Alliance in Bihar is to protect secular fabric: Jitan Ram Manjhi

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today said that the RJD-JD (U)-Congress alliance in the state was being put together after a lot of consideration to protect the secular fabric of the country.

His remarks have come after BJP president Amit Shah yesterday said that former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's hunger for power convinced him to break ties with the BJP and align with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav.

"Just for the sake of power, Nitish went and sat in Lalu Prasad Yadav's lap", Shah had said at the BJP's National Council meeting in the capital on Saturday.

Jitan Ram Manjhi, however, defended the alliance by saying, "Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav and our other leaders too have resolved to fight them (the BJP). We will make sure that they stay out of Bihar in the next elections. They are afraid of our alliance that is why they are giving such statements in frustration."

"The truth is that we are trying to save the state from a grave danger, that's why we have entered this coalition and we are going to fight the elections in a coordinated manner. Our senior leaders will share the stage together and will discuss about the elections," he added.

He also said that when the question of choosing the Chief Minister would arise, all the alliance partners will take a collective decision.