Chief Minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi addressing the media in Delhi.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had a met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today amid speculation that he was out to seek BJP help, denied discussing politics. But he managed to keep everyone guessing with a coy comment.
"I have sought his support in view of the situation in Bihar. If you wish to interpret that in terms of politics, I will not comment. But we were talking of development," he told the media after the 40-minute meeting with the Prime Minister.
Mr Manjhi -- who is fighting to keep his job in face of his party's bid to remove him - also said the matter could be decided by a floor test in the Assembly, where was ready to accept "support" from anyone. "On the floor, whoever gives us support we will take it," he said.
Sources close to him indicated it was a vital meeting.
While Mr Manjhi had earlier indicated that he was not averse to seeking BJP help if he was pushed out the top job, his loyalist, JD(U) leader Mahachandra Prasad had spelled it out. "We will seek the support of the BJP if needed," he said today.
Sources say the BJP, which discussed the situation at a core committee meeting last evening, backs Mr Manjhi but has decided against any direct intervention.
Mr Manjhi, however, played down the crisis, even insisting there wasn't one. "I am the Chief Minister and I will be here till the legislature party decides otherwise."
His party has already sacked him as the chief of legislature party - the new chief Nitish Kumar will be meeting Governor KN Tripathi tomorrow.
Venting his ire, Mr Manjhi said, "Nitish Kumar is a good man but he cannot remain without power".
Mr Kumar, he said, had installed him in the top post with the hope that he would be a "rubber stamp" since he was a "quiet worker and a Mahadalit". "But when I started asserting myself, it made them unhappy," he added.