Manjhi's loyalists confident of victory ahead of floor test

Patna, Feb 12: Upbeat after being asked to prove his majority on the floor of the state assembly Feb 20, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's loyalists were Thursday confident of their victory with the BJP's support. "We are 100 percent sure that Manjhi would prove his majority with BJP's support," state minister Bhim Singh, one of the leading vocal supporters of Manjhi, told the media here. According to Brajesh Malhotra, secretary to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, the floor test would be taken up through either lobby division or secret ballot, immediately after the governor's address to the joint sitting of the state legislature on the opening day of the budget session. The governor's decision came Wednesday night after a set back to former chief minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar as the Patna High Court stayed his recognition as legislature party head replacing Manjhi. This decision has given strength to Manjhi's loyalists JD-U legislators.