File photo.

Patna: Back in the saddle for the fourth time in the politically important state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar is known as Chanakya in state politics for his carefully crafted behind-the-scene moves and his emphasis on growth and development.

The soft-spoken senior JD(U) leader has his task cut out this time as the state is in election mode with polls just five months away.

With today’s swearing in, 63-year-old Kumar is back in the Chief Minister’s chair he had quit on May 17, 2014 over JD(U)’s debacle in the general election.

After stepping down, Kumar, despite resistance from JD(U) legislators against his resignation, had his way and handpicked Jitan Ram Manjhi to succeed him on May 20, 2014.

But, within eight months of the decision Kumar was forced to change the plot in the wake of dissent against him by Manjhi along with a section of JD(U) ministers and legislators.

BJP used the dissension to the hilt and extended support to Manjhi. But, the floor test could not be taken as Manjhi tendered his resignation ahead of the vote on Friday last.

With the swearing in, a major crisis for Kumar has ended but some big challenges lie ahead for the socialist leader.

Besides, repairing the “damage” done by Manjhi to “sushasan” (good governance) as Kumar said on Friday, the wily politician has to allay the fears of people that company of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, who has been convicted in a fodder scam case, does not mean return of “jungle raj” as alleged by rival BJP.

This would have serious repercussion for Kumar, as he has to lead his party JD(U) and allies RJD, Congress and CPI to Assembly election in the state before November 25 this year.

During his earlier stint as chief minister, Kumar had initiated a series of reforms and stressed on increasing enrolment of students, building roads and bridges and improving healthcare facilities.

BJP, whose relations with Kumar turned bitter after he led his party to severe ties with it on June 16, 2013 following elevation of Narendra Modi, has already coined a slogan “jungle raj II” , warning people of “looming danger of Kumar joining hands with Lalu”.

Kumar has defended his decision to join hands with Lalu, saying the bigger challenge at present was to take on BJP.

Recently he used the title of a Bollywood film “Main Hoon Na” to instill confidence in people and give a guarantee that nothing bad would happen till he was around.

The engineer-turned-politician’s first tenure as Chief Minister was for just seven days from March 3 to March 10, 2000 when he had to quit in the absence of majority. He returned to the CM’s chair on November 24, 2005 as NDA leader.

His third term started from November 26, 2010 when he led NDA to win a two-third majority with 206 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.

After parting company with BJP, the magic figure of 117 eluded him which he cobbled up only with the help of Congress and CPI.

His support base increased after joining hands with RJD during by-election to two Rajya Sabha seats in middle of last year.

However, the drubbing JD(U) received in the 2014 Parliamentary poll forced him to resign on May 17, 2014.

Son of a freedom fighter and a small time Congressman Kaviraj Ramlakhan Singh, Kumar was born on March 1, 1951.

Nicknamed “Munna”, Kumar got married to a school teacher Manju Sinha in 1973. She died after illness in 2007. He has a son named Nishant Kumar.

A degree holder in electrical engineering from Patna Engineering college, now an NIT, Kumar is a product of 1974 JP movement and has been an ardent follower of Rammanohar Lohia and Jayprakash Narayan.

For Kumar, success in politics came very late. He contested Assembly election for the first time from home turf Harnaut in Nalanda district on Janata Party ticket in 1977 but lost to Independent Arun Kumar Singh.

He faced another drubbing at the hands of Arun Singh, an accused in the infamous Belchhi massacre case in which Dalits were killed, in Harnaut in 1980.

After two losses, luck smiled on him in 1985 when he won from Harnaut in 1985 as a Lok Dal candidate. Since then, there has been no looking back for him.

Close to Chaudhary Devi Lal, Kumar’s inning in national politics started when he contested Lok Sabha election from Barh in 1989 and defeated veteran Congress leader Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav popularly called “Sher-e-Bihar.”

Kumar became Minister of State for Agriculture under Devi Lal in V P Singh government.

