Sir — This refers to the report, “Bihar drama set to end by Feb 20” (February 13). Bihar Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi has taken the right decision to ask Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove his majority by February 20 in the Assembly. The crisis in Bihar has been created by Mr Nitish Kumar. After his party’s debacle in the last lok Sabha election, he had installed Mr Manjhi as the Chief Minister and made him a puppet. But when that puppet began working independently as per the provisions of the Constitution, Mr Nitish Kumar launched attempts to dislodge him, by hook or by crook. Now the Janata Dal (United) leader is trying to deflect attention from his shenanigans by blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Governor for the crisis.
Although Mr Nitish Kumar approached the President of India with his grievance and demanded that a floor test be directed to be conducted within 48 hours to avoid what the former alleged as horse-trading being indulged in by the BJP, the President did not consider it necessary to interfere, as the circumstances were complex and the matter had also taken a legal twist. The Bihar Governor is a seasoned veteran and had served as the Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. He understands complex political issues and the best way forward to deal with them. He has so far acted with acumen and in accordance with the laid down rules and laws.