Patna: On a day of hectic political activity in Bihar, Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi arrived here this morning ahead of a scheduled meeting with Nitish Kumar at Raj Bhawan.
Tripathi arrived at Patna Airport in the morning from Kolkata. He drove straight to Raj Bhawan to administer oath to the Chief Information Commissioner at 12:30 PM, Raj Bhawan sources said.
Nitish Kumar has been given an appointment at 1:30 PM to meet the Governor and stake claim to form government, former Parliamentary Affairs minister and a Nitish supporter Shrawan Kumar told PTI.
Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is all set for a final showdown with mentor Nitish Kumar, has arrived in Patna from New Delhi and has headed straight to Raj Bhawan to take part in the swearing-in of the Chief Information Commissioner. Kumar said all 130 MLAs of JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI and one Independent supporting Nitish Kumar would march to Raj Bhawan at 1:30 PM.
“If we are allowed we will go inside Raj Bhawan to show our presence in favour of Nitish Kumar to the Governor or else will wait outside it,” Shrawan Kumar said. RJD President Lalu Prasad is expected to accompany Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav to the Raj Bhawan at 1:30 PM. RJD MLAs have gathered at 10 Circular Road residence of Rabri Devi and are waiting for Lalu Prasad. A senior RJD MLA and former minister Raghvendra Pratap Singh has said he would press Lalu Prasad to support Manjhi. He claimed 7-8 MLAs are also of this view.
Manjhi had yesterday ruled out his resignation without a trial of strength in Assembly and had said he will prove his majority on the floor of the House or step down if he fails, and attacked Nitish Kumar for his “greed for power”. Meanwhile, Rajeshwar Raj, an MLA supporting Manjhi, has filed a petition in the Patna High Court challenging Legislature Party meeting called by JD(U) President Sharad Yadav on Saturday which elected Nitish Kumar as the new JD(U) Legislature Party leader in place of Manjhi. S B K Mangalam, advocate of the petitioner, told PTI he would mention the petition today before the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court for early hearing of the petition. The petitioner has made Sharad Yadav, Nitish Kumar and Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary who accorded recognition to Nitish Kumar as JD(U) LP leader, as respondents, Mangalam said.
Meanwhile, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav has expelled Jitan Ram Manjhi from the party on grounds of “anti-party activities”.
Nitish Kumar is closeted at his 7 Circular Road residence with Sharad Yadav, state President Basistha Narayan Singh, Vijay Chaudhary and other top leaders. Congress Legislators are also arriving at Nitish Kumar's residence to march with him to Raj Bhawan. Security outside Raj Bhawan has been increased in view of hectic political activities there.
Senior Superintendent of Police Patna Jitendra Rana told PTI that he himself was overseeing the security arrangements near Raj Bhawan.
