"We might be poor but...: Jitan Ram Manjhi after HAM issues whip ahead of trust vote

Patna (Bihar) [India], February 11 (ANI): Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder, Jitan Ram Manjhi, on Saturday informed that a whip has been issued by the party to its four MLAs instructing them to vote in favour of the NDA government during the upcoming trust vote in the state.
The trust vote will take place on February 12.
Amid rumours that the principal opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), might try to poach its MLAs, Manjhi told media persons on Saturday, "Hum gareeb ho sakte hain par beiman nahi (We might be poor but are not dishonest)".
"We have issued a whip. All four MLAs of our party will be present and voting for the NDA coalition. They will also make public statements in favour of the ruling NDA government. This is crystal clear. Hum gareeb ho sakte hain par bemaan nahi. I will stay where I am," Manjhi told ANI.
Ahead of the trust vote, the Janata Dal-United (JDU) also issued a three-line whip to all of its MLAs to be present and voting for the ruling alliance during the floor test.
Meanwhile, the MLAs were, on Saturday, called to the residence of JDU leader and Bihar minister, Shrawon Kumar, in Patna. The move was seen as an attempt by the ruling coalition to keep its flock together and pre-empt poaching attempts by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
On rumours that some of the legislators were 'missing', a JDU MLA said, "They informed us that they wouldn't be present here. It is not that they are out of the country."
Another JDU leader said all the MLAs are in regular contact with the party and he was confident that the Nitish Kumar-led coalition would sail past the majority mark during the floor test.
Moments after the JDU's return to the NDA fold last month, RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said the "game had just started".
"Khel abhi shuru hua hai, khel abhi baki hain (The game has just started and a lot is left to play for). I can give you in writing that the JD(U) will be finished in 2024. The people are with us," Tejashwi said.
Meanwhile, a meeting of RJD MLAs and MLAs of Mahagathbandhan was also held on Saturday evening ahead of the floor test. The leaders were to reportedly stay back there after the meeting.
The baggage of the RJD MLAs were being brought to the official residence of former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav in Patna.
Nitish, earlier this month, dumped the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and the INDIA bloc to form a new government with the support of the BJP in Bihar.
At present, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP has 128 seats in the Bihar assembly, of which the BJP has 78 seats, the JD(U) 45 and the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) four. The remaining lone seat ois held by an Independent MLA.
The Opposition holds 114 seats in the Bihar House and needs 122 for a majority. (ANI)