Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi abused power to defend son-in-law's appointment as PA, alleges BJP's Sushil Modi

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday accused Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of abusing his powers to "exert pressure" on a senior official to issue a fresh circular to justify appointment of his son-in-law as his Personal Assistant after he has been sacked following a hue and cry by the Opposition.

"Manjhi has blatantly abused his powers to exert pressure on the Principal Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat) to issue a fresh circular defining the term 'relatives' to justify appointment of his son in-law Devendra Kumar as his PA although he was sacked last month following criticism by the Opposition," Modi told reporters.

Quoting from a circular issued by the Principal Secretary (Cabinet Coordination) B Pradhan which was made available to him on December 8 last, the senior BJP leader said the circular says "a son-in-law is not a close relative".

Modi said that the state government had earlier issued a circular in 2000 to bar close relatives from being appointed as personal staff of the chief minister and ministers to ensure transparency in government, but Manjhi had conveniently ignored the guideline to appoint Kumar as his PA.