Bihar CM Manjhi resigns, alleges threat

He met Governor KN Tripathi in the morning and put in his papers.

He said he had to resign because of threats and alleged that he was not allowed to work independently while a secret ballot would have still proved his majority.

He said many MLAs loyal to him were threatened while he himself also faced threat. "There were threats over mobile phone," he said.

He alleged horse trading by the Nitish Kumar side and said he was victimized because he is a Mahadalit.

"I had not freedom to act on appointments or anything. I know the media was writing that I was being remote-controlled. So my own self-respect was awakened," he told journalists after resigning and slamming former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Demanding fresh election, he said the Bihar speaker did not follow the rules. He said he enjoys support of 140 MLAs.

The pro-Nitish Kumar MLAs of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which had expelled Manjhi for revolting against it, were jubilant as they heard the news of Manjhi resigning.

The  opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lent their support to Manjhi and had geared up to back him on the floor to keep Nitish Kumar away.

Nitish Kumar said the gameplan of the BJP was exposed with the resignation.

Manjhi would have needed 117 votes to remain the chief minister, said reports.

Nitish Kumar, reports said, enjoys the support of 128 MLAs to return as the Chief Minister.

Nitish Kumar is backed by Congress and RJD too.

After being expelled from the Janata Dal (United), Manjhi had  met state Governor KN Tripathi and said he would prove his majority through secret ballot.

The JD (U) had expelled Manjhi amid an ongoing turmoil after former CM and party leader Nitish Kumar staked claim to form the government in the state when 97 MLAs  unanimously elected him as the the leader of the state Assembly at a  legislative party meeting.

JD-U said Manjhi is being backed by the BJP president Amit Shah and also has support of  Modi and had been involved in anti-party activities.

Manjhi was asked to show his strength on the floor of the House by the Governor. Manjhi had refused to step down as the CM revolting against his party.

Nitish Kumar was elected the leader of the Bihar Assembly at a  legislative party meeting but Manjhi recommended to the governor to dissolve the house, stoking possibility of an early election in the state.

Manjhi was named as Bihar CM on May 17, 2014 after Nitish resigned following the party's electoral drubbing in the last Lok Sabha  polls.