Patna/New Delhi:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced today that his partnership with the BJP is a thing of the past. After a meeting with Bihar Governor DY Patil, he said he will take a vote of confidence on Wednesday to prove he still has a majority and can remain in power. (
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Mr Kumar also reportedly called for the 11 BJP members in his 29-member cabinet to be removed.
So far, the BJP has not yielded any resignations. "Let the chief minister first make an announcement on the alliance," the party's CP Thakur said earlier today.
BJP ministers did not attend an emergency cabinet meet this morning called by the Chief Minister. "Why should we go?" asked the BJP's Mangal Pandey. "What is the point in calling a cabinet meeting now?"
Sources in Mr Kumar's party, the Janata Dal (United), said that he will take every precaution to ensure that he follows required protocol. The cabinet meeting was intended to prove that the BJP, for all its emphasis on salvaging the 17-year partnership, were unwilling to negotiate with the JDU.
"For 17 years, you did not find fault with us," said the BJP spokesperson Shanawaaz Hussain. "So what defect do you see in us now?" He emphasized, "We have said that we have not selected a prime ministerial candidate yet."