In yet another setback to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Santosh Kumar Suman, son of a former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, tendered his resignation from the cabinet on Tuesday.

Suman was holding the portfolio of SC/ST welfare minister in the state cabinet.

This is the third consecutive blow to the ruling Janata Dal (U) as former Union ministers, Upendra Kushwaha and RCP Singh, have already deserted the party. While Kushwaha has floated a separate party called Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal, Singh has joined the BJP.

Soon after his resignation, Deputy Chief Minister Tejshwi Prasad Yadav, JDU National President Lallan Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijoy Kumar Chaudhary and senior party leader and Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav rushed to the CM’s residence to chalk out a strategy ahead of the Opposition meeting on June 23.

Another Dalit leader Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, is also in close proximity to the BJP. Both Kushwaha and Paswan are already maintaining close links with the BJP, said a political observer.

Former minister Suman, along with his father Jitan Ram Manjhi, handed over his resignation letter addressed to the CM Nitish Kumar to the state Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijoy Kumar Chaudhary in the morning.

Suman is the lone MLC from Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) Secular in the Upper House and there are four MLAs of the party.

After resigning from the cabinet, Suman told reporters: “The existence of my party was under threat. I did this to protect it.”

He further said that the decision was taken as the Nitish Kumar-led (JDU) was pressuring his party to merge it.

Recently, the former CM and patron of HAM Jitan Ram Manjhi, along with party legislators, had met the CM and conveyed that the talks were satisfactory. Earlier, he had claimed that the party would contest five Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

On being asked about the Opposition meeting slated on June 23, Suman said his party HAM (S) has not been invited to it. “Meri astitva ko recognise nahi kiya gaya” (they have not even recognised the existence of our party).

Suman Sarcastically said that “lion in the jungle always tries to eat up the deer. Till date, we have somehow managed to save our identity”.

Reacting on Suman’s resignation, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha said: “Nitish Government is a sinking ship and everybody, including Kushwaha and RCP Singh, are leaving him and joining BJP.”

JDU Minister Lesi Singh categorically said that it would have no impact on the government as well as the Mahagathbandhan. “Bahut log aayenge aur jaayenge. Abhi Chunao kaa samay hai!” (Many will come and some will go. It’s election time now).

“It was CM Nitish Kumar who had offered him (Jitan Ram Manjhi) the coveted post of CM in 2014,” Lesi Singh pointed out to reporters.

Manjhi, who is the founder of HAM, served as state CM from May 20, 2014 to February 20, 2015.

A cabinet meeting slated for Tuesday was postponed due to the resignation of the cabinet minister.

“HAM (S) will remain with the Mahagathbandhan unless the two leading parties – JDU and RJD – decide otherwise,” Suman said quoting his father. “We are committed to our stand that we will be with the grand alliance at any cost. We have all respect for CM Nitish Kumar ji,” he told reporters.