Patna: Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha has refused to resign from his post ahead of the floor test for Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government during the special session called on August 24.
The no-confidence motion has already been moved against the incumbent speaker Sinha by 55 MLAs and submitted to the assembly secretariat on August 10. Ruling JDU and RJD have been demanding that Sinha should quit after the resolution has been moved against him in the assembly.
However, Sinha chose to act differently and held a meeting with Bihar DGP S K Singhal and chief secretary Amir Subhani with regard to the special session commencing on Wednesday. During the press conference, ETV Bharat asked Sinha whether he will preside over the house proceedings or not. To it, Sinha said, “I am the protector of democratic rules. This is not just a post. Till the time I am associated with it, I consider it above my dignity.
It is my duty to protect the dignity of democratic justice and conserve it. I did not see a no-confidence motion against me but against the post. Rules, provisions and parliamentary system have been neglected in the no-confidence motion submitted to the secretariat.”
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He further said, “The no-confidence motion against me is without taking care of the legislature rules and resignation will hurt my self-respect. It is based on false charges. In the notice, an unfortunate and baseless allegation has been levelled at personal level. Few members have termed the working style as undemocratic and dictatorial. So, therefore I will not resign.”
Tight security has been made inside and outside assembly premises. Meanwhile, Bihar BJP held their legislature party meeting at the party office in which the topic of electing the leader of opposition in both houses was discussed. However, the BJP did not make any announcement with regard to the name.
“We will tell everything tomorrow during the assembly proceedings. However, all our leaders are capable enough for the post," BJP MLA Ram Surat Rai told ETV Bharat after the meeting. According to the sources, the incumbent speaker is the front runner for the post of leader of opposition in assembly whereas former minister Samrat Choudhary is likely to be the leader of opposition in council.
On other hand, RJD legislature party meeting was also held at 10 Circular Road residence under the leadership of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. Till the time of filing this report, the meeting was underway.
Now all eyes will be on Wednesday's special session of the assembly in which the government will face a trust vote apart from the selection of the new speaker. Nitish's government has full majority with the support of 164 MLAs including one independent, whereas BJP has just 76 MLAs out of total strength of 243.
