Manjhi quits as Bihar CM ahead of trust vote

Facing apparent defeat, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned on Friday.

Hours ahead of the trust vote, Manjhi submitted his resignation to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

Manjhi has submitted his resignation, Principal Secretary to Governor Brajesh Mehrotra told PTI. Asked about the content, Mehrotra said it was a one-line statement. Manjhi sprang a surprise by making an unscheduled visit to Raj Bhawan around 10 am. He returned to his One Anne Marg residence after a brief 15-minute meeting with the governor.

Manjhi has called a press conference at his residence at 11:30 am, the Chief Minister's Office said.

Manjhi's sudden decision apparently follows his realisation that he does not have the numbers to prove the majority.

Manjhi, who rebelled against Nitish Kumar, was expelled by Janata Dal-United and was to prove his majority after the governor's address.

On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party announced support to Manjhi but he still did not have the numbers to win the trust vote after the JD-U and its allies like the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress rallied behind Nitish Kumar.

New JD-U legislature party leader Nitish said that Manjhi's resignation had vindicated his plea to the governor that not much time be given for the trust vote. "Our stand has been vindicated," he told reporters at the assembly premises.

"Everything is happening after 14 days, that also surprisingly," Kumar said adding, "the BJP game plan has been exposed". There was suspense if the governor would deliver his speech to the joint session listed at 11:30 am. "You will come to know about it later," Public Relations Officer Raj Bhawan S K Pathak said.

Earlier, the JD-U, RJD, Congress, CPI MLAs and one Independent legislator supporting Nitish had decided to boycott the governor's speech in the joint session of Bihar Legislature.

The decision to boycott the governor's speech was to register protest at his action of not hearing Nitish Kumar's plea to ask Manjhi to prove his majority in 48 hours and instead giving him 14 days time which "facilitated horse trading," JD-U Chief Whip Shrawan Kumar said.