Bihar floor test: How numbers stack up as MLAs get ready for crucial number game |

All eyes are on the Bihar floor test on Monday (February 12) where chief minister Nitish Kumar will have to prove his majority after he switched to the NDA deserting the mahagathbandhan — an alliance of the RJD, the Congress and the Left parties in Bihar. Ahead of the crucial number test, Congress hid their MLAs in Hyderabad. RJD MLAs have been camping at former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s place since Saturday night. BJP shifted its MLAs to Maha Bodhi resort in Bodh Gaya days before the floor test after Nitish Kumar met PM Modi in New Delhi. The BJP, however, said the MLAs were sent to Bodh Gaya resort for some training and there is no threat of poaching from the opposition.

Bihar floor test: Here’s how the numbers stack up

The total strength of the Bihar Assembly is 243 and the majority mark is 122. The NDA has a comfortable majority of 128 with the BJP having 78 seats, the JD(U) 45, Hindustani Awam Morcha 4 and Independent MLA Sumit Singh.

The Opposition holds 114 seats – RJD highest with 79, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 12, CPI(M) 2, CPI 2.

AIMIM has one seat in Bihar Assembly and another belongs to others.

Preparation for Bihar floor test: Here are the latest updates

Congress MLAs will reach Patna by Sunday evening and will be taken straight to Tejashwi’s house. They will reach the Assembly along with their RJD colleagues from Tejashwi’s 5 Deshratna Marg government bungalow.

RJD MLAs have been camping at Tejashwi’s place since Saturday lunch. Video of how the MLAs have been enjoying bonfire and music has surfaced on social media.

JD(U) has issued a three-line whip asking all MLAs to be present during the floor test. JD(U) MLAs were not shifted anywhere before the floor test.

When the Mahagathbandhan government failed because of Nitish Kumar’s volte-face, Tejashwi said the game was still on hinting at some last-minute masterstroke by the RJD. But JD(U) said there is no game now and the NDA is confident of winning the floor test.

HAM also issued a whip asking all four MLAs to be present at the floor test. Jitan Ram Mandji said his party will vote in favour of the Nitish Kumar government

CPI(ML) leader Mehboob Alam — part of the opposition — recently met Jitan Ram Manjhi triggering speculations about whether the mahagathbandhan was trying to pull HAM on its side. Mehboob Alam said it was a courteous visit as Manjhi was not keeping well.

BJP slammed the opposition MLAs’ camping at Tejashwi’s house and said this was like a house arrest because the leadership had no faith in them.

Bihar Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary refused to resign and he said he would conduct the proceedings of the Assembly as per rules.

The session will commence with the joint address to the two Houses by governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Central Hall followed by a discussion on the no-confidence notice against the Speaker. Then, the Nitish government will seek a trust vote.