Nitish Kumar vs Replacement Jitan Ram Manjhi Could Equal Election in Bihar

This evening, law-makers from Mr Kumar's party, the Janata Dal United or JDU, are expected to vote for his re-entry as Chief Minister. Bihar elections are scheduled for later this year, and the party wants Mr Kumar as the face of its campaign.

That is unacceptable to Mr Manjhi, who presided over a cabinet meeting this afternoon where he was authorised to recommend the dissolution of the assembly.

If he forwards this request to the Governor, and it is accepted, Bihar could head for an election.

The JDU meeting of law-makers has been declared illegal by Mr Manjhi, who is 70. He says as Chief Minister, he alone is empowered to call a gathering of the party's representatives in the state legislature.

Mr Kumar extended a personal invitation to Mr Manjhi to attend the session at an emergency round of peace talks called early this afternoon.

The JDU runs a minority government in Bihar with support from Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD. Lalu has said he backs Mr Kumar's party reinstating him as Chief Minister.

Mr Manjhi last night wrote to the Governor, asking for the removal of two ministers, both seen as loyal to Mr Kumar. The Governor has sanctioned their dismissal.

Mr Kumar resigned as leader of the government last year, accepting responsibility for the JDU's abysmal performance in the national election.

Mr Manjhi has, in recent months, signalled that if he were forced out of office, crossing over to the BJP is a viable option.

Others in his party could follow. The BJP, powered by the Prime Minister's campaigns, has won elections in other states, and many in the JDU take this as a sign of things to come for Bihar.