JD-U expels Manjhi, Nitish stakes claim

Patna, Feb 9 (IANS) It was a day of high political drama in Bihar as Nitish Kumar staked claim to form the government after defiant Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was expelled by the JD-U which has blamed the BJP for trying to split it. Days after Manjhi refused to quit and dug in his heels, things came to a boil Monday, with Nitish Kumar meeting Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi and formally staking claim to form the next government. "Manjhi is encouraging and trying for horse trading," Nitish Kumar told the media outside Raj Bhavan here after he, along with party chief Sharad Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, met the governor. Nitish Kumar, along with 130 legislators belonging to his Janata Dal-United (JD-U), the RJD, the Congress and the Communist Party of India, had marched to Raj Bhavan. Manjhi was hand-picked by then chief minister Nitish Kumar as his replacement when he quit last year after the JD-U's rout in the Lok Sabha polls. In the 243-member assembly, the JD-U has 115 legislators -- most of whom are reportedly with Nitish Kumar. It is backed by 24 legislators of the RJD, five of the Congress, two Independents and one from the CPI.