JD(U) heading for a split, Bihar CM Manjhi calls Legislative party meeting on Feb 20

06 Feb, Patna
Infighting in the ruling Janta Dal (U) in Bihar has deepened with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi convening a legislative party meeting on the 20th of this month, ahead of commencement of winter session of the state assembly.
Manjhi has refused to attend the legislative party meeting convened by National Party President Sharad Yadav tomorrow- Saturday to decide on the issue of finding his successor.

Manjhi has termed meeting being convened by party president as unconstitutional since he alone, being the leader of legislature party, enjoys the right to convene such a meeting.
The Chief Minister who has not buckled under the pressure of Nitish Kumar to resign, has reportedly decided to sack five of his Ministerial colleagues on the charges of non-performance.

On the other hand, mounting fresh offensive against the Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar has convened a meeting of the Core Committee in this afternoon, to take stock of the prevailing situation in the party arising out of open defiance by Manjhi and his loyalists to accept party high command Sharad Yadav’s wish to reinstall Nitish Kumar as the next Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manjhi, accompanied by two of his Ministerial colleagues, left for Khagaria to attend an official meeting, making it obvious that he would not attend the meeting of the Core Committee. He has instead, convened a meeting of his Ministerial colleagues this evening, apparently to mark their presence.