JOIN USJD-U dumps Manjhi, brings back Nitish
The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Legislature Party on Saturday elected Nitish Kumar its new leader in place of Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Altogether, 97 out of 111 MLAs and 37 of the 41 MLCs attended the meeting at the Bihar Assembly annexe, and overwhelmingly backed Nitish Kumar. It is believed that he will now seek time from Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi to stake claim to form a government.
“I never wanted to take over as chief minister so soon. But, of late, governance in Bihar has taken a back seat. The present chief minister made headlines for all the wrong reasons almost every week. Without good governance and effective administration, even social engineering is of no use. I have, therefore, taken over the mantle now as I have the numbers,” said Nitish Kumar, thanking members of the legislature party for reposing faith in him.
Besides his own party's 97 MLAs, Nitish Kumar now enjoys the support of 24 legislators from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, five from the Congress and one from the Communist Party of India. The total number is more than the halfway mark in the 243-member Assembly.
Meanwhile, a defiant Manjhi refused to resign even on Saturday despite holding a 90-minute meeting with Nitish Kumar as a last-ditch attempt for patch-up.
On a day of speedy political developments, Manjhi went to meet Nitish Kumar at the latter’s residence on 7 Circular Road around 11:45 am on Saturday. The meeting was facilitated by senior ministers in the Manjhi Cabinet who wanted a truce between the two warring camps before the Cabinet meeting, scheduled for 2 pm, and the JD-U Legislature Party meeting at 4 pm.
Manjhi put up a condition that he should be allowed to continue as chief minister, while Nitish Kumar could serve as a “marg-darshak” (guardian). He also suggested that both camps cancel their respective Legislature Party meetings.
However, when the talks failed, Manjhi convened a Cabinet meeting at his official residence at 1 Aney Marg.
Ministers belonging to both camps attended the meeting. But 21 ministers from the Nitish Kumar camp walked out midway once it was clear that Manjhi had brought a resolution to dissolve the Assembly.
Manjhi continued the meeting with the remaining six ministers, and recommended that the House be dissolved and fresh elections held.
On Saturday evening, Manjhi left for New Delhi to attend Sunday’s Niti Ayog meeting, where, it is believed, he will hold parleys with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The visit is significant as the Bharatiya Janata Party top brass has already summoned senior party leaders from Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi and Nand Kishore Yadav, and is taking stock of developments there.
Before leaving for Delhi, Manjhi wrote to the governor intimating him that the JD-U Legislature Party meeting on Saturday was “unconstitutional” as only he, as chief minister, could convene such a meet, and not party president Sharad Yadav.