Bihar crisis: Nitish to stake claim to form Govt. today

A day after being elected as the leader of JD(U) Legislature Party, former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will on Sunday stake claim to form a new government in the state.

Current incumbent Jitan Ram Manjhi, however, has refused to step down from his post.

Manjhi had yesterday written a letter to Governor KN Tripathi and requested him not to accept recommendations made by the Janata Dal (United) legislature party meeting headed by Sharad Yadav.

In his letter, he mentioned that only the chief minister has the authority to hold a meeting of the party legislators.

He also urged the Governor to remove 15 ministers from their posts with immediate effect.

However, 20 ministers sent their resignation to the Governor in support of Nitish.

In Bihar, political crisis has deepened with the State cabinet authorising Manjhi to recommend dissolution of the state assembly and the JD (U) legislature party deciding to remove Manjhi from the post of leader of legislature party.

While in a major development 97 of the 111 JD (U) legislators elected Nitish Kumar as their leader and removed Manjhi from the post of leader of the legislature party.

Amid the ongoing political drama, the state seems to be heading towards a constitutional crisis in the light of the cabinet proposal recommending dissolution of the state assembly.