In a big blow to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Patna High Court on Thursday barred eight rebel Janata Dal United MLAs from voting during the confidence motion on Friday. The order of a HC double bench is likely to have a substantial effect on Manjhi's support during the floor test in the assembly.

Claiming support of majority of MLAs, Manjhi plans to organise a show of strength of those supporting him on Thursday evening. Just ahead of the floor test on Friday, Manjhi will also be holding a Cabinet meeting at 5pm on Thursday.

Both Manjhi and senior JDU leader Nitish Kumar are in talks with MLAs to secure their support. After a walkout by BJP at an all-party meeting on Wednesday, the Speaker allowed Nitish's faction to occupy the Opposition benches during the trust vote.

Bihar Speaker Udai Narain Choudhary on Thursday notified Vijay Chaudhary of JDU as Leader of Opposition replacing Nand Kishore Yadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Choudhary is believed to be a Nitish loyalist.

Soon after the appointment, BJP MLAs protested outside the Speaker's chamber in Patna seeking removal of the BJP leader as the Leader of Opposition.

The development was made just a day before Manjhi has to prove his majority on the floor of the House.