Patna--Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday said he was a mere pro-Dalit “mask” of Nitish Kumar and “compromise choice in political instability” as were previous scheduled caste CMs Bhola Paswan Shastri and Ram Sunder Das. Manjhi also alleged that he was “made to sign his name” on files for the first three months of his tenure as CM till he realised that he should not be just a “yes man” to Nitish.
Speaking at Garib Swabhiman Rally of his political front Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Manjhi played pro-poor, pro-women and pro-youth card to the hilt and reminded how Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been wrong in “reversing” his people-friendly decisions. “I would like to thank Nitish Kumar for conceding his mistake of making me CM. After all, he admitted that making a Dalit CM was a mistake. He took me as his pro-poor mask, but I ended up unmasking him,” said Manjhi, who was accompanied by all rebel JD (U) legislators.
Former Gopalganj MP and brother-in-law of Lalu Prasad, Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav, also attended the rally. Yadav had played role in mobilising support for Manjhi with an eye on contesting the Assembly polls later this year.
Manjhi said: “Bihar’s political history has been a witness to the fact that an EBC or a scheduled caste man had been CM only when there had been political instability. Bhola Paswan Shastri became CM thrice, but he was hardly allowed to rule. The same happened with Karpoori Thakur and Ram Sunder Das who did not get full term. It can happen only to a Dalit”.
“My self-respect was invoked when I was being described as yes man to Nitish Kumar. I decided to work for the poor, youths and women and started several schemes. But the Nitish government reversed all my important decision”, he said, describing Nitish as “supremo” who listens only to himself. Though he did not drop any hint on an alliance with BJP, he said his group could provide an alternative politics. He made special mention of the youth power and the teachers’ role.
Indian Express
