New Delhi/ Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi suffered a major setback on Monday after Patna High Court stayed all the decisions taken by his government in the last three Cabinet meetings.
In its decision, the High Court said Manjhi government can take decisions only after proving majority on floor of the House.
Manjhi has been invited by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to prove his majority on February 20.
Manjhi government's decision to add Paswan caste to the 'Mahadalit' category stands cancelled in the wake of the High Court decision. The Manjhi Cabinet's approval, in principle, to appoint 'Vikas Mitra' among Scheduled Tribe families to speed up welfare of STs in numerous programmes also will be put on hold.
In a bid to woo Union Minister Ram Vilas Pasnwan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Manjhi had added Paswan caste in the Mahadalit category. Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, as CM, had left out Paswans from the category earlier.
Paswan had expressed resentment over Kumar's decision to not include Mahadalits all along and maintained it was due to his political rivalry with him.
Bihar is undergoing a political crisis as Manjhi defied his own party JDU and refused to resign from his post despite being asked by the party. Kumar was elected leader of the Legislature Party while Manjhi was expelled from the JDU. Both have stakes claim to prove majority.
In a related development, NDA ally Shiv Sena has lashed out at the BJP for trying to support Manjhi. It quoted Manjhi's statement that he gets commission for developmental work and charged that it was an explosive statement made by Bihar CM. "This is dangerous for Indian politics. The person who is openly saying that he takes commission is now preparing to take BJP's support," a Shiv Sena leader said.
The Shiv sena has maintained that no one should support what is happening in Bihar. "From the very first day, Manjhi is acting like an inexperienced politician. He has openly supported corruption. Even if he has made these statements without giving much thought to it, the state is suffering because of this," he said.
The BJP's alliance partner also alleged that the BJP is propping Manjhi to fight Kumar. "This game will only end once the floor test takes place. Supporting Manjhi would be supporting the dark side of politics. It would be a sin," it said.
UPA's ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also alleged that the BJP was propping up Manjhi. Former Union minister Tariq Anwar said, "The BJP is involved in creating situation of President's rule in Bihar."
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