Nitish's aide Manjhi is new Bihar CM

Jiten Ram Manjhi, an aide of Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, will be the new chief minister of Bihar.

Manjhi, a Mahadalit, is currently Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister in the state government. Although he was defeated in the Lok Sabha elections, the party leadership felt his elevation to the top post would consolidate Mahadalit votes in favour of the party ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, due next year.

Manjhi, along with Kumar, party President Sharad Yadav and other senior leaders, met the governor and staked his claim to form the government. After the meeting with Governor D Y Patil, Kumar said, "He (Manjhi) is an experienced leader and contributed a lot to the party. He has presented a letter of support from our 117 MLAs and two independent legislators."

The political drama, which began on Saturday after the resignation of Kumar as chief minister, continued to unfold with new twists and turns on Monday.

JD(U) MLAs, who met on Sunday, rejected Kumar's decision and asked the him to continue. When Kumar refused their request, they began to protest.

However, the Kumar remained firm on his decision to quit on Monday. At a meeting of party MLAs, he declared he was not withdrawing his resignation and asked the legislature party to let him work for the JD(U). "The party MLAs then reposed their faith in the able leadership of Nitish Kumar and authorised him to choose the new leader," Bashitha Narayan Singh, state JD(U) president, said after the meeting.

Adding, "Nitishji would continue to be our guide and we will contest the next year's Assembly elections under his able leadership. If our party wins the election, Nitishji would return as the chief minister."

Among those in the running for the CM's post were Narendra Narayan Yadav, Vijayendra Yadav, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh and Bashitha Narayan Singh. However, no consensus could be formed over any of these names. Finally, Manjhi's name emerged as a consensus candidate.

Meanwhile, addressing party workers, Kumar said he would return as chief minister if his party won in the forthcoming Assembly elections next year.