Jitan Manjhi to be new Bihar CM

Putting an end to the political crisis in Bihar, Nitish Kumar on Monday announced name of his close aide Jitan Ram Manjhi as the next chief minister of the state.

Addressing reporters here, Kumar said, “He (Jeetan Manjhi) is a very experienced leader who has contributed a lot to party.”

Reports claim that the Dalit leader Jitan Ram Manjhi along with Kumar went at the Governor's residence today before making this big announcement.

Manjhi currently hold the SC/ST, OBS, EBC Welfare Ministry. He is a Mahadalit from the Musahar community who occupy the lowest strata of the society in the state.

By appointing Manjhi, the former Bihar CM has sent a strong signal that he is trying to uplift the Mahadalits, a category that he has been actively wooing in the last few years.

Soon after Nitish Kumar's announcement, Manjhi, a senior JD(U) leader from Gaya constituency said, “I was surprised, I never thought I would be the CM ever.”

Kumar, who had resigned from his post on Saturday, remained firm on stepping down as the chief minister of Bihar even as the entire team of JD(U) leaders firmly backed him as their party chief.

However, the ex-Bihar CM today said that he would take on the responsibility again if he wins the mandate in the 2015 state Assembly polls.

"If people give me mandate in 2015 I am ready to take up responsibility again," Kumar told his supporters gathered outside after the crucial JD(U)LP meeting at his official residence.

Meanwhile, Bihar BJP leaders and their ally Ram Vilas Paswan today dismissed Nitish Kumar's resignation as a "scripted drama" enacted to save his leadership in JD(U) amidst a growing clamour against him within the party.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in the capital city today, Kumar, who was accompanied by state JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh and leader Rajiv Ranjan Lallan, said his decision to quit was not a sentimental one but a 'hard political decision' and urged his supporters to brace for a 'big fight' in Assembly polls scheduled next year.

"My responsibility has rather increased to guide government as well strengthen party in the state," he said.

Kumar said though there was no shortage of numbers for him, he decided to quit owning moral responsibility for the defeat of the party in the parliamentary polls in the state.

JD(U) managed to hold on to merely two seats this time from a high of 20 in 2009. BJP gained from the separation with it and won 22 seats on its own and helped new allies LJP win 6 and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) 3.

Attacking BJP for charging him with indulging in horse trading to protect his government, Kumar mocked at its senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi for claiming that 50 JD(U) MLAs were in touch with it.

"Even after resigning I did not dissolve the assembly to give scope for forming a new government ... I have given BJP 48 hours to form a new government with the help of 50 JD(U) MLAs ... Unki pol khul gayi (their claim has been laid bare)," he said sarcastically.

Kumar said JD(U) enjoyed comfortable majority in the assembly as besides its own strength of 117 MLAs including the speaker, it enjoyed support of 4 Congress MLAs, 1 CPI and 3 Independents.

Upping the ante against its one time alliance partner JD(U), the Bharatiya Janata Party had yesterday asked the Bihar Governor to dissolve the state Assembly.

“We met the Governor and said a minority government has been running in Bihar for the last 11 months,” BJP leader Sushil Modi.

After meeting with the state governor DY Patil, slamming JD(U), BJP leaders said the unstable state government is hampering development work in Bihar.

He added, “Bihar is politically unstable right now, we spoke to the Governor about the horsetrading going on, which isn't good for Bihar.”

“They (JDU) are plotting so that elections aren't held in Bihar but they will be held in 6 months,” LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan said.

After registering a landslide victory in alliance with BJP, LJP had said that Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government may fall soon and a mid-term elections in the state by October-November this year.

New political equation may emerge in Bihar

After resignation of chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday, a new political equation may emerge in Bihar which in the words of JD(U) chief Sarad Yadav may spring surprise on the national level.

As per the indication, the two old friends-turned-foes Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who have been drubbed in the just concluded general elections and who had parted ways in early nineties, may join hands for the formation of a 'secular' government.

At 4pm on Sunday (today) the JD(U) legislators are meeting at CM residence to elect a new leader. But as sources said they will express their solidarity with Nitish and request him to withdraw his resignation. Though there seems little scope of Nitish succumbing to their pressure. Meanwhile, he has applied to the housing department to allot him a different house as he readies to vacate official CM residence — 1' Ane Marg. The department has allotted him a new house.

The RJD leaders are tight-lipped over the developments and the Lalu's party has also called a meeting of its legislature party on Monday. Some JD(U) leaders in Delhi reportedly met Congress leaders to discuss the issue and Congress is believed to have assured to support JD(U) government.

