Patna: Former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, who alleged that Nitish Kumar "insulted" him by talking down to the leader in the Bihar assembly on Thursday (November 9), made sensational accusations against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, trying to corner Nitish over the CM's recent controversial remarks on "educated women and birth control."
"We have been saying this for some time now, Nitish Kumar's food is being poisoned and spiked by somebody who wants his CM's post," said Manjhi in a controversial statement. Political observers are of the view that Manjhi's comments were a veiled jibe at Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. Son of Lalu Prasad Yadav and a popular leader in his own right, Tejashwi is seen as Nitish's "successor" and "political heir-in-the-waiting" to take over Bihar's top post.
Nitish Kumar's scathing remarks at Jitan Ram Manjhi
Manjhi's remarks came a day after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar lashed out at Manjhi inside the Bihar assembly for the former CM's comments on him. "This man here (Jitan Ram Manjhi) could only become CM because of me. It was my foolishness and mistake that he had become the chief minister," Nitish Kumar had said in the assembly, fuming over Manjhi's remark on Thursday (November 9).
Nitish Kumar also claimed that his party people complained about Manjhi just months after the latter was sworn in as the chief minister. Nitish said that he "had to become CM again
Jitan Ram Manjhi, BJP MLAs stage sit-in protest outside Speaker's office
A day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "humiliated" and "insulted" former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, the latter on Friday sat on dharna outside the chamber of Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary.
Manjhi was supported by BJP leaders during the dharna. Some BJP legislators sat with Jitan Ram Manjhi outside the chamber of Speaker and many others were sitting in the portico of Bihar Assembly.
"The way CM Nitish Kumar humiliated former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi was extremely unfortunate. We want an apology from the chief minister. Humiliating a senior leader inside the temple of democracy is not acceptable. It was more shocking that the Speaker turned silent on this issue. He is a patron of the Bihar Assembly but he was taking the side of ruling parties," said Tarkishore Prasad, BJP MLA and former deputy chief minister of Bihar.
