Ramvilas Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party appeared to be headed for split on Saturday, said the rebels will not be able to muster the requisite numbers.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Paswan said he was still of the view that a Muslim from the Congress should be the chief minister in Bihar.

Also see: LJP on the brink of a split 

That the LJP would split became apparent when the party's general secretary Nagmani sent his resignation to Paswan and reports came in of over 17 LJP MLAs camping at a Jharkhand hotel, looked after by rival Janata Dal-United leaders.

Nagmani in television interviews said the JD-U leader Nitish Kumar will be the new chief minister of Bihar.

He said he had time and again asked Paswan to back a government led by JD-U in Bihar, but he did not pay heed.