Post poll alliance with BJP on the cards? Jitan Manjhi says Saffron party not untouchable

Patna, Mar 9: It seems former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is not averse to forging a post-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On the eve of his protest fast against the Nitish Kumar government annulling decisions taken by his ministry, the Manjhi said BJP is not 'untouchable'.

The BJP has reportedly extended support to Manjhi's protest fast at Gandhi Maidan. Bihar will go to polls in the month of October this year.

Along with a few rebel Janata Dal (United) MLAs, Manjhi and members of his erstwhile cabinet today sat on the fast under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi here as they protested against the Nitish Kumar government's scrapping of 34 decisions that were taken by their ministry.

Launching a scathing attack at his one time mentor Kumar, Manjhi told reporters that the decision to scrap cabinet decisions was "najayaz" (illegal).

Defending his decisions, Manjhi said all the decisions taken by his cabinet were "genuine" for welfare of poor. He trashed argument of shortage of fund to finance these decisions saying "actually Nitish Kumar is using money in 'pomp and show' to carve out his name instead of development."

Projects worth thousands of rupees like international museum, convention centre, new building for Legislative Assembly, new residences for legislators were not necessary at all as we are fighting against poverty in the state.

There was no need for these buildings, he said. Narendra Singh, Brishen Patel, Nitish Mishra, Mahachandra Prasad Singh and other ministers of the Manjhi cabinet, along with some dissident JD(U) MLAs like Gyanendra Singh Gyanoo, Poonam Devi, senior leaders Shivanand Tiwari and Shakuni Chaudhary sat on the protest fast with Manjhi.

The fast has been organised under the banner of newly floated organisation "HAM" (Hindustan Awami Morcha) by Manjhi and his supporters. The protestors wore Gandhi cap with HAM written on it to draw resemblance with Aam Admi Party (AAP) of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Manjhi added that he along with his supporters will organise a rally on April 20 at Gandhi Maidan to expose Nitish Kumar and his government.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)