'Manjhi Ji Is Our Guardian': CPI(ML) Leader Mehboob Alam After Meeting Former Bihar CM Ahead Of Trust Vote

CPI(ML) Liberation legislature party leader Mehboob Alam on Saturday met former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi at his residence.

The meeting comes at a time when the newly formed NDA government will seek a trust vote inside the assembly.

Manjhi, who is a key figure in Bihar's opposition—'Mahagathbandhan' had recently caused a flutter in the state’s political circles by claiming that he had received an offer of the chief minister's post from the RJD but he refused.

However, Manjhi whose party Hindustani Awam Morcha has four MLAs had said he would sought to leverage his position by demanding another cabinet berth, besides the one only assigned to his son Santosh Suman. Manjhi’s party is also NDA partner.

The reports said the leaders from both groups asserted that there was "nothing political" about the meeting, which was held at Manjhi's residence.

"Manjhi ji is our guardian, a senior leader whom we keep meeting regularly. Of late, he has not been keeping well. So I came and was glad to see that now he is better," Alam was quoted as saying.

The speculations have been doing rounds in the state’s political circles that Lalu Prasad, the RJD supremo, would put to use his clout to turn the tables on the NDA during the trust vote.

In the 243-member state assembly, the NDA has a combined strength of 128, six more than the number required for a majority.

The 'Mahagathbandhan', which includes RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M), has 114 members, eight short of the magic figure.