Rabri Devi expected to sail through confidently

A meeting of the JMM S Legislature Party was held here this morning which decided to extend support to the government. 8220;We will continue to support the RJD ministry as long as it continues to work for the people of Jharkhand region,8221; the party vice-president, Suraj Mandal, said.

The JMM S had voted for the July 15 confidence motion brought by the erstwhile Laloo Prasad Yadav ministry which was reduced to a minority after a split in the Janata Dal.

The task for Rabri Devi may be made easier with the possibility of the 29-member Congress Legislature Party voting in favour of the government. Highly placed sources in the CLP said that the party MLAs might vote for the motion. However, a final decision would be taken at the CLP meeting tomorrow morning.

The party had abstained during the July 15 trust vote, saying it could neither support 8220;a corrupt regime, led by Laloo Prasad Yadav, nor vote along with the communal BJP against the motion.8221;

The RJD government is also likely to get the support of one Bahujan Samaj Party member, Mahabali Singh, who had voted in favour of the July 15 trust vote, apart from an expelled CPI MLA, Yamuna Yadav, considered very close Laloo Yadav.

The two major left parties 8212; Communist Party of India with 26 MLAs and Communist Party of India-Marxist with six 8212; who had abstained from voting on July 15 trust vote have this time decided to vote against the motion.

The CPI ML, which also has six members in the House, has said since its MLAs are preoccupied with their 8220;Sankalp Yatra8221; for removal of the government, they will not attend the session.

The 51-member BJP-Samata combine has decided to participate in the session and the debate on the confidence motion, but said that a final decision on voting would be taken late tonight.

The 29-member Janata Dal is also yet to decide on voting on the motion, but will participate in the debate.

Meanwhile, Rabri Devi said that she would not resign from her post even if the court acquitted her husband. 8220;I will remain as the Chief Minister, it will be the legislature who will decide. They will elect their leader,8221; she said.