<b>Letters:</b> High drama in Bihar

The resignation of Jitan Ram Manjhi as Bihar chief minister is the inevitable consequence of lack of numbers in his side. The JD(U) flock solidly stood behind Nitish Kumar. Now Kumar is all set to take over as the chief minister. The return of Nitish Kumar as CM amply demonstrates that his authority in the party has remained unchallenged. As such nobody has any voice to stake a claim for the post of CM. Even the voice of the party chief, Sharad Yadav, has been muted. He has hardly any say in the party. All that Yadav does is play back what Nitish Kumar says.

By submitting his resignation ahead of the floor test, Manjhi has also betrayed the BJP, which had decided to back him. Now Manjhi stands nowhere, neither in the JD(U) nor the BJP. He will be an unattached member of the House until the next election. Even after elections are announced in Bihar, he cannot go back to the JD(U), because his position will be untenable and awkward. His only place is in the BJP. He does not seem to have a large following also. Had Manjhi had a large following, the need for him to resign ahead of the floor test would not have arisen.

K V Seetharamaiah Hassan

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number