JD(U) govt in Bihar in trouble

Sharad Yadav and Jitan Ram Manjhi seem to be at loggerheads what with each calling their own meeting with party members

Power in Bihar is slipping out of the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U)’s hands and an election by April or May cannot be ruled out. Jitan Ram Manjhi, the current chief minister, likely  to be asked to step down, has demurred and called for a parallel meeting of the legislature party on February 20, asserting that as chief minister, he alone is authorised to hold the meeting.

Meanwhile, party president Sharad Yadav who is in Patna has called a meeting of the party on February 23. Manjhi loyalists say Yadav’s meeting would be an illegal one. The JD(U) has 111 members in the 243-member Assembly, which has currently 10 'vacancies'. The opposition BJP has 87 MLAs, RJD 24, Congress 5 and CPI 1. Besides, there are five independents. Sources said at least 25 rebel JD(U) MLAs are ready to switch sides. BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi claims about 50 ruling party MLAs were ready to join his party.

Modi on Monday had urged Manjhi to dissolve the House if he wanted to remain the caretaker CM till the Assembly election, due in October-November this year. Meanwhile, Union Minister and MP from Bihar Ram Vilas Paswan has warned that Bihar is heading for a constitutional crisis and there could be a change of government in the next one week. Making it clear which side his sympathies lay, Paswan has said as a Mahadalit, Majhi, who was nominated chief minister by JD(U) leader and former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had been insulted and was being removed through a conspiracy.

He called for Dalits to hit back at the insult to their leader Majhi. Majhi and his advisors are in covert touch with the BJP, although BJP leaders denied any hand in the ongoing Patna drama.

In another development, Manjhi recommended to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi dismissal of two of his ministers considered close to former chief minister Nitish Kumar. Sources said Manjhi sent recommendation to dismiss Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan and P K Shahi, saying their activities were not in the best interest of the government.

A meeting on Saturday could indicate which way events will unfold. But it is clear that the JD(U) government in Bihar is in trouble.