PATNA: Fishing in the troubled waters of the Janata Dal (United), senior BJP leader, C P Thakur, on Thursday invited Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to join the saffron party.
In a chat with reporters here, Thakur said that Manjhi, a seasoned politician, was feeling suffocated in the JD(U). “If he is not feeling comfortable within his party, then he should join the BJP as it is the party of Mahadalits,” he said.
“This is not good for the state as he is the Chief Minister. He should be bold and take decisions which is good for the people of Bihar. If he is being ignored and not given due respect, he should come over to the BJP. The saffron party has given respect to many Dalit leaders,” Thakur added.
On the issue of the BJP Chief Ministerial candidate, he said, “It is the central leadership of the party which takes a decision on such issues”. However, the former Union Minister hastened to add that even senior JD(U) leader and Manjhi’s predecessor, Nitish Kumar was welcome to once again join hands with the BJP as he was not feeling comfortable in the grand alliance involving the RJD and the Congress. There are many old friends here, Thakur said.
LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan also took potshots at the JD(U), especially Nitish, for ignoring the state’s CM, who belonged to the same party.
JD(U) sources said that party president Sharad Yadav would try to broker peace between Manjhi and Nitish during Thursday’s whirlwind visit here. He will talk to both the leaders individually.