Jitan Ram Manjhi showered praises on Nitish Kumar at Bihar government's annual report card

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi who has offended a section of his Janata Dal (United) leadership has toned down his rhetoric and lavished praise on Nitish Kumar.

Manjhi, who did not miss any opportunity to court controversies with statements that touched a raw nerve of even a section of JD(U) functionaries, adopted caution when he presented the annual report card of his government in Patna on Tuesday.

During the 25-minute speech, Manjhi made a slew of announcements ranging from free education to girls up to university-level, providing power connections to farmers and augmenting the capacity of residential schools meant for SC/ST students.

The CM made laudatory references to Nitish Kumar five times, making clear that he owed his position to Kumar. It marked a departure as Manjhi has given the impression that he was emerging from Kumar’s shadows. There were indications that Manjhi was trying to act as a leader in his own right.