Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that Dalits and Extremely Backward Caste leaders had always been made CMs as stop-gap arrangement at the time of political crisis in Bihar. Be it Bhola Paswan Shashtri, Ram Sundar Das or Karpoori Thakur all were made the CMs for a few months to fill the political vacuum.

Addressing the Gareeb Swabhiman Rally of Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM)at Gandhi Maidan on Monday he listed most of the 34 decisions taken by his cabinet in its last three meetings, but were later overturned by Nitish Kumar after becoming the chief minister again.

The HAM leader started his speech by praising Nitish for making him the chief minister in ‘galat fahmi’ (mis-judgement). “Initially, I was impressed by his self-sacrifice for the cause of principle as he did not make any ‘bhai-bhattija’ or close relative to this post, but chose me. But I soon realized his plan to use me as mask.”“Nitish thought that Manjhi is almost zero. He would work as a Yes Man,” the former CM said.

Teasing Nitish he said that in India regional satraps love to be addressed as supremo, who do not listen to anybody, but function on their whims.Manjhi said that in the first three months he continued to sign on dotted lines, but his self-respect got awakened. He then thought to do something for the poor people of the state.He reiterated as to how the Nitish government is spending huge amount of money on wasteful expenditure while it has no money to pay to policemen, home guards, other employees and regularize the job of para-teachers.

He said his government announced unemployment benefit to youths, free education till post-graduation for girls of all caste, religion and creed and free electricity to farmers who possess five acres or less land. But all these decisions were reversed by the present CM.He said it is true the Nitish Kumar government gave 50 per cent seats to women in urban and rural local bodies, but the truth is that it is the menfolk––Mukhiya Pati (MP) and Sarpanch Pati (SP), who actually call the shots.

Though the rally failed to attract five lakh people, as Manjhi had been claiming, yet it was substantial enough for a new outfit like HAM. A sizeable section of those who gathered appeared to be Dalits and if Manjhi continues to consolidate he may emerge as a challenge to other SC leader from the state, Ram Vilas Paswan, who is with the BJP.