Manjhi asked to test majority, court holds Nitish leader in house

Patna, Feb 12: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was Friday asked by Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi to prove his majority on the first day of the budget session beginning Feb 20 - a step welcomed by his supporters but slammed as "murder of democracy" by Nitish Kumar. In a related development, the Patna High Court declined to stay Nitish Kumar's election as the Janata Dal-United's legislature party leader. According to Brajesh Malhotra, secretary to the governor, the floor test would be done either through lobby division or secret ballot, immediately after the governor's address to the joint sitting of the state legislature.