The Evening Wrap: Nitish Kumar-led NDA government wins trust vote in Bihar

The newly formed NDA Government in Bihar won the trust vote in the Bihar State Assembly on February 12, amid a walkout by members of the Mahagathbandhan. In the 243-strong Assembly, a total of 129 members voted in favour of the motion of confidence. Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari was in the Chair when the voting took place. Hazari ordered a headcount after having declared the motion as passed through voice vote, following a request from State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, which was seconded by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar had recently dumped the Mahagathbandhan, of which the RJD was a key constituent, and returned to the NDA fold to form the government with support of the BJP. Earlier, taking part in the debate on the motion, the JD(U) chief alleged that the RJD indulged in corrupt practices during the party’s rule in the State, and the new NDA-led Government will initiate a probe into it. Kumar also claimed that during RJD’s tenure, several communal riots took place in Bihar. “There was no law and order. The RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule (before 2005)... I will get these probed,” he said. Speaking in the assembly, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said he always considered Kumar to be a “father figure”, and wondered what forced him to ditch their alliance and return to the NDA. “I always considered Nitish Kumar as ‘Dashrath’ (character from the epic ‘Ramayan’). I don’t know what reasons forced him to ditch the Mahagathbandhan,” the former deputy CM said. R.N. Ravi refuses to read Governor’s address at Tamil Nadu Assembly, says it would be ‘constitutional travesty’ Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi on Monday, February 12, 2024 refused to read out the customary address on the opening day of the Legislative Assembly session, saying it contained numerous passages with which he disagreed on factual and moral grounds. “This address has numerous passages with which I convincingly disagree on factual and moral grounds. I, lending my voice to them, would constitute constitutional travesty. Hence with respect to the House I conclude my address,” he said in his speech. The Governor also charged that his “repeated request and advice to show due respect to the national anthem and play it at the beginning and end of the address has been ignored.” Wishing the House “a productive and healthy discussion for the good of the people,” he concluded his speech with the slogans, “Vazhga Tamil Nadu, Vazhga Bharatham. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Nandri.” Following this, Speaker M. Appavu began reading out the Tamil version of the Governor’s approved address to the House. Last year, the Governor had stormed out of the House, after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin moved a resolution urging the Speaker to take on record only the approved text of the Governor’s address. This was after Ravi skipped certain portions of the address and made certain extempore remarks. Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan resigns from Congress Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on February 12 resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party, ending his family’s longstanding association with the grand-old party. Speculations are ripe that he is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP.) Chavan submitted his resignation to the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole. Earlier in the day, the former Congress leader met Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and submitted his resignation to the House. Notably, his letterhead, where he drafted the word “former” in Marathi with a pen, now reflects his designation as “former MLA.” “Today, I have tendered my resignation as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 85-Bhokar Assembly Constituency to the Assembly Speaker Rahulji Narvekar,” Chavan later posted on X, formerly Twitter. Later, speaking to mediapersons, Chavan said he has not decided to join any party yet. “ I will clear my stand on joining a party after two days,“ he added. Speaking to The Hindu, a senior BJP leader confirmed that the 65-year-old former Chief Minister will join the party, bringing along a group of supporters from the Marathwada region. Speculations are rife that Chavan may secure a Rajya Sabha berth from the BJP. When asked about Chavan’s potential entry into the party, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “I learned about Mr. Chavan from the media. However, what I can affirm is that several prominent leaders from Congress are in contact with the BJP. Leaders associated with the public are expressing dissatisfaction within the Congress. I am confident that some prominent figures will switch to the BJP.” The discord between Chavan and Patole likely influenced his choice to change allegiance, a senior leader from Congress told The Hindu. “Mr. Chavan always expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Patole’s role as MPCC chief and consistently held him responsible for the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government,” he said. “Mr. Chavan’s decision doesn’t come as a surprise. It has been in the works for more than five years, and the high command has been informed about it repeatedly. Nanded district, Mr. Chavan’s hometown, has a significant Muslim and Dalit population, traditionally strong supporters of the Congress. While leaders may change, our grassroot cadre