Jitan Ram Manjhi's sacking will prove 'suicidal' for JD(U): Bihar minister

Jamui, Feb 6: Backing beleaguered Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, a senior Bihar minister on Friday questioned the JD(U) leadership's reported bid to replace Manjhi at tomorrow's state legislature party meeting and said such a move will prove to be "suicidal" for the ruling party.

"The removal of a 'Mahadalit' chief minister midway will prove suicidal for the JD(U) as such a move will amount to betrayal of faith of the people of Bihar in the present chief minister," state Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh told reporter in Jamui district.

"I don't understand as to why the JD(U) wants to prematurely remove him ahead of his term and commit suicide politically in the Assembly polls due later this year," he said.

The Minister also defended the Chief Minister's decision to declare tomorrow's proposed Legislature Party meeting to discuss his removal as 'unauthorised' and said Manjhi has rightly exercised his authority as the leader of the JD(U) legislature party to schedule such a meeting for February 20.

Singh also backed state Education Minister Brishen Patel and Rural Development Minister Nitish Mishra for deciding against attending tomorrow's legislature party meeting convened by the JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav.

All JD(U) members will attend the 'official' legislature party meeting called by Manjhi on February 20 next, the minister claimed. The Agriculture Minister also came down heavily on the JD(U) national general secretary KC Tyagi for asking Manjhi to quit as he is only a nominated chief minister and not an elected one, saying that Tyagi was speaking in BJP's language aimed at weakening the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Manjhi refused to take any questions from reporters at a college compound after his helicopter landed there. After taking guard of honour by the district police, Manjhi spent about ten minutes before going back to the helicopter and flying off to the next destination.

PTI