Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's son-in-law has resigned as his personal assistant following a major political controversy over him occupying the post.
"It was turned into such a big issue that I had no option but to resign... I quit keeping in mind the prestige of the chief minister," Devendra Manjhi told NDTV.
He is married to the chief minister's eldest daughter from his second marriage. His appointment, made in June, was discovered only recently by the opposition BJP, which cried foul.
On Wednesday, party leader Sushil Modi pointed out that a Bihar government circular from May 2000 clearly states that a person holding public office cannot appoint a relative as a PA or any other member of his staff. "It is Bihar's misfortune that there is such corruption," Mr Modi said in his attack on the chief minister.
But the Chief Minister wondered what the brouhaha was all about. "Such allegations are often hurled against me and my family. I will look into this," the chief minister said.
Devendra Manjhi, who claims to be a social worker, said he had served as Jitan Ram Manjhi's Personal Assistant since the latter became Bihar's Social Welfare Minister in 2006.
"Why are objections being raised now just because my father-in law is chief minister?" he had asked.
Jitan Ram Manjhi, 72, took over as Bihar chief minister at the head of the state's Janata Dal (United) government after Nitish Kumar stepped down in May, stung by his party's poor performance in the national elections, which saw his political rival Narendra Modi become prime minister.
Since his appointment, Mr Manjhi has made headlines often, mostly for controversial comments that have embarrassed his party, the JD(U), which is attempting to re-consolidate and stage a comeback in Bihar in assembly elections due next year.