. HAM-S leader Jitan Ram Manjhi is upset with the NDA over denial of one more berth in the newly-constituted Nitish Kumar cabinet,” a party leader told HT, seeking anonymity.

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HT News Desk
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