JD(U) expels Jitan Ram Manjhi, Nitish Kumar meets Governor KN Tripathi along with allies

PATNA: JD(U) on Monday expelled Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi even as he remained defiant and hopeful of staying in the chair with the support of BJP, while the party’s nominee and former CM Nitish Kumar met Governor KN Tripathi along with the allies and urged him to break the impasse soon. Tripathi also met Manjhi and assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary separately for ascertaining their views before coming to any conclusion.

“We called on the governor to apprise him of the current political situation. We told him that Kumar commands the majority to form the government. And without wasting time, he should be invited to form the government,” RJD chief Lalu Prasad said after emerging from Raj Bhavan.

Kumar and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav were accompanied by the RJD chief, Congress legislature party leader Sadananad Singh and Jeetendra Rai of CPI, who handed over letters to the governor pledging support to Kumar. Kumar had also lined up 130 MLAs outside the Raj Bhawan to show that he enjoyed the support of the majority of legislators in the assembly whose current strength is 233. The MLAs kept raising slogans in support of Kumar, while their leaders were meeting with the governor.

“We told the governor that JD(U) has elected its new legislature party leader who is supported by RJD, Congress, CPI and independents. And so the offer to form the government should come without much delay,” Kumar told the media.

JD(U) has 111 MLAs, RJD 24, Congress five and CPI one, while BJP has 87. Manjhi seems to have the support of just 13 MLAs. “I apprised the governor of the current political situation and told him the election of Nitishji as the leader of JD (U) legislature party was not valid. Only the CM was authorised to convene such a meeting of the legislature party. I also told the governor that I am ready to take the floor test which should be conducted through secret vote,” he said.

JD(U) has booked 70 seats each on two flights on Tuesday to Delhi, where it will demonstrate its support for Kumar if the decision from the Raj Bhavan is delayed.