In 1991, he was re-elected to Lok Sabha from Barh. He again won Parliamentary elections in 1998 and 1999 but lost in 2004.

He held the Railway, Agriculture and Surface Transport ministries in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Known in political circle as “chotta bhai” (younger brother) of Lalu Prasad, Kumar played a prominent role in making “bade bhai” Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990.

But, their relationship soured after 1994 when Kumar rebelled against his “dictatorial” attitude to walk out of the party.

(PTI)

Patna: Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned on Friday ahead of a crucial trust vote in the assembly, Raj Bhavan sources said.

Manjhi paid a surprise visit to Raj Bhavan an hour before the start of proceedings and tendered his resignation.

The resignation came as anti-climax to the storm within the Janata Dal (U) over the last one month, which saw Manjhi take on his one-time mentor and former chief minister Nitish Kumar with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The crisis in the state started after Manjhi was expelled from his party, the JD(U), after refusing to step down from the chief minister’s post to make way for Nitish Kumar and became an unattached member of the assembly.

But it became a regular war since February 7, when the JD(U) legislature party re-elected Kumar as its leader and showed Manjhi the door.

Kumar said that Manjhi, whom he nominated on May 20, had derailed Bihar’s growth and, more importantly, consorted with the BJP to put the JD(U) in real danger in the 2015 assembly polls.

Kumar asked governor Keshari Nath Tripathy on February 9 to swear him in within 48 hours and demonstrated the support of 130 MLAs – his own 97, plus RJD’s 24, Congress 5, CPI one and independent one —in Delhi. He even expelled Manjhi and suspended rebel ministers.

But the ever submissive and grateful Manjhi turned out to be the real rebel, refusing to quit unless defeated in a floor test.

He claimed to have mustered the support of at least 43 JD(U) MLAs — 12 more than the 31 required — to add to the 87 BJP legislators.

But then as it eventually turned out, he was well short of the halfway mark of 117, forcing him to put in his papers.

(Agencies)

Patna: Janata Dal(U) in Bihar Tuesday suspended from its fold seven ministers owing allegiance to chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, ahead of the February 20 trial of strength for him on the floor of the Assembly.

The seven ministers were suspended by state JD(U) President Basistha Narayan Singh after receiving consent from the party’s National President Sharad Yadav, party chief whip in the Assembly Shrawan Kumar said.

The seven suspended ministers are Narendra Singh, Brishen Patel, Shahid Ali Khan, Samrat Chaudhary, Nitish Mishra, Mahachandra Prasad Singh and Bhim Singh.

Art and Culture minister Vinay Bihari is an independent. JD(U) has already expelled Manjhi from the party after which Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary declared him an unattached member.

Shrawan Kumar said the decision on the suspension was taken after the seven ministers failed to comply with the party’s direction to quit the Manjhi cabinet.

The rival camps of Manjhi and his mentor-turned-foe Nitish Kumar meanwhile held separate consultations with their supporters to firm up their strategies even as BJP refused to show its cards.

Manjhi on return from Delhi after a two-day visit headed straight to his residence and was closeted with supporters to draw up the strategy for the February 20 confidence vote.

Ministers Narendra Singh and Vinay Bihari, dissident JD(U) leader Gyanendra Singh Gyanoo and expelled JD(U) MP Shabir Ali were among others who met Manjhi at his residence.

Vinay Bihari exuded confidence of sailing through in the floor test. “We are confident of proving majority on the floor of the house on February 20,” he told reporters.

Former chief minister Nitish Kumar remained at his 7 Circular Road residence with senior party leaders who kept pouring in throughout the day.

JD(U) MLC Binod Singh is hosting a dinner for all MLAs supporting Nitish Kumar from JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI and an independent.

A similar dinner is scheduled at senior leader Vijay Chaudhary’s residence tomorrow and at Nitish Kumar’s residence on February 19, JD(U) sources said.

(PTI)