Patna High Court blow to Nitish as 130 backers set to parade before President Mukherjee
By B.Maharana
11 Feb ,Patna (odibizinfo)
Nitish Kumar’s battle to become the Chief Minister of Bihar again got a crushing blow from the Patna High Court Wednesday at a time when the former Chief Minister,camping in Delhi, is set to parade 130 MLAs supporting his leadership before the President of India Pranab Mukherjee in protest against the delay on the part of Governor to invite him to form the Government in Bihar in place of Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Disposing a PIL filed by Manjhi supporters , the two member bench Patna High Court in its order termed the election of Nitish Kumar as the Legislature Party Leader at the JD(U) meet illegal .
The Manji supporters had challenged the election Nitish as JD(U) legislature party .
The High Court also raped the Speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly for giving recognition to Nitish as the Leader of JD(U) Legislature Party . Taking a decision to recognize Nitish Kumar as Legislature party leader is not legal, said the High Court.
The Court clarified that the Bihar Governor would take a decision over the issue of JD(U) legislature party Leadership.
Nitish Kumar was elected as leader of Legislature Party at a meeting convened by party president Shard Yadav Sunday last at Patna with a move to dethrone Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi .
Meanwhile , the Union Home Minister has stepped into the Bihar power tussle issue . The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh consulted the Attorney General on the constitution position on the demand of Nitish Kumar to convene a special session of assembly for floor test.
However, the BJP today clarified that the party is open on the question of supporting Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manji during the floor test in the Assembly .
Meanwhile Nitish Kumar is scheduled to parade 130 MLAs belonging to the ruling JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI and Independent before the President Pranab Mukherjee to show that he enjoys majority in Bihar Assembly.
Kumar and MLAs supporting him landed in Delhi in two commercial flights yesterday. The President will take a call on meeting the JD(U) leader today. Nitish Kumar is demanding the Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to invite him to form a new Government in the State after he was elected the leader of JD(U) Legislature Party removing Jitan Ram Manjhi.
.Manjhi, however, claimed that he still enjoys support of the majority of the MLAs and sought a trial of strength at the floor of the Assembly the budget session of which has been convened from Feb 20.
Meanwhile, Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Bihar Government has decided to give reservation to forward classes in Government jobs in the State. The State Cabinet also decided to give reservation to SCs and STs in Government Tenders.
The Chief Minister also allocated portfolios among his eight Cabinet colleagues after a number of them were either sacked or resigned from the Council of Ministers.