Nitish Kumar is likely to meet party MLAs and some senior leaders today to discuss the same

The Janata Dal (United) doesn't want to take a chance in the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar.

Most leaders feel chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is not competent enough, so they want a change of guard. According to CNN-IBN sources, that change of guard, maybe the former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

According to reports, the party is not too happy with Manjhi. Recently, Bihar unit president Vashishtha Narayan Singh admitted that the distance between the CM and some of his Cabinet colleagues had increased and it was up to Manjhi to bridge the gap. "Manjhi should take initiative to bridge the gap between him and the ministers since he is the CM," Singh said.

Nitish Kumar is likely to meet party MLAs and some senior leaders today to discuss the same, reports CNN-IBN.

The JD(U) leaders have reportedly obtained a green signal from RJD chief Lalu Prasad on this, reports Indian Express.

Sources told Indian Express that JD(U) president Sharad Yadav met Lalu to discuss the issue last week. Lalu reportedly told Yadav that he had no objection if JD(U) wanted to reinstate Nitish Kumar as CM.

Lat year, the JD(U) propped up Manjhi as the chief minister because Lalu didn't want to back Nitish. However, in the last few months, Nitish and Lalu have put their mutual bitterness behind them.

So, why has Lalu lost love for Manjhi now? According to reports, the RJD chief was upset after Manjhi made some pro-Narendra Modi noises.

Amid reports of his growing distance with Nitish Kumar, Manjhi on Monday said he would prefer it if his successor came from the Dalit community but he was duty-bound to back Nitish Kumar's candidature for the post if the JD(U) was voted to power in Assembly polls later this year.

"One must understand difference between kartavya (duty) and bhavna (sentiment)....in my case, I am duty-bound to back Nitish Kumar's candidature for the chief minister's post if the party is voted to power again during the Assembly polls later this year," he told reporters on the sidelines of the weekly programme 'Janata Ke Durbar Mein Mukhya Mantri' at his official residence.

The Chief Minister, at the same time, appeared to turn his back on the party line saying that his sentiments prompted him to say that he should be succeeded by a Dalit in the next government after the polls.

Outlining his reasons for backing a Dalit leader to succeed him, Manjhi, who himself comes from a mahadalit Mushar community, observed that a Dalit could care more about welfare of the poor and downtrodden sections of the society.

"A Dalit can think more about plight of the Dalit community and work for their welfare," he said in defence of his line for a Dalit to succeed him in the chief minister's post.

The assembly elections in Bihar are due in October-November this year.

With inputs from Agencies