Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here, further fuelling speculation that he may align with BJP in the upcoming Assembly election even as the Mahadalit leader maintained silence over the issue.
Parrying queries over any pre-poll alliance, he spoke about post-election tie-up and claimed that he would partner with a formation which did not include Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, his former mentor and now a bitter critic. Manjhi has launched his own outfit Hindustani Awam Morcha, after his unceremonious exit from the post of Chief Minister and JD(U).
He claimed he met Modi to raise the issue of farmers’ plight in Bihar and demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged irregularities in paddy procurement. Manjhi is being eyed by the BJP-led NDA as well as Prasad as their new ally as the Mahadalit community has the potential of tilting the scale in favour of either of the two alliances.
