I am the real leader of Dalits; not Paswan: Manjhi

In a fresh intra-Dalit tussle in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance ahead of upcoming polls, former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday launched a  massive counter-assault on Lok Janshakti Party chief and union minister, by claiming that he is real leader of the Dalits in Bihar, and not the former.

“I am the leader of Dalits, not Paswan,” Manjhi, president of the Hindustan Awam Morcha, which is a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, just like Paswan’s LJP.

Manjhi said Paswan has never raised a voice for rights of the Dalits and the poorest of the poor.

“If Paswan has done any thing for them, he should come forward to explain to the people. He should reveal what has he achieved for the Dalits and the poor”.

“I am still fighting for the poorest of the poor. Paswan has failed to fight and hardly bothered to raise the issues related to the downtrodden, the marginalised, and the backwards,” Manjhi claimed.

Manjhi also accused Paswan of dynasty politics.

"Paswan is promoting his son Chirag and his brothers within the LJP at the cost of everyone else.”

Manjhi's party has staked claimed for over 30 seats and the LJP for over 50. Another BJP's ally Rashtriya Lokm Samta Party of Union Minister Upender Kushwaha is also staking claim for more than 40 seats.

However, the BJP is not ready to give more than 83 seats to its three allies and likely to contest the 170 to 160 seats by itself.