Opportunist Jitan Ram Manjhi shouldn't be taken seriously, says Congress

The Congress Party on Sunday accused former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of playing opportunistic politics by keeping in touch with all the political parties ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls.

There is no need to take seriously what Jitan Ram Manjhi says. He did not stay with Nitish Kumar, who made him the chief minister. If the Bharatiya Janata Party allots him 10 to 20 tickets then he won't stay with them too, said Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra.

It is a symbol of opportunistic politics. The BJP cannot give him the position of chief minister, which was given by Nitish Kumar, he added.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to announce the seat-sharing for Bihar Assembly polls today.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bhupender Yadav today met Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) supremo Manjhi, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the number of seats to be allotted to his party, at the Bihar Niwas here.

BJP president Amit Shah has so far held discussions with Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) supremo Ram Vilas Paswan and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha to iron out differences over some seats.

Manjhi, who had initially agreed to go with the BJP president's efforts to settle the seat-sharing, is now reportedly looking for more than 15 seats.

Polls to the 243-member Bihar Assembly will be held in five phases starting on October 12 and ending on November 5. Counting of votes will take place on November 8.