Manjhi accuses 'mentor' Nitish of hijacking his agenda

However, soon after Manjhi launched an attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, state minister and JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak slammed Manjhi, saying he was criticising Kumar only to placate the BJP.

Questioning his removal from the Chief Minister's post, Manjhi said: "The decision on 34 agenda, which my Cabinet had approved was cancelled shamelessly by Nitish Kumar after he succeeded me, but today he is implementing those issues gradually."  

After resuming power on February 22 this year after Manjhi's removal, the Nitish Kumar government had in its very first sitting struck down the decisions on 34 issues taken by his predecessor, citing they did not conform with the laid down rules of Cabinet.

But these agenda were being put into action after "trimming" them "to put his own stamp", said Manjhi, who has recently floated Hindustani <g data-gr-id="46">Awam</g> Morcha, now a part of NDA.

"My government had decided to pay <g data-gr-id="57">salary</g> of 13 months to policemen from inspector to constable ranks, but Nitish Kumar omitted the inspector <g data-gr-id="58">rank,</g> while giving a green signal to it," Manjhi said.

"Similarly, my government had decided to give reservation to various categories – including OBC and women – in tender for road construction of up to Rs 25 lakh, which the Nitish Kumar Cabinet okayed yesterday but reduced the amount to Rs 15 lakh," said the former Chief Minister, flanked by former ministers Narendra Singh and Nitish Mishra, said.

My government's decision to constitute a panel to look into the issue of regularising contractual employees has also been adopted by the present government, he added.

"When my decisions were right and in the interest of people, then what was my fault (for removing me from CM chair)? Since I come from a <g data-gr-id="52">mahadalit</g> family, my decisions were annulled and today these are being implemented with some  <g data-gr-id="53">ratifications</g>," Manjhi said.

The former Nitish Kumar aide alleged that when he had initiated action against MLA Anant Singh, he was removed by Kumar, adding that today the Chief Minister himself was initiating action against Singh "under pressure from Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad and Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav." 

Coming down heavily on Manjhi for questioning the government for implementing the agenda that he had approved during his tenure after "trimming" them, Rajak said: "The issues approved by the state cabinet are in compliance with the laid down rules of the Cabinet." 

He added that during Manjhi's tenure, the decision on the 34 agenda <g data-gr-id="39">were</g> taken in haste and without following the rules.

"To gain political benefits during last few days, the Manjhi cabinet took <g data-gr-id="65">decision</g> on the agenda, without sending any proposal to the departments concerned," he said.

Rajak added: "Now, the departments, after conducting a thorough study, are sending the proposals for consideration to the Cabinet, which is approving it in accordance with Constitutional norms." 

Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United ) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha said the much-hyped meeting of senior BJP  leader Sushil Kumar Modi with Manjhi on Tuesday had evoked more questions. 

"While there are clear political and electoral overtones of this meeting, it raises some fundamentally relevant issues that a national political party like the BJP needs to weigh vis-a-vis <g data-gr-id="45">its</g> proclaimed ideological standing," Jha, a confidante of Nitish Kumar, said.

He added: "<g data-gr-id="49">Post its</g> humiliation in the Delhi polls, there is a palpable desperation in the BJP camp in <g data-gr-id="64">run-up</g> to the Bihar polls. The more topical point, however, is whether the BJP's <g data-gr-id="50">so called</g> vote bank be willing and accepting of such a desperate move." 

Fending off persistent queries from various quarters on its Chief Ministerial face for the crucial Bihar polls, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Syed <g data-gr-id="80">Shahanwaz</g> Hussain on Wednesday said the party's Parliamentary Board would take a call on the issue. "Let us leave the decision on the CM face to our Parliamentary Board," he said. "We have a galaxy of leaders (in Bihar)... But in BJP, it is only the Parliamentary Board that decides on issues like declaring the Chief Ministerial face or going to polls under collective leadership," the BJP national spokesperson said. Asked if there is any pressure on the party, after the secular alliance projected CM Nitish Kumar for the top job, the senior party leader said: "Our rivals did so as they have only one leader for the post, but BJP has many choices.