New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is believed to have given his nod to Janata Dal (United) leadership to replace Jitan Ram Manjhi with Nitish Kumar as Bihar Chief Minister.
Lalu's green signal was vital to the JD(U) in the run-up to the Assembly polls due in the state later this year.
Sources said that the JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had met Lalu last week and discussed the same. The RJD chief told him that it was for the JD(U) to choose the leader of its legislature party.
Sources also said that after Lalu's clearance, Yadav will now go to Patna and persuade Manjhi to facilitate a smooth change.
The change of guard in the state may take place after the declaration of the Delhi Assembly election results and most probably before the Bihar Assembly Budget session, sources added.
Budget session of Bihar Assembly is scheduled to begin in the last week of this month.
Manjhi was handpicked by Nitish for the top job after party's debacle in Lok Sabha polls in the state.