Political circles believe that RJD may extend support to JD(U) government whether it is headed by Nitish or someone else. The party may also join the new government. The names doing round as replacement of Nitish include Bijendra Yadav, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Narendra Singh, all ministers.

There is also speculation that Nitish may take over national president of JD(U) in view of the age and health of present chief Sharad Yadav.

Source: TOI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Resigns a Day After Poll Defeat

Nitish Kumar has resigned as Bihar chief minister a day after his party the Janata Dal United was routed in the general election. He has recommended the dissolution of the state Assembly.

The JD(U) has won just two of Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats. His former partner the BJP has won 31 along with its allies in the polls that saw Mr Kumar's arch political rival Narendra Modi winning a decisive mandate to become Prime Minister.

Yesterday, Mr Kumar, 63, said, "I respect the mandate of the people."

His resignation may precipitate snap polls in the state that is due for assembly elections only in November next year.

After the split with the BJP and several senior members of his party leaving the JD(U) before the election, Nitish Kumar was running a minority government in the state. There was speculation the dissent within his party will grow, with support from the opposition.

Yesterday, six ministers who had been critical of his decision to part ways with the BJP last year did not attend a cabinet meeting that Mr Kumar had called.

In the 243-seat Assembly, the JD(U) has 115 members and has been propped up by the controversial support of two LJP members, five from Lalu Prasad's RJD and two Independents.
As news of the drubbing for Mr Kumar's party came in on Friday, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, his former deputy, said, "Nitish Kumar should take moral responsibility and resign. He has lost the confidence of the people."

Mr Kumar's defeat is seen by many as the fallout of his decision to snap ties with 17-year-old ally BJP last year over Mr Modi's elevation.

The Bihar chief minister is among those who faults the BJP leader for not doing enough to stop the 2002 riots on his watch in Gujarat, in which more than 1000 people were killed, most of them Muslims.

A Supreme Court inquiry has found no evidence to prosecute Mr Modi.

"The people of Bihar have rejected his campaign against Modi," said BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli.

In 2009, Nitish Kumar's party, in alliance with the BJP, had won 20 seats. Then junior partner BJP had won 12 that year.

Source: NDTV

Bihar stalwarts face a battle for survival

Though the big three of Bihar politics-Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and BJP heavyweight Sushil Kumar Modi-are unlikely to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, scheduled in a few months from now; their future appear critically dependent upon the outcome of the general election.

While Lalu Prasad cannot contest the Lok Sabha after his conviction in a fodder scam case that barred him from electoral politics; Nitish Kumar and his friend turned bete-noire Sushil Kumar Modi may prefer to stay back in Patna for obvious reasons. Nitish Kumar will continue as Bihar Chief Minister whereas Sushil Modi will seek to become one after the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled next year.

Ram Vilas Paswan, the only political biggie from Bihar who is almost sure to contest 2014 Lok Sabha election from Hajipur, the seat that he once won with a record margin but lost in 2009-needs to put up a better show to stay relevant in Bihar political landscape. This will also be perhaps his last chance to stage a comeback to political centre-stage or get reduced to political insignificance.

Having spearheaded JD-U to win 20 of the 35 Lok Sabha seats that his party contested in 2009, Nitish Kumar faces an enormous challenge of repeat his performance in 2009 Lok Sabha and 2010 Assembly election Nitish Kumar currently has the highest number of 20 Lok Sabha MPs in Bihar. No wonder, he is faced with the biggest challenge to retain these seats, if not to improve his tally.

In a calculated risk, Nitish Kumar had dumped BJP in June this year after his saffron ally of 17 years projected Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.

Nitish Kumar broke up the alliance shortly after losing Maharajganj by-election by a huge margin to RJD, prompting new political alignments in Bihar. Though Nitish Kumar will continue as Bihar Chief Minister irrespective of Lok Sabha polls results; JD-U's performance in these elections will largely determine his political future in the long run.

Truth to tell, the Nitish Kumar's government has faced multiple challenges in the aftermath of their divorce with BJP; and ironically failed to inspire confidence.

The death of 23 kids who lost their lives after consuming poisonous midday meal in Saran followed by Indian Mujahideen-triggered serial blasts at Bodhgaya on July 7 and subsequently at the BJP rally in Patna on October 27 are some of the incidents that raised serious questions on the ability of Nitish Kumar's minority government to govern. Not only this, the Naxalites have stepped up their attacks while criminals are once again began calling the shots in Bihar, prompting spurt in murder, loot, kidnapping and robbery.

If Nitish Kumar has a mountain to climb; so does BJP heavyweight Sushil Modi. The split has put him face to face with Nitish Kumar. Having shaken off the image of an amenable Deputy Chief Minister that he was, Modi has emerged as a sharp and belligerent opposition leader. Now, the 2014 elections results would determine if become a bigger leader than the other three better known politicians from Bihar.

