BJP now silent on Bihar crisis

The BJP, which asserted till a few days ago that it would support  Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi if he was forcibly removed, has remained silent on the latest developments more than 24 hours after former chief minister Nitish Kumar replaced Manjhi as the JDULP leader.

Sources in the Bihar BJP said the silence has more to do with the Delhi election result. The saffron camp, disappointed over the exit poll predictions in Delhi, is not ready to fish in the troubled waters of Bihar, which is considered to be a crucial State.

“After ‘Kiran Bedi-experiment’ failed, I don’t think the BJP high command will try to overtly or covertly back an outsider Manjhi and commit political suicide in a State where elections are scheduled in a few months time,” said a senior BJP leader who was part of the government when it ruled Bihar in alliance with the JD(U).

The BJP feels that even Bihar Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi, a towering BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh, will tread cautiously and won’t take any action in haste.

“The governor, I feel, will wait till Tuesday’s Delhi poll result. He will act as per the instruction from Delhi. Since the ball is in his court, he has all the discretion of asking Manjhi to face trial of strength on the floor of the House. Alternately, he can keep the House in suspended animation, or recommend dissolution of the Assembly. Or lastly, he can recommend President’s rule if the two warring JD(U) camps indulge in horse-trading,” the BJP leader said, adding that the Delhi poll result will decide Manjhi and Nitish’s destiny.