Hours after the swearing-in ceremony of a new minister, Ratnesh Sada, in the Nitish Kumar cabinet in Bihar, a war of words began between the chief minister and the founder of Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Speaking to reporters here, Nitish Kumar said, “Manjhi was spying on the activities of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) allies for the benefit of the BJP. He used to share our activities with the BJP leaders. That’s why I asked him to either merge his party with the JDU or quit.”

Talking about Manjhi for the first time after the resignation of his son Santosh Suman from his cabinet, the chief minister said, “Woh BJP waalon se milte rahte the. Theek hua hamse alag ho gaye.” (He (Manjhi) was constantly in touch with BJP leaders. It’s good that he has left).

In his recent statement on possibilities of early Lok Sabha polls, he said the Centre has the right to convene it early. Any government with a majority can do it. There is always a possibility. During the regime of Vajpayee ji, elections were held ahead of schedule, though he was not in favour of conducting it early,” CM Nitish recalled.

Nitish has already directed his officials to complete all the development related works on schedule. A couple of days ago, while reviewing the Rural Works Department, he had told them, “Don’t put any such work on hold. Election schedule may be announced any time.”

The CM also said that the much-awaited meeting of non-NDA partners will be held on its scheduled date in Patna. Preparations are on. All the invited party leaders are expected to attend the meeting.

Manjhi’s son Santosh Suman had resigned from the Nitish cabinet on the pretext of merging his party with JDU, which he denied.

In a counteroffensive, Manjhi, while rejecting all these allegations against him, asked for proof from the CM Nitish Kumar.

Speaking to a private TV channel, the former CM took a jibe at Nitish, saying, “He is not in the race for PM’s post, why then should he be holding Opposition meet when a strong PM Narendra Modi is already ruling for the last nine years.“

Stadium mein sirf darshak hein. Player Koi nahi hai. (Only spectators are visible in the stadium. There is no player on the ground), he said.

In the wake of widening rift between CM Nitish and the HAM founder, JD U leaders, including the newly-inducted minister, Ratnesh Sada, have started attacking Manjhi.

Soon after the swearing-in ceremony at the Rajbhavan, the Ratnesh Sada drove straight to the JDU HQ where he was accorded a warm welcome by state party president Umesh Kushwaha and other senior leaders.

Later, addressing a meeting with the party workers, he accused Manjhi of betraying CM Nitish Kumar. “It was Nitish who had made him CM of Bihar. Nobody knows Manjhi in Bihar. What he has done for Dalits and downtrodden sections of the society during the tenure as CM,” he asked.

“Manjhi should be thankful to Nitish for making his (Santosh Suman) a minister,” he said, adding Nitish is the real messiah of the Dalits.