Despite assurance by RJD supremo lalu Prasad, former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said that there was absolutely no move to remove Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. The groupism in JD(U) goes on unabated and pro-Nitish and pro-Manjhi camps are attacking each other. Industries Minister Bheem Singh, who is supposed to be pro-Manjhi, said on Thursday that Manjhi should continue but in worst circumstances if there is any plan to remove him, he should be replaced by a leader of EBC (extremely backward castes) which altogether has 33 per cent population in Bihar and it would politically benefit JD(U).
After a brief lull, the Ministers divided in two groups have again become active. On Wednesday, the dinner hosted by food and consumer protection Minister Shyam Rajak, considered to be close to Nitish, became a talking point as the observers found that only pro-Nitish Ministers, who favour removal of Manjhi, had been invited, while the pro-Manjhi Ministers were ignored.
Feeling the heat once again, the beleaguered Manjhi hit back at his opponents at a public function in Banka district. He asserted, “I have done a better job than Nitish Kumar. When I checked corruption and scams some people are having stomach pain. I am teased for hailing from a poor family but I am honest. Manjhi dil ka raja hai.”
The Manjhi loyalist Ministers were critical of hosting dinner diplomacy. Education Minister Brishen Patel said such moves would only weaken own house while Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh, whom accompanies Manjhi almost everywhere said bitterly, “It is for Nitish to think how to run the party.”
Industries Minister Bheem Singh, who is also national general secretary of JD(U) and belongs to EBC category, said his party is not a casteist party and if there is a move to drop Manjhi he should not be replaced by a leader of Mahadalit caste. Some people in the party are playing a game in the name of Nitish and only maligning his stature. “Nobody ever asked Nitish to resign and when he did lakhs of party workers, including me, were crying. But he did not anoint a leader of his caste Kurmi but chosen a Mahadalit Manjhi. So why a Mahadalit be replaced by a Mahadalit and why not by a EBC leader,” he said.
Singh denied any groupism in the Ministry and said he was and is a Nitish loyalist but added that Manjhi is CM and even Manjhi admits Nitish is his leader. In the Manjhi Cabinet there are four Ministers belonging to EBC category while three belong to Mahadalit group.
Singh’s statement, which is seen as a smart ploy to project him as possible replacement, came on Thursday amid the rumours that if Manjhi is removed he might be replaced by Shyram Rajak even though he is junior among the pack of pro-Nitish leaders. last fortnight there had been talks that Rajak has got seal of approval from Nitish as well as lalu. Rajak was earlier a trusted lieutenant of lalu like Ram Kripal Yadav, now MoS in the Narendra Modi Cabinet.
Taking a dig at the infighting and power struggle in the ruling JD(U), BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Husain quipped, “The Janata Dal (United) has now become Janata Dal (Divided).”