Nitish Kumar Becomes The CM of Bihar For The Fourth Time

Nitish Kumar of JDU has been sworn-in as the CM of Bihar for the fourth time today. Governor KN Tripathi administered the oath of office and secrecy.  

Kumar was invited to from the government after Jitan Manjhi resigned before the trust vote on Friday. Kumar told the media that his decision to step down from the post of CM last year following a massive loss in the general elections was a political mistake. "With folded hands, I apologize to the people of Bihar. Never again will I take such a step. I am ready to lead from the front."

The new cabinet comprises of 22 ministers: the two ministers who were sacked by the ex-CM Manjhi and 20 other who resigned following the difference between Manjhi and Kumar.   

The allies of JDU -RJD, Congress and the Left- have not joined the government at the present moment, but the option has been kept open with 12 vacant ministerial posts.

With Kumar becoming the CM again, the political crisis of the state seems to be subsided for the moment. For how long this political calm in the state goes on is to be seen.

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Bihar Political Crisis: Jitan Ram Manjhi Resigns Before The Trust Vote, Alleges Receiving Death Threats

Bihar Political Crisis: Jitan Ram Manjhi Resigns Before The Trust Vote, Alleges Receiving Death Threats

Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has resigned from his post today, just a few hours before trust vote on the floor of the assembly. Manjhi submitted his papers to the Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. The Principal Secretary to the Governor has confirmed the CM's resignation, and said that the resignation letter was a one line statement. 

Manjhi surprised everyone by visiting the Raj Bhawan at 10 this morning. He returned back to his One Anne Marg residence after a 15-minute meeting with the Governor.

Manjhi's sudden decision to quit is seen in the light of his unsuccessful attempt to get the numbers in the house.

After he decided to rebel against his mentor and ex-CM Nitish Kumar, he was expelled from the JDU. He was to prove his majority in the house today. The BJP had announced yesterday that it will support Manjhi; but even with the support the BJP, Manjhi did not have the numbers to prove his majority.

Earlier the Nitish Kumar camp, comprising of JDU, RJD, Congress, CPI MLAs and one Independent legislator had taken a decision to boycott the Governor's speech prior to the joint session of the Bihar Legislature. 

JDU Chief Whip Shrawan Kumar said that the decision to boycott the Governor's speech was JDU effort to register protest against the decision to give Manjhi a 14 days' time - in which he tried his utmost to Horse trade the MLAs- to prove his majority.

Addressing a press conference, Jitan Manjhi said that he resigned because there were 'death threats' and bribe offers to his MLAs, and the speaker did not allow secret ballot for sake of the security of the MLAs.  

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Nitish Kumar Might Reinstate Himself As The CM Of Bihar; Manjhi On the Verge Of Dismissal After Pro-Modi 'Remarks'

Most of the leaders of the JDU are of the opinion that CM Jitan Ram Manjhi is not competent enough to stop BJP's bandwagon in Bihar. The sources are saying that the JDU is mulling over the possibilities of reinstating the former CM Nitish Kumar as a strategic move to counter the winning spree of the BJP.

Even the party is not happy with the current CM. A few days ago, the JDU Bihar unit president Vashishtha Narayan Singh accepted that the gap between the CM and some of his cabinet members has widened, and it is up to the CM to bridge the gap as he is the head of the government. 

 

Nitish is expected to meet the top-brass of the party to look into the topic. Kumar has, reportedly, procured a green signal from the RJD chief Lalu Yadav. Reports are saying that the JDU chief Sharad Yadav met with Lalu last week to discuss the pros and cons of the issue; Lalu seems to have agreed to the proposition of Kumar being reinstated the CM of Bihar.  

After the thrashing in the general elections at the hands of BJP, JDU put forward the name of Manjhi as the CM as Lalu didn't want to back Nitish then, but with the new found warmth in the relation of the two leaders, Lalu would not mind if Kumar is the CM again. And some of Manjhi's recent pro-Modi comments have also reportedly upset Lalu. 

Amid deteriorating camaraderie between Manjhi and Kumar, Manjhi said that he would prefer his successor to be a dalit but being a duty-bound person he will back Kumar as the CM of the state if JDU gets the numbers in in the coming assembly elections. "One must understand difference between kartavya (duty) and bhavna (sentiment), I am duty-bound to back Nitish Kumar's candidature for the chief minister's post if the party is voted to power again during the Assembly polls later this year," said Manjhi during his weekly program 'Janata Ke Durbar Mein Mukhya Mantri' at his Patna residence.

The assembly elections will be held in October-November this year. 

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