Bihar BJP wants fresh elections, but open to supporting Manjhi

The BJP has 87 MLAs in the 243-member House.

The Bihar unit of the BJP, whose role would become crucial in case of Jitan Ram Manjhi not resigning as chief minister, Friday said though it would like to go for fresh elections, it has kept all options open including supporting Manjhi to enable him prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly. The BJP has 87 MLAs in the 243-member House.

“We have been carefully watching the political turn of events and are somewhat amused, wondering why Nitish Kumar chose to destabilise Manjhi when elections are a few months away. We have kept all our options open but will not commit to any decision today,” former deputy chief minister and BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi told The Indian Express.

Asked if the BJP’s “carefulness is driven by Saturday’s Delhi Assembly polls”, Modi said the Delhi polls had little bearing on BJP’s Bihar decisions. “We have knowledge of at least 12 ministers supporting Manjhi. Besides, several MLAs are supporting him. If he does not resign which looks so at the moment, Nitish Kumar’s return plans can backfire.” Asked if the BJP will help Manjhi prove majority, he said: “Let the time come. We are not ruling out any option even though we would like fresh polls because Nitish Kumar has lost the mandate after the NDA split.”

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Modi steered clear of a question on Manjhi’s chances of joining the BJP if he fails to bargain hard with the JD(U). “We have no such proposal as of now but attempts to dethrone the Dalit chief minister is not fair and unwarranted,” Modi said.

He alleged that the Nitish camp had been planning the change of guard before the JD(U)’s February 15 Patna meet to “give a face” to the party. Modi agreed that the JD(U)’s decision to recall Kumar might have been propelled by Delhi surveys showing keen contest in personality-based polls.

Sources in the BJP said though the party might not support a “caretaker and minority government”, it could spring a surprise if Manjhi gets support of 40 MLAs, which appears unlikely.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More