Bihar Crisis: CM Jitan Ram Manjhi exudes confidence in winning trust vote

Exuding confidence that he would win the February 20 trust vote, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday said he would enter the ring like a "wrestler" and not bother about how strong the opponent was even as he slammed his bete noire Nitish Kumar for trying to reduce him to being a "puppet".

"I will enter the ring as a 'pahalwan' (wrestler) without bothering how strong the opponent is and whether I will win or lose," Manjhi said.

"I'll make an emotional speech to the legislators that I stand for the welfare of the poor and the downtrodden. If you agree with me, then come along. If I do not get adequate response, I'll quit the CM's post," he said.

On his mentor Nitish Kumar's statement that he had made a mistake in choosing him to be his successor in the chief minister's post, Manjhi said that it was not just a "mistake", but "a great mistake".

"I have spent 34 years in politics and worked in different posts as minister and legislator... he (Kumar) committed a great mistake in assuming that I'll act like his puppet," Manjhi said.

Meanwhile, asked if he was banking on BJP's support, he said, "I am standing alone and shall appeal to the legislators of all parties to accept my humble appeal to continue working for the poor and the downtrodden."

On rivals' claim that he enjoys the support of only 12 MLAs, Manjhi said, "I am standing my ground and will fight till the end, irrespective of the result." Manjhi thanked Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi for accepting his plea for the trust vote to be scheduled on February 20. He said he would once again appeal to the governor to use secret ballot during the confidence vote.

As to the possibility of a Cabinet expansion, Manjhi said that he would go for such a move if he won the trust vote. Asked about his expulsion from JD(U) and position as an unattached member of the Assembly, Manjhi said he was looking into the legal aspect of the issue and would act lawfully.

Manjhi said, "I have not come to politics after selling my land that I have to make money for livelihood (from politics)... I came to politics with an intention to serve the public."

On Kumar's repeated allegation of horse trading, Manjhi said, "I am poor and a pauper and have no money for horse trading."

Seeking to turn the tables on his adversaries, Manjhi said, "They (Kumar group) are actually indulging in horse trading by taking MLAs to Delhi and keeping them in a posh hotel... about Rs 1 lakh was spent on each MLA on this trip." Manjhi, who was so far restrained in his comments on Kumar, said, "It is true that after becoming CM in May last year, for 1-2 months, I used to act on whatever instruction came from there (Kumar) upon which people started calling me a 'rubber-stamp CM' being run by remote control by Kumar.

"But soon my self-respect pricked my conscience and I started asserting myself for the rights of the poor, which he (Kumar) and the people close to him did not like," said Manjhi, who began his electoral career in 1980 as a Congress MLA.

"Mein garib jaroor hu par swabhiman rakhta hu (I am poor no doubt, but have self respect)," he said.

Stating that he did not do any wrong while speaking for the poor and announcing some schemes for them, Manjhi said, "I rather consolidated the vote of a large section of society (dalits and mahadalits, who constitute over 22 per cent of voters in Bihar) for JD(U) so that they (voters) no longer look here and there and stay with us (JD-U)." Manjhi said that the trouble started when he launched a crackdown on middlemen in different ministries who he alleged used to "swallow" up a large chunk of developmental money.

"They ganged up against me and put pressure on Kumar to act against me," he said.

"The party spokesman and some ministers made public remarks against me and when I asked him (Kumar) if it was being with his consent, he kept silent," he added.