New Delhi: Amid fears of cross voting, the confidence motion moved by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was passed in the state assembly by 131 votes to 108. The JD(U) leader needed 122 votes to retain his Chief Ministership in the 243 member assembly. 

The BJP-JDU combine had 132 votes, 10 more than the cut-off of 122. Nitish had claimed the support of 131 members, including the BJP, two independents and legislators of BJP allies- Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)-Secular and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).  Meanwhile, the Opposition RJD had 80 MLAs, the Congress 27 and the CPI-ML 3. 

Inspite of a fiery 41 minute speech by ex-CM Tejashwi Yadav, the whip issued by the BJP-JDU combine proved too strong for party members to violate and the voting proceeded on mostly expected party lines by the lobby division method where assembly members are expected to sign on registers for their respective factions and resulted in their victory. 

Nitish had broken the Mahagathbandan on Wednesday abruptly and left his former allies the RJD out in the cold after alleged corruption charges against his deputy Tejashwi Yadav and other members of the family.