Nitish Kumar to take over Jitan Ram Manjhi as Bihar CM

A near-consensus has emerged in the state JD(U) to get Nitish Kumar back as the state chief minister and fight the coming assembly elections under his leadership. Yadav’s immediate task is to persuade incumbent chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to step down and propose the name of Nitish Kumar as his successor. It will be a sort of return-favour by Manjhi, who was handpicked by Nitish for the top job after the party debacle in Lok Sabha polls in the state.

Yadav has embarked on the Bihar mission after a green signal from RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. The JD(U) regime was able to survive only because Lalu had extended his support to it after its break-up with alliance-partner BJP. Lalu is understool to have told Sharad Yadav, when he called on him last week, that it was for the JD(U) to choose the leader of its legislature party.

READ: Duty bound to back Nitish, but my sentiment wants a Dalit CM: Manjhi 

He had no objection to any particular individual (read Nitish Kumar) heading the government. Lalu pointed out to him that he had come forward to back the JD(U) to foil the attempt of “communal forces” to destabilise its government and there was no change in his position.