Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday made a blistering attack on his mentor-turned-rival Nitish Kumar saying he made a blunder, if not error, by making him Chief Minister.

“Nitish Kumar erred in thinking that I’ll be a puppet in his hand. He thought of Jitan Ram Manjhi by minimizing his persona”, declared the Bihar chief minister while addressing media persons at his official residence.

Mr. Manjhi also said that he would request the Governor for his direction to get the floor test in state assembly only through “secret ballot”.

Earlier, Nitish Kumar had said he made a mistake in making him [Mr Manjhi] as Chief Minister and now he wanted to rectify his error by replacing him from his post.

Mr. Manjhi, though, has refused to make way for Nitish Kumar and was ready for floor test inside the state assembly on February 20.

Meeting both leaders, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has directed the Speaker to hold a vote of confidence on the floor of the House on the first day of the budget session either through “lobby division” or “secret ballot”.

Mr. Manjhi had earlier requested the Governor for the secret ballot voting as most of the party MLAs were under pressure and feeling threatened.

“I would like to thank the Governor for accepting our demand but again in a day or two, I’d meet him to request that the trust vote should only be done through secret ballot”, said Mr. Manjhi. He also claimed to have support of all his party MLAs and he will prove it on February 20.

“Nitish Kumar is involved in horse trading by keeping the MLAs and taking them to Delhi bearing huge expenses”, he charged further.

Mr. Manjhi also declared that if he would fail to win the trust vote on the floor of he assembly he would resign from his post the next moment.

“But, like a wrestler I’ll keep fighting without thinking of the outcome”, he declared.

While explaining why and how the he fell out from his predecessor who had made him the chief minister, Mr. Manjhi said when he realised he had become a “puppet” in the hands of Mr. Kumar and would not be able to do anything for the welfare of poor people, his self-respect prompted him to make justice with the post he was holding.

“When I started taking action against brokers, corrupt officials, bureaucrats, and even politicians I came into their (Nitish Kumar