Jitan Ram Manjhi is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi in the evening on Sunday with the two expected to discuss the political situation in the state where an overwhelming majority of ruling JD(U) MLAs on Saturday chose Nitish Kumar as their party leader.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi in the evening on Sunday with the two expected to discuss the political situation in the state where an overwhelming majority of ruling JD(U) MLAs on Saturday chose Nitish Kumar as their party leader.
Sources close to Manjhi, who has refused to step down and termed the JD(U) Legislature Party meet "unconstitutional", said he wanted BJP to support his bid to prevent Kumar -- his one-time mentor against whom he has rebelled -- from taking over from him.
At the meeting, which is scheduled to be held at 5pm., Manjhi and Modi could explore possibilities in this regard, they added.
Manjhi is here to attend the NITI Aayog meet where Modi will seek views of chief ministers on the budgetary allocation for the states and various central projects even though JD(U) has disapproved of his bid to take part in the exercise, saying his position as chief minister was no longer tenable.
Although BJP is keen to exploit the crisis within JD(U) to consolidate its position in Bihar, it is also wary about propping up Manjhi, whose tenure has been criticised by its state unit for poor governance. Read more
Blame game ensues
PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah do not want Nitish Kumar to take over as Bihar CM: JD(U)
"This script has been written in Delhi. Amit Shah is the director and at the behest of him, there has been a conflict in the JD(U). At the behest of him, efforts are being made to dissolve the legislative assembly," JD(U) leader KC Tyagi. "PM and Amit Shah at any cost do not want Nitish Kumar to be the Chief Minister," he added.
Tyagi said that his party chief Sharad Yadav would submit a list of 130 MLAs to the Governor on Monday and expressed hope that Nitish would be called to take oath as the state's next Chief Minister. "We hope that the Governor will call Nitish Kumar to be the next CM in a couple of days," he said.
The JD(U) leader also alleged that Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has joined hands with the BJP. "Manjhi ji has joined hands with BJP. And the proof is that after one hour of legislative party meet, the BJP supported him and asked him to dissolve the assembly," he said. (Read more)
Asked about Manjhi's scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here this evening, he said, "The fact is BJP President Amit Shah is working overtime to engineer a split in our party, like he is doing with TMC. He has failed... If the need arises, we will parade 130 MLAs before the governor or even the President." ?(Read more)
Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav responsible for political instability in Bihar: BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that former chief minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav are responsible for the political instability in Bihar.
"Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar are to be held accountable for the present political instability in Bihar. The BJP will take a decision after viewing the result and whole situation carefully," said BJP spokesperson Prem Prakash Ranjan. (Read more)
Reports say that former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will form new government
Reports say that former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will on Sunday stake claim to form a new government in the state. Current incumbent Jitan Ram Manjhi, however, has refused to step down from his post.
Manjhi had on Saturday written a letter to Governor KN Tripathi and requested him not to accept recommendations made by the Janata Dal (United) legislature party meeting headed by Sharad Yadav.
In his letter, he mentioned that only the chief minister has the authority to hold a meeting of the party legislators. He also urged the Governor to remove 15 ministers from their posts with immediate effect.
However, 20 ministers sent their resignation to the Governor in support of Nitish.
In Bihar, political crisis has deepened with the State cabinet authorising Manjhi to recommend dissolution of the state assembly and the JD (U) legislature party deciding to remove Manjhi from the post of leader of legislature party.
While in a major development 97 of the 111 JD (U) legislators elected Nitish Kumar as their leader and removed Manjhi from the post of leader of the legislature party.
Sources say that BJP leaders Radha Mohan Singh, Nand Kishor Yadav and Sushil Modi met Narendra Singh and Mahchander Singh, both close to Manjhi, on Saturday Night at Bihar Niwas.
Amid the ongoing political drama, the state seems to be heading towards a constitutional crisis in the light of the cabinet proposal recommending dissolution of the state assembly.
With agency inputs
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