Manjhi bit the hand that fed him: Sharad Yadav

Claiming support of 130 MLAs, Janata Dal-United national president Sharad Yadav on Saturday came out all guns blazing against Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi for causing damage to the party by recommending dissolution of the legislative assembly and bringing the matter to a head.

“Manjhi ne thaali mein chhed kiya. (Manjhi has bit the hand that fed him). Today when he tried to dissolve the legislative assembly, I said he had done a wrong thing. What else he could have done? He has wronged the party,” Yadav said.

He was addressing the legislators inside the state assembly premises after the JD-U Legislature Party elected Nitish Kumar as its new leader.

“I have been talking, trying since early morning for a peaceful solution to the political situation that had come before our party. I tried with Kumar, Manjhi and supporters of both leaders who can participate in the Legislature Party meeting. I never gave statement against anybody,” Yadav said.

“After two hours of discussion, Manjhi said he would let us know after one hour. We were trying to save the party and maintain our unity, and this is what he did. Now the party will decide. It won’t stop,” he said.

However, Yadav, did not speak anything about what kind of disciplinary action his party would take against Manjhi.

Yadav also appealed to those JD-U leaders who went away to return to the party fold as a “decision for struggle and fight” from Patna to New Delhi has been taken and it would continue till “breath is left in his body”.

“There is danger in our country, but we have the weapon of unity against it. Fights happen, but institutions should be respected. I appeal to our friends who have gone away to come back. We have taken a decision for struggle and fight from Patna to New Delhi,” he said.

Yadav said that the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal expressed support for his party in the current situation.

Earlier in the evening, Yadav had faxed a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee and Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, requesting them not to accept Manjhi’s recommendations to dissolve the legislative assembly.

“The cabinet has disapproved the proposal to dissolve the assembly by more than two-thirds majority. There is a possibility that Manjhi may still recommend the dissolution, which will be illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic. We request you not to consider if such a recommendation comes to you,” the letter said.

Yadav is also expected to talk to the Governor on Saturday night and take an appointment to stake claim to form a new government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.