Patna/New Delhi: JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, who has been blaming Jitan Ram Manjhi for conniving with the BJP to destabilise his own party, expelled him on Monday. The decision came a day after Mr Manjhi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders and made statements which, according to some leaders, were against the norms and constitution of the JD(U).
With an eye on the Mahadalit vote bank in Bihar, where Assembly elections are scheduled for later this year, the BJP also indicated that if need be it could support Mr Manjhi and said he should be given a chance to test his majority on the floor of the Assembly.
The Mahadalit community comprises around 22 per cent of the total vote bank in Bihar.
The BJP blamed the political turmoil in Bihar on former CM Nitish Kumar’s “greed for power” and “ambition” and claimed that Mr Kumar stood exposed on his move to renounce power in the state.
Shortly after Mr Manjhi’s expulsion, 130 MLAs marched to the Governor’s house in a demonstration of strength in favour of Mr Kumar, who later met Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi along with party chief Sharad Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Yadav. "We met the Governor and presented the list of support of 130 MLAs to him and requested him to take a decision at the earliest. We also informed him about how there were efforts to destabilise the political condition of Bihar,” Mr Kumar said.
The three leaders slammed the BJP and Mr Manjhi for indulging in horse-trading and trying to lure MLAs. Nitish Kumar stated that Mr Manjhi’s moves were being decided from the BJP’s Delhi office.