The 2014 Lok Sabha election will also decide if Lalu Prasad has stayed relevant in Bihar despite his conviction in a fodder scam case. While flaunting his anti-Narendra Modi credentials; Nitish Kumar has been trying hard to woo the 16 per cent Muslim electorates, Lalu's relevance will depend on how much he succeeds in retaining his hold over minority votes. Having lost his Lok Sabha member ship following his conviction, Lalu is fighting with his back to the wall. The 2014 election results will eventually decide if the most famous poster boy of secularism in Bihar goes up or down.

Bihar: Slipper thrown at Nitish Kumar at public function in Begusarai

'Sankalp Rally' is planned by the JDU to make a commitment before people to continue the fight for winning special category status for the state.

"Both (RJD and Congress) are equally responsible for 'badhali' (bad condition) of Bihar for 15 years," he said, slamming the two parties for their efforts to form alliance for the next Lok Sabha polls.

"Efforts are (being) made to revive the ties to bring back those dark days of poor law and order and misgovernance," he said.

Nitish said after assuming power for the first time in November 25, 2005, he had worked day and night to bring the state back on track in the past eight years.

"Rule of law has been established and people no longer fear to go out of home even late in night. Development work has been taken up," he said, asking people if they would like to return to "the bad days of the past".

'Sankalp Rally' is third in the series of 12 such rallies planned by the JDU to make a commitment before people to continue the fight for winning special category status for the state and not allowing communal forces to triumph.

Making a scathing attack at his rival and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, he said the fanfare with which he returned to Patna from Ranchi prison after bail in a fodder scam case made it seem like he had gone to jail for participating in some "freedom movement".

A slipper was thrown at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a public function in Begusarai on Sunday. The slipper missed the chief minister.

Nitish was speaking at the Janata Dal United's 'Sankalp Rally' and said the two old partners (Congress, RJD) were coming together again to bring back the "dark" days of poor law and order and misgovernance.

"Who does not know that RJD and Congress shared power in those days when people feared to venture out of home after sunset to avoid getting kidnapped?" Nitish said.

Source: IBN

Patna blasts mastermind Tehseen Akhtar is nephew of JD(U) leader: Report

Indian Mujahideen operative Tehseen Akhtar, who is allegedly the mastermind of Sunday's Patna serial blasts that left six dead and over 50 injured, is the nephew of a Janata Dal (United) leader from Bihar, reports claimed on Tuesday.

Taki Akhtar is the JD(U) leader in Samastipur district, Bihar.

According to a report published in a daily, Taki has always denied any ties with Tehseen. The Akhtars are residents of Maniarpur village of Samastipur, about 100 km from Patna.

Seven blasts took place on Sunday, six of which occured in and around the Gandhi Maidan where Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi later addressed a rally. Tahseen Akhtar is considered to be close to Yasin Bhatkal, the man who co-founded Indian Mujahideen. In the last few months, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on more than 10 occasions raided his native village but failed to find him.

Earlier, the NIA issued an arrest warrant against Tahseen Akhtar, and also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information that could lead to his arrest.

Source: DNA

Nitish attacks Modi, says 'a man who aspires to be PM should be patient'

Excerpts from Nitish's speech at Rajgir convention:

• I noticed Modi was wiping his face. Why was he sweating? A man who aspires to India's highest post should be patient.

• BJP has amazing grasp of history. They should know Chandragupta was of Maurya dynasty, not of Gupta dynasty.

• Security agencies and Bihar administration are answerable for security at BJP's Patna rally.

• My ex-friends once praised me and now they are finding faults with me.

• My ex-friends of BJP accuse me of failing in security for BJP Patna rally. All security was made.

• I condemn the terrorist incidents in Patna 2 days ago.

• Special status for Bihar will be JD-U's main issue in 2014 polls.

• Bihar isn't begging for special status. It's our right.

• We are fighting for Bihar but some people are creating hurdles for us.

• Nobody can beat our rally in Patna last year, that was for Biharis and not for an individual.

• BJP is responsible for the alliance between the two parties breaking.

• JD-U will connect with voters, demand the legitimate rights of Bihar.

• JD-U will organise 12 sankalp rallies to contact with voters.

• Janata-Dal United's signature campaign forced Centre to set up panel to consider special status for Bihar.

• Bihar demanded Rs. 20,000 cr from centre and got Rs. 12,000 cr. Our fight goes on.

• Janata Dal United convention in Rajgir was successful. We have gained strength.

• Nitish Kumar addresses Janata Dal-United meeting in Rajgir after senior party leader Shivanand Tiwari praised Narendra Modi.