‘Nitish unnerved by Manjhi’s popularity’

BETTIAH: Reiterating that the political stalemate in Patna is a result of an intra-party power tussle within the JD(U), senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi ( SuMo) holds former CM Nitish Kumar responsible for pushing Bihar into a constitutional crisis.
Talking to TOI on the sidelines of a ‘Chintan Shivir’ of Bengali refugees here on Saturday, former Bihar deputy CM said, “People of Bihar will make Nitish bite dust in the next polls.” Modi spelt out what he termed were ‘five faults’ committed by Nitish.“First, Nitish opposed Narendra Modi- a backward class leader and then a popular chief minister of Gujarat. Second, he betrayed a 17-year-old friendship with the BJP that had helped Nitish reap the Bihar mandate. Third, the former CM-in a volte face- has shaken hands with Lalu and the Congress. Fourth, by resigning, Nitish betrayed the mandate that the state had given jointly to the BJP and the JD(U). Fifth, Nitish has committed the blunder of demeaning a Mahadalit after earlier honouring Jitan Ram Manjhi,” Modi said.
“Unnerved by the soaring popularity of CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Nitish has taken the plunge to nip the CM in the bud,” Modi said reiterating the JD(U) leader’s desperation stood exposed by his haste in discarding the veil of his resignation on moral grounds. “Nitish is scared of facing the electorate,” Modi said.
Modi further castigated Nitish for his derogatory allegations against governor Keshri Nath Tripathi. “Nitish should have remembered the 7-8 days time that he had earlier got to prove his majority in the House before casting aspertions on the governor,” Modi said while alleging he had lost the mandate due to his arrogance and stubbornness.