remains intact,” Patole told The Hindu. Further, Patole said that the current political battle revolves less around ideology and more around apprehensions of the ED, CBI, and Income Tax. “Mr. Chavan, despite the party’s historical roles for his family—his father serving as chief minister twice and holding significant positions like Defence minister— has opted to leave. He himself was made CM twice by the party, and held several key portfolios in various governments. It’s clear that the primary concern now seems to be investigative agencies and nothing else,” Patole added. Chavan’s father, Shankarrao Bhavrao Chavan, also served as Maharashtra Chief Minister twice, first from 1975 to 1977 and then from March 1986, to June 1988. “When friends and colleagues leave a political party that has given them much — perhaps much more they deserved — it is always a matter of anguish. But to those who are vulnerable, that Washing Machine will always prove more attractive than ideological commitment or personal loyalties,” said AICC General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh. He further added: “These betrayers don’t realise that their exit opens up vast new opportunities to those whose growth they have always stunted.” Chavan, along with a few Congress MLAs, is likely to join the BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief J. P. Nadda later this week. Supreme Court finds States do not violate Constitution in appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers in States on the ground that no such position exists in the Constitution. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud found no harm in the appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers, reasoning that they were after all Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) of the States and Ministers of State governments, and never mind the nomenclature. “Deputy Chief Ministers are first and foremost Ministers in the government of the State. A person who holds the office of the Deputy Chief Minister must at any event, within a stipulated period, be an MLA. Such appointments do not breach the Constitution,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. He said that these persons appointed did not draw a higher salary and were like any other Minister in the government, and may just be more senior than the others. But the petitioner, Public Political Party, said the appointments of Deputy Chief Ministers were motivated by religion and sectarian considerations. The petitioner argued that such appointments were against Article 14 (right to equality) and the tenet of Article 15 which holds that the State ought not to discriminate on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. However, the court dismissed the petition, saying it lacked substance. Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N floats idea of ‘participatory coalition government’: Report The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) led by former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has pitched the idea of a “participatory coalition government” to rival parties to end the logjam following the split verdict in the February 8 election, according to media reports on February 12. PML-N has 75 seats in the 266-member National Assembly, the single largest party. Independent members, mostly backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, have secured 101 seats. Former Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar termed this scenario ‘Hobson’s choice’ and said not a single political party had secured a majority in the National Assembly, insisting that elections were “fair”. The senior PML-N leader was talking to the media after a meeting of the party’s top brass at Jati Umra in Lahore during which consultations were held regarding the future course of action. The former Minister said the PML-N had started consultations with its former allies to form a unity government in the Centre. “There’s only the possibility of forming the (federal) government with the backing of the PML-N. It will be a participatory coalition government,” he said, adding that it was in “the largest interest of the country that all should join hands” to form the federal government, the Dawn newspaper reported. According to PML-N sources, the initial formula stipulates that if the coalition parties agree to give the post of Prime Minister to the PML-N, then the post of President and Speaker will be given to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), The Express Tribune newspaper reported. Similarly, the post of Deputy Speaker can be given to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) or any of the independent members joining the coalition. Besides, the PML-N may keep the Finance Ministry and other Ministries will be distributed among allies with mutual consultation. Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming set-up. According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 101 seats, followed by PML-N at 75, PPP at 54, MQM at 17 and other smaller parties won 17 seats. According to the formula, the sources said the decision regarding the nomination for the positions of Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be decided in consultation with the allies after the Senate elections. “The PML-N has held a consultation for a long time on this initial formula,” a source said. “It will be finalised in the meetings with the potential coalition partners. Changes can be made following the evolving political situation,” the source added. The consultation on the formation of the coalition government is expected between Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and others. According to the sources, since the PPP has already nominated its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as its candidate for premiership, it may not withdraw from its stance. However, they added that the PML-N can support Bilawal for the post of Prime Minister after consultation. The sources said that if the PML-N gets the post of Prime Minister, then the distribution of other important positions, such as the posts of President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly as well as the coveted Ministries, will be done through consultation. People not getting jobs, their pockets being robbed, says Rahul Gandhi targeting Centre Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on February 12 hit out at the BJP-led Centre while claiming that people in the country were not getting employment and were facing the wrath of inflation. Addressing a gathering in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Gandhi asked the people to wake up, claiming their pockets were being robbed and they were being misled. “The backward classes, Dalits and Adivasis (tribals) comprise 74% of the country’s population, but not a single person from these communities is the owner or in the management of India’s top 200 companies which are being given “all the money of the country”, he claimed. “The BJP calls it a “Hindu Rashtra”, but 74% of the population and the poor from the general country have been getting nothing. They are only for beating “thali” (steel plate), ringing “ghanta” (bell), showing mobile phones and dying in hunger,” he further claimed targeting the Centre. “Tell me, have you seen any poor, labourer, unemployed person or small businessmen at the Ram Mandir inauguration (last month)? I only saw Adani ji, Ambani ji, Amitabh Bachahn, Aishwarya Rai and other big businessmen. Adani ji, Ambani ji and their families were giving big statements,” Gandhi said. People are not getting employment and facing the wrath of inflation, while “Adani and Ambani were fetching profit by selling Chinese goods,” the Congress leader alleged while terming it as economic injustice. In brief Massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, besides multi-layered barricading, have taken place to seal the National Capital borders at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur to prevent the protesting farmers from entering the city during their scheduled ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 12. The police are also using drones to keep a tight vigil at border points, an official said, adding that they are fully prepared to deal with any law and order situation. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 12 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Nitish Kumar-led NDA govt wins trust vote in Bihar Assembly The newly formed [NDA Government in Bihar won the trust vote]( in the Bihar State Assembly on February 12, amid a walkout by members of the Mahagathbandhan. In the 243-strong Assembly, a total of 129 members voted in favour of the motion of confidence. Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari was in the Chair when the voting took place. Hazari ordered a headcount after having declared the motion as passed through voice vote, following a request from State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, which was seconded by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar had recently dumped the Mahagathbandhan, of which the RJD was a key constituent, and returned to the NDA fold to form the government with support of the BJP. Earlier, taking part in the debate on the motion, the JD(U) chief alleged that the RJD indulged in corrupt practices during the party’s rule in the State, and the new NDA-led Government will initiate a probe into it. Kumar also claimed that during RJD’s tenure, several communal riots took place in Bihar. “There was no law and order. The RJD indulged in corrupt practices during its rule (before 2005)... I will get these probed,” he said. Speaking in the assembly, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said he always considered Kumar to be a “father figure”, and wondered what forced him to ditch their alliance and return to the NDA. “I always considered Nitish Kumar as ‘Dashrath’ (character from the epic ‘Ramayan’). I don’t know what reasons forced him to ditch the Mahagathbandhan,” the former deputy CM said. R.N. Ravi refuses to read Governor’s address at Tamil Nadu Assembly, says it would be ‘constitutional travesty’ Tamil Nadu Governor [R. N. Ravi on Monday, February 12, 2024 refused to read out the customary address on the opening day of the Legislative Assembly session]( saying it contained numerous passages with which he disagreed on factual and moral grounds. “This address has numerous passages with which I convincingly disagree on factual and moral grounds. I, lending my voice to them, would constitute constitutional travesty. Hence with respect to the House I conclude my address,” he said in his speech. The Governor also charged that his “repeated request and advice to show due respect to the national anthem and play it at the beginning and end of the address has been ignored.” Wishing the House “a productive and healthy discussion for the good of the people,” he concluded his speech with the slogans, “Vazhga Tamil Nadu, Vazhga Bharatham. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Nandri.” Following this, Speaker M. Appavu began reading out the Tamil version of the Governor’s approved address to the House. Last year, the Governor had stormed out of the House, after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin moved a resolution urging the Speaker to take on record only the approved text of the Governor’s address. This was after Ravi skipped certain portions of the address and made certain extempore remarks. Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan resigns from Congress Former Maharashtra Chief Minister [Ashok Chavan on February 12 resigned from the primary membership of the Congress]( party, ending his family’s longstanding association with the grand-old party. Speculations are ripe that he is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP.) Chavan submitted his resignation to the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole. Earlier in the day, the former Congress leader met Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and submitted his resignation to the House. Notably, his letterhead, where he drafted the word “former” in Marathi with a pen, now reflects his designation as “former MLA.” “Today, I have tendered my resignation as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 85-Bhokar Assembly Constituency to the Assembly Speaker Rahulji Narvekar,” Chavan later posted on X, formerly Twitter. Later, speaking to mediapersons, Chavan said he has not decided to join any party yet. “ I will clear my stand on joining a party after two days,“ he added. Speaking to The Hindu, a senior BJP leader confirmed that the 65-year-old former Chief Minister will join the party, bringing along a group of supporters from the Marathwada region. Speculations are rife that Chavan may secure a Rajya Sabha berth from the BJP. When asked about Chavan’s potential entry into the party, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “I learned about Mr. Chavan from the media. However, what I can affirm is that several prominent leaders from Congress are in contact with the BJP. Leaders associated with the public are expressing dissatisfaction within the Congress. I am confident that some prominent figures will switch to the BJP.” The discord between Chavan and Patole likely influenced his choice to change allegiance, a senior leader from Congress told The Hindu. “Mr. Chavan always expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Patole’s role as MPCC chief and consistently held him responsible for the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government,” he said. “Mr. Chavan’s decision doesn’t come as a surprise. It has been in the works for more than five years, and the high command has been informed about it repeatedly. Nanded district, Mr. Chavan’s hometown, has a significant Muslim and Dalit population, traditionally strong supporters of the Congress. While leaders may change, our grassroot cadre remains intact,” Patole told The Hindu. Further, Patole said that the current political battle revolves less around ideology and more around apprehensions of the ED, CBI, and Income Tax. “Mr. Chavan, despite the party’s historical roles for his family—his father serving as chief minister twice and holding significant positions like Defence minister— has opted to leave. He himself was made CM twice by the party, and held several key portfolios in various governments. It’s clear that the primary concern now seems to be investigative agencies and nothing else,” Patole added. Chavan’s father, Shankarrao Bhavrao Chavan, also served as Maharashtra Chief Minister twice, first from 1975 to 1977 and then from March 1986, to June 1988. “When friends and colleagues leave a political party that has given them much — perhaps much more they deserved — it is always a matter of anguish. But to those who are vulnerable, that Washing Machine will always prove more attractive than ideological commitment or personal loyalties,” said AICC General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh. He further added: “These betrayers don’t realise that their exit opens up vast new opportunities to those whose growth they have always stunted.” Chavan, along with a few Congress MLAs, is likely to join the BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief J. P. Nadda later this week. Supreme Court finds States do not violate Constitution in appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers The [Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers in States]( on the ground that no such position exists in the Constitution. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud found no harm in the appointment of Deputy Chief Ministers, reasoning that they were after all Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) of the States and Ministers of State governments, and never mind the nomenclature. “Deputy Chief Ministers are first and foremost Ministers in the government of the State. A person who holds the office of the Deputy Chief Minister must at any event, within a stipulated period, be an MLA. Such appointments do not breach the Constitution,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed. He said that these persons appointed did not draw a higher salary and were like any other Minister in the government, and may just be more senior than the others. But the petitioner, Public Political Party, said the appointments of Deputy Chief Ministers were motivated by religion and sectarian considerations. The petitioner argued that such appointments were against Article 14 (right to equality) and the tenet of Article 15 which holds that the State ought not to discriminate on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. However, the court dismissed the petition, saying it lacked substance. Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N floats idea of ‘participatory coalition government’: Report The [Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) led by former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has pitched the idea of a “participatory coalition government”]( to rival parties to end the logjam following the split verdict in the February 8 election, according to media reports on February 12. PML-N has 75 seats in the 266-member National Assembly, the single largest party. Independent members, mostly backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, have secured 101 seats. Former Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar termed this scenario ‘Hobson’s choice’ and said not a single political party had secured a majority in the National Assembly, insisting that elections were “fair”. The senior PML-N leader was talking to the media after a meeting of the party’s top brass at Jati Umra in Lahore during which consultations were held regarding the future course of action. The former Minister said the PML-N had started consultations with its former allies to form a unity government in the Centre. “There’s only the possibility of forming the (federal) government with the backing of the PML-N. It will be a participatory coalition government,” he said, adding that it was in “the largest interest of the country that all should join hands” to form the federal government, the Dawn newspaper reported. According to PML-N sources, the initial formula stipulates that if the coalition parties agree to give the post of Prime Minister to the PML-N, then the post of President and Speaker will be given to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), The Express Tribune newspaper reported. Similarly, the post of Deputy Speaker can be given to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) or any of the independent members joining the coalition. Besides, the PML-N may keep the Finance Ministry and other Ministries will be distributed among allies with mutual consultation. Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming set-up. According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 101 seats, followed by PML-N at 75, PPP at 54, MQM at 17 and other smaller parties won 17 seats. According to the formula, the sources said the decision regarding the nomination for the positions of Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be decided in consultation with the allies after the Senate elections. “The PML-N has held a consultation for a long time on this initial formula,” a source said. “It will be finalised in the meetings with the potential coalition partners. Changes can be made following the evolving political situation,” the source added. The consultation on the formation of the coalition government is expected between Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and others. According to the sources, since the PPP has already nominated its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as its candidate for premiership, it may not withdraw from its stance. However, they added that the PML-N can support Bilawal for the post of Prime Minister after consultation. The sources said that if the PML-N gets the post of Prime Minister, then the distribution of other important positions, such as the posts of President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly as well as the coveted Ministries, will be done through consultation. People not getting jobs, their pockets being robbed, says Rahul Gandhi targeting Centre Congress leader [Rahul Gandhi on February 12 hit out at the BJP-led Centre while claiming that people in the country were not getting employment and were facing the wrath of inflation](. Addressing a gathering in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Gandhi asked the people to wake up, claiming their pockets were being robbed and they were being misled. “The backward classes, Dalits and Adivasis (tribals) comprise 74% of the country’s population, but not a single person from these communities is the owner or in the management of India’s top 200 companies which are being given “all the money of the country”, he claimed. “The BJP calls it a “Hindu Rashtra”, but 74% of the population and the poor from the general country have been getting nothing. They are only for beating “thali” (steel plate), ringing “ghanta” (bell), showing mobile phones and dying in hunger,” he further claimed targeting the Centre. “Tell me, have you seen any poor, labourer, unemployed person or small businessmen at the Ram Mandir inauguration (last month)? I only saw Adani ji, Ambani ji, Amitabh Bachahn, Aishwarya Rai and other big businessmen. Adani ji, Ambani ji and their families were giving big statements,” Gandhi said. People are not getting employment and facing the wrath of inflation, while “Adani and Ambani were fetching profit by selling Chinese goods,” the Congress leader alleged while terming it as economic injustice. In brief [Massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, besides multi-layered barricading, have taken place to seal the National Capital borders at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur to prevent the protesting farmers from entering the city]( during their scheduled ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 12. The police are also using drones to keep a tight vigil at border points, an official said, adding that they are fully prepared to deal with any law and order situation. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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