RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav counsels Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi to not annoy Nitish Kumar

PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad is believed to have played peacemaker between Nitish Kumar and Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi at a late Thursday meeting at Kumar’s official residence. JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav was also present in the meeting .

Prasad is learnt to have counselled Manjhi not to act unilaterally and provoke Kumar, instrumental in his anointment as chief minister. Prasad later told the media that they only discussed merger plans of the Janta parivar and nothing else.

Patna’s political circle were agog with speculation that Manjhi may revoke transfer of some officials who are ‘favourites’ of Kumar, like Chanchal Kumar who was in charge of the museum and convention centre projects in the capacity as principal secretary of the building construction department. Crucial positions offered to IPS officials like Kundan Krishnan and Chandrika Prasad stoked the perception that Manjhi was trying to win over his political benefactor.

The revocation of transfer may be only a pyrrhic victory for Kumar as it will strengthen the perception that it is Prasad who was calling the shots.

Sources said after the terse counselling by Prasad and Sharad Yadav, Manjhi may not do anything to push the envelope to annoy Kumar further. But the way he has conducting himself since he became chief minister suggests that reining him would not be easy.