Patna: The political crisis in Bihar reached a new high a day before the crucial floor test is set for chief minister and former JD(U) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi.
On Thursday, state Assembly Speaker Udai Narain Choudhary notified Vijay Chaudhary of Janata Dal (U) as Leader of Opposition replacing Nand Kishore Yadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Through this move, the Speaker accepted Nitish Kumar’s demand of giving JD(U) the status of the principal Opposition party.
Just after the decision of the speaker BJP legislators staged a protest in the assembly against speaker accusing him of favouring the JD(U) ahead of floor test.
BJP legislators sat on protest with placards outside speaker’s chamber.
The development comes a day before chief minister Manjhi is to prove his majority on the floor of the assembly. Manjhi has called for a Cabinet meeting at 5 pm on Thursday.
Earlier, BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav announced that the MLAs have decided to vote in favour of chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on the floor of the state assembly.
The RJD and JD(U) have slammed BJP for its decision to support CM Manjhi.
BJP has 88 MLAs in the 243-member House, the strength of which is currently reduced to 233.