Nitish Kumar used and then threw away Jitan Ram Manjhi, says BJP

Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused senior Janata Dal United leader and Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar of using former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and then throwing him away when his "self-respect" awakened.

It also urged Kumar to seek forgiveness from the people of Bihar for betraying their mandate and teaming-up with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad in his lust for power, and asserted that it will prepare strongly for the forthcoming Assembly polls to defeat the alliance.

"The public in Bihar knows who stabbed a Mahadalit leader. Kumar first portrayed that he has sacrificed his post and thought Manjhi will be a puppet chief minister. But when Manjhi's self-respect awakened, he was thrown away like a fly is removed from the milk," said BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain.

Talking at the state BJP headquarters in Patna, he said the entire country saw what happened in Bihar. Kumar will have to answer if he had sacrificed his post, why was he so eager to become the chief minister again.

He also said that the BJP remained unaffected by the political upheaval in the state and added that "it would have stood besides Manjhi, had he taken the floor test in the Legislative Assembly".

Taking potshots at Kumar's apology to the public for relinquishing his post after JDU's dismal performance in May 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP leader said it was not enough.

"Kumar should seek forgiveness from the people for violating their mandate, which was given against Lalu Prasad. The people of Bihar are afraid that person (Prasad) whose photograph Kumar showed to instill fear and seek votes from the people, is returning to power. He will have to tell what kind of deal for power has happened between them," he added.

The BJP spokesperson said the law and order situation in Bihar has deteriorated since JDU took RJD support. He added that Kumar is becoming chief minister not through public mandate, but due to alliance with Prasad.

"BJP will now prepare for the polls with full-strength and defeat the JDU-RJD alliance," he added.

He reminisced how BJP had helped Nitish Kumar when he had formed Samata Party and ran a campaign against Prasad and his 'jungleraj'.

"We announced in 2005 at a meeting here that he will be the Chief Minister," he added.