JD(U) directs ministers in Jitan Ram Manjhi govt to resign

PATNA: In a terse message to the seven ruling party legislators who have sided with Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and continued to remain ministers in his minority government, the JD(U) today asked them to quit immediately and return to the party-fold.

"We direct all of you to immediately sever ties with Manjhi and resign as ministers in his government otherwise the party will crack whips against you all," state unit JD(U) President Bashistha Narayan Singh told reporters.

Singh said that he has written letters to all seven JD(U) legislators asking them to resign from the Manjhi government and expected they will comply with the directive.

"If they fail to comply, action will be taken against all of them," Singh said.

Seven JD(U) legislators - Narendra Singh, Mahachandra Prasad Singh and Bhim Singh (all three MLCs) and Nitish Mishra, Shahid Ali Khan, Samrat Chaudhary, Brishen Patel (all MLAs) had defied party line and sided with the Manjhi government.

Another minister Vinay Behari is an independent MLA. The JD(U) had suspended Manjhi from the party after he defied its decision to resign from the chief minister's post to clear deck for Nitish Kumar to take over the reins of power.

The Speaker had subsequently declared Manjhi as an unattached member of the House.