BJP is scrambling to keep its NDA flock together amid reports that former CM Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has been offered the post of deputy CM by RJD.This comes amid the uncertainty with CM Nitish Kumar looking set to ditch RJD and other allies to be part of NDA again.
With four MLAs in his kitty, both NDA and Grand Alliance want to have Manjhi on board. For now, RJD chief Lalu Prasad seems more desperate, with sources saying he had sent Manjhi feelers offering him the deputy CM post if he crosses over.
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“We got to know about this (deputy CM offer) offer from news channels but we are not a bit interested. We are with NDA. There are no ifs and buts,” HAM(S) president Santosh Kumar Suman told TOI on Saturday. Suman, Manjhi’s son and former minister, claimed the seat-sharing had already been settled in NDA, with only the announcement left to be made.
According to HAM(S) spokesperson Shyam Sundar, Manjhi has promised PM Modi support and would honour it.
The Grand Alliance, minus Nitish’s JD(U), is only seven short of the magic figure of 122 in the 243-member assembly. Hence, it is working on all options to stay in power even in the face of long odds. RJD has 79 MLAs, Congress 19 and Left parties have 16 legislators. RJD also counts on the support of an AIMIM legislator.
For NDA, BJP (78 MLAs), JD-U (45), HAM-S (four) and an Independent add up to 128 seats, way higher than the majority mark.
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BJP has kept close watch on Manjhi. Two top leaders have met him in Patna in the past two days to “keep him in good humour”, sources said. On Saturday, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary held a closed-door meeting with Manjhi at the latter’s residence, with all four HAM (S) legislators present.