Patna: Bihar's outgoing Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi may float a new political party ahead of the assembly elections due to be held in October-November this year.
According to India TV sources, Manjhi has called a meet of his supporters on February 28 to discuss the future course of action.
Manjhi's move is a clear cut indication that he will play the Dalit card in the upcoming election to corner Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United).
Manjhi may strike an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is eyeing to return to the power in state after Kumar separated his ways with the saffron party ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, in a dramatic move, Manjhi resigned from the top post today just ahead of trust vote on the floor of the Bihar Assembly.
"I have submitted my resignation letter to the governor. I should have quit before," said Manjhi soon after he met Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi in the capital.
He claimed that he as well as some legislators had received threats to their lives.
Nitish had hand-picked Manjhi to replace him after the JD(U)'s poor show in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
