Bihar: Nitish's latest move of demanding oppn status lands CM Manjhi in a pickle

Nitish Kumar’s latest manoeuvre in the battle for supremacy in Bihar seems to have escaped national media focus. After failing to convince the Governor of majority, Nitish Kumar’s dominant faction of the JD(U) demanded the status of opposition party for the day Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks vote of confidence. JD(U) Legislature Party Leader in Bihar Legislative Assembly Vijay Kumar Chaudhary requested Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary to recognise his party as the main opposition in the House and make seating arrangements accordingly in the House.

After the JD(U) expelled Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi he continues to be an unattached member of the House. The JD(U) claimed to have the largest number of legislators.

Though the JD(U) has 111 MLAs, 12 of them cast their lot with Manjhi. The JD(U) sought to know which party is supporting Manjhi government as “A piquant situation without any parallel exists in Bihar at the moment as an unattached member (Manjhi) heads a government with the support of a dozen MLAs.”

While he lasts, Manjhi is using the interregnum to make all announcements to harm Nitish Kumar. It is a sign of despair. If Kumar had used Manjhi to attain a high moral ground and expand the party’s support base among the Maha Dalits – to which Manjhi belongs–the BJP is misusing him to its own peril. The BJP also expected to appropriate the Maha Dalit vote bank by luring away the chief minister. From the present indications the move could backfire. Nitish’s Kumar’s supporters expect him to be reinstated in the last week of the month.

Manjhi’s aggressive posturing initially helped the BJP to settle scores with Nitish Kumar. He started putting his foot in the mouth frequently and the JD(U) realised he was doing at BJP’s prompting. If the JD(U) succeeds in drawing the Speaker’s support to sit in the opposition the BJP will either end up on the same side as JD(U) or on the treasury side to help Manjhi survive; an embarrassing position either way. The BJP can prevent Nitish’s Kumar’s reinstatement only by buying out support for Manjhi.

The Nitish group has also thwarted Manjhi loyalist’s appointment as the chief whip. The incumbent, Shrawan Kumar, asserts he continues to occupy the position. A pro-Manjhi legislator, Rajiv Ranjan earlier claimed that the leader of the House (Manjhi) had in a letter on February 7 requested the Assembly Speaker to appoint him as the chief whip in place of Shrawan Kumar. The Speaker is sitting on the letter.

Bihar’s battle of attrition became curious after BJP’s disastrous performance in Delhi Assembly election. The BJP was forced on the back foot as the other parties got together to back Nitish Kumar. Now that Manjhi’s chances of saving his job are fading the BJP wants to maintain safe distance from him. It wanted to impose President’s rule in the state with ample help from the Governor, Keshri Nath Tripathi.

Tripathi on his part defended his action saying he is bound by the rules to give Manjhi government a chance to prove his majority in the House.

“This will be appropriate to mention here that a chief minister is the leader of the House as per the Bihar state assembly rule book, and he is yet to resign. Also, he has claimed to prove his majority in the House,” said the Governor.

If the Modi government does manage to use the standoff between JD (U) and Manjhi to impose President’s rule in the state, the opposition parties can pull their superior combined strength in Rajya Sabha to thwart Parliament’s clearance to the move.

While the BJP avoided openly backing up Manjhi after the JD (U) was able to parade nearly 130 MLAs belonging to RJD, Congress and CPI. Manjhi who has managed to get a week to prove his majority in the House doesn’t seem to have the support of more than a dozen MLAs. Even with 87 BJP legislators standing by him he might not win the trust vote. The Nitish group has accused the BJP of scripting Manjhi’s moves and trying to lure away party legislators by buying them out.

Manjhi’s utterances are adding to the BJP’s embarrassment. He admitted to have received bribes and commissions for a number of construction projects in the state during his tenure as a minister. His small cabinet is meeting very frequently and making many announcements without caring for who bears the financial implications.