Jitan Ram Manjhi meets Nitish Kumar amid patch up efforts

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday met his mentor Nitish Kumar at his residence here amid reports of an effort to patch up relations between the two leaders who are locked in an intense power tussle.

JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, who has called a JD(U)LP meeting later in the day, also reached Kumar's 7 Circular Road residence five minutes before Manjhi. Senior pro-Manjhi ministers Narendra Singh and Brishen Patel accompanied the minister in his car.

The meeting is taking place two hours before the crucial cabinet meeting called by the CM at his residence amid speculation that he might recommend dissolution of the Assembly. 

Earlier, Singh, a senior JD(U) leader and the agriculture minister set the ball rolling for the patch up effort. He visited Kumar's residence around 11.00 am and then the CM's residence before accompanying Manjhi there. Labour minister Dulal Chand Goswami, who met Manjhi, told reporters that the two leaders (Kumar and Manjhi) will hammer out a solution.

Another minister Binay Bihari, a Manjhi supporter, told reporters outside the CM's residence that he was not in favour of dissolution of the Assembly.