Patna: Contorversies surrounding the Bihar CM post has deepened further inside the ruling JD(U), the latest update being CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s expulsion from the party membership for defying party line on Monday.
Manjhi was handpicked by Nitish Kumar to replace himself as CM after accepting his responsibility for Lok Sabha poll debacle in the State last year.
Manjhi earlier refused to quit as Bihar CM.
Reportedly Nitish Kumar led JD(U) has 115 legislators in the 243-member assembly. Kumar along with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Supremo Lalu Yadav, are scheduled to meet Bihar governor Monday at 1.30 PM for removal of Manjhi.
However, according to sources, Manjhi is also supposed to meet the governor of Bihar at 1 PM on Monday, just ahead the meeting of Nitish and Lalu.
Manjhi who enjoys support of over a dozen JD(U) legislators and is banking on the support of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which has openly came out in Manjhi’s favour.
BJP in Bihar has 88 MLAs and has support of three independent MLAs.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Sunday, Manjhi said, “I will prove my majority in the assembly on February 20, and I will step down only if I fail.â€
Attacking JD(U) and Nitish, Manjhi also said, “They (JD-U) had this misunderstanding that they will make me do whatever they want me to do”.Â
“On the floor, whoever gives us support we will take it. I will not resign from the chief minister’s post,” Manjhi added.