Cong backs Nitish on no-confidence motion

• CM wins vote effortlessly
• BJP walks out as RJD votes against move

Patna (PTI): After dumping ally BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar comfortably won a vote of confidence in his government in the Bihar Assembly on Wednesday amid signals of a new political alignment as Congress backed the motion.

A total of 126 votes, including four of Congress and one of CPI, were cast in favour of the confidence motion while 24, including 22 of Lalu Prasad-led RJD, voted against it as BJP's 91 MLAs and lone LJP MLA staged a walkout before the vote. Those who voted in favour of the motion included ruling JD(U)'s 117 and four Independents. Besides RJD's 22 MLAs, two Independents also opposed the motion.

Significantly, the Congress support for the government comes two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Kumar as secular and indicated that his party could do business with JD(U). The Central government had already enhanced development assistance to Bihar as a backward State recently, setting off speculation that the two parties could come together in future elections.

Cong discounts tie-up talk

New Delhi (PTI): Congress has said that it backed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the trust vote to thwart the design of communal forces but refused to term the move as a 'prelude to any future alliance'.

Talking to reporters, party spokesman P C Chacko said on Wednesday, "We have supported the Nitish Kumar government in view of the BJP's desire to pull it down ... To thwart the communal forces... It is not a prelude to a future alliance.' Replying to a volley of questions on Congress support to the Nitish government and whether it meant the JD (U) would reciprocate it at the Centre, he said, "This is without any condition... We do not expect anything in return. There is no quid pro quo. There is no deal."

He said that the party high command would decide the alliance issue at an appropriate time.