Unrest in JD(U): No Schooling, but Jitan Ram Manjhi gives a lesson in politics to Sharad Yadav

PATNA: The unrest in the ruling JD(U) turned more internecine with the chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi sounding the bugle of revolt even as the JD(U) leadership seemed ready with the script to oust him. In a significant development, the JD (U) chief Sharad Yadav has written a letter to the Bihar Governor K N Tripathi urging him not to take cognizance of any recommendation forwarded by Manjhi because the government was in minority.

Launching a fresh offensive, Manjhi on Friday, however. declared he would fight the battle with full force indicating firmly that he would not step down and will do everything to foil the bid to oust him.

“The battle has begun and now I will not run away from it. I don’t know why Nitishji is maintaining a reticent posture like Bhismapitamah. I would have gone by his advice but he has employed people like K C Tyagi to do the talking. Tyagi is a Yamdoot,” Manjhi thundered while addressing a function at Saharsa on Friday.

The JD(U) leadership had hoped that a peaceful transition of power would be scripted with Manjhi putting in his papers paving the way for Nitish Kumar to take over the mantle of governance. But that was not to be because Manjhi no only refused to step down but he has also challenged the JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav’s decision to convene the JD(U) legislature party meeting on Saturday to elect Nitish Kumar its new leader in place of Manjhi.

In fact, Manjhi has said the proposed legislature party meeting was unauthorised because he alone in the capacity of the leader of the legislature party was qualified to convene such a meeting. He even has now called a parallel meeting of the legislature party on February 20 throwing a gauntlet at the JD(U) leadership.

The JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi, however, contended that the JD(U) chief was competent to call such a meeting even as he hinted that Nitish Kumar will take over the charge to “rescue the boat which was sinking under the leadership of Manjhi”.

While Kumar has the majority, he can force Manjhi to take the number test on the floor of the Assembly. But a final call on this will have to be taken by the Governor when Sharad Yadav will call upon him on Saturday after the conclusion of legislature party meeting . Sources close to Manjhi said the CM can even recommend dissolution of the house so that he could continue as the care taker chief minister . The CM may even sack few ministers who are loyal to Kumar, source said.