Nitish Kumar Apologises for Resigning as Bihar CM; Says he is 'Ready to Lead'

3 pm: Kumar on Friday apologised to the citizens of Bihar for quitting as the Chief Minister of the state. "With folded hands, I apologise to the people of Bihar. Never again will I take such a step. I am ready to lead from the front," NDTV quoted Kumar as saying after Manjhi's resignation as Bihar CM.

2:30 pm: Reacting on Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation right ahead of the trust vote, Bihar ex-CM Nitish Kumar said he should have resigned earlier and should have agreed to party's decision. He further said that Manjhi's allegations are laughable.

2 pm: JD(U) leader said BJP is responsible for the differences within the party and claimed that it is playing the cast card.

11:40 pm: Manjhi addressed a press conference at his home where he claimed his MLAs were threatened over the trust vote. "Our MLAs received death threats," Manjhi said.

11:29 am: Manjhi reportedly made a recommendation to the state Governor for the dissolution of the Assembly so that fresh polls can be conducted in Bihar.

Manjhi, who has to prove his majority in the House on Friday, resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar hours before the trust vote, for which voting will begin at 2:30 pm. At 12 pm, Manjhi will table a proposal to hold the trust vote.

In a bid to prove his majority on the floor, Manjhi needs at least 117 votes. This seems difficult as he has only 12 JD(U) MLAs supporting him, according to an NDTV report. Although BJP has asked its 87 lawmakers to vote for Manjhi, it still won't be enough. He might have to depend on the independent legislators.

The total strength of the Bihar Assembly is 243, of which 10 seats are vacant, 5 are with Congress, 5 with independent legislators, and 24 with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, which is supporting Nitish Kumar.

BJP has extended its support to Manjhi and its 87 legislators are expected to vote in his support. "After a long meeting of the BJP legislators, the party has decided to support Manjhi during his confidence vote in the Assembly," BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, Zee News reports.

While Manjhi is prepping to prove his majority in the House, JD(U) MLAs, in support of Nitish Kumar, staged a protest outside the Bihar Assembly against Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi's speech and his decision to support Manjhi.

Problems within the party began a few weeks ago when JD(U) asked Manjhi to step down from the position of the Chief Minister so that Nitish Kumar could take over in the wake of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.

Manjhi was not convinced with JD(U)'s demand; and thus, protested against his own party. Following this, he was expelled from the party for the next six years.