Asserting that he did not "back-stab" Nitish Kumar, expelled JD(U) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi today said he was prematurely pulled down from the chief minister's post by Nitish Kumar when he started bringing Mr Kumar's slogans of uplifting the poor to reality.
Talking to media a day after he resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr Manjhi alleged that Mr Kumar was only interested in "giving slogan for the poor and downtrodden".
Mr Manjhi said a photograph of Nitish Kumar still hangs in his room which reminds him of Mr Kumar championing the cause of the deprived and poor. But he said respect for his mentor would come only if Mr Kumar completes "agenda I have set for genuine welfare of poor and downtrodden" of the society.
"I'll thank Nitish Kumar if he completes the agenda I have set for genuine welfare of poor and downtrodden, otherwise I'll go to people and unmask him," Mr Manjhi, who looked relaxed at his One Anne Marg residence, said.
Asked if he was planning to join the BJP, Mr Manjhi denied and signaled forming a separate party which would work for the poor.
He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked the BJP for extending support to him.
Some legislators like Janata Dal (United) rebels Rajiv Ranjan and Ravindra Rai, Independent MLA Pawan Jaiswal, Sadhu Yadav, controversial brother-in-law of Lalu Prasad and dissident former JD(U) MP Shivanand Tiwari were with him.
Asked about chances of "home coming" to the JD(U), Mr Manjhi said he did not know the future.
"Nitish Kumar's vitriolic about Lalu Prasad are no secret. Their strong bond nowadays is a matter of research," he said.
Manjhi, who put in his papers before the trust vote was taken apparently for want of required numbers, justified his decision and attributed it to "threat to him and his supporting MLAs from Nitish Kumar camp and biased role of Speaker of Assembly Uday Narayan Choudhary".
"I still say if secret ballot is ordered even today I have support of 140 MLAs," Manjhi repeated his yesterday's assertion.
"I had the majority but I did not want my supporting MLAs to become target of Nitish Kumar camp which would have worked to end their membership or even physically deal with them and resigned to avoid blood letting," he claimed.
Attacking Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary, a dalit who also hails from his home district of Gaya, he said "by making sitting arrangements in the House for the trust vote yesterday, he had made it clear that he was acting on direction of Nitish Kumar."
When pointed out that Nitish Kumar government could review decisions taken by him, Mr Manjhi said there was no problem if the new government rectified some of the decisions.
But, if these were brushed aside he would go to people to protest.
Mr Manjhi's took some big decisions like reserving contract work for SC/ST up to Rs 70 lakh, free electricity to farmers owing up to five acres of land, lowering attendance requirement for school children from 75 per cent to 60 per cent for general category and 55 for SC/ST and including Paswan caste in the Mahadalit category among others.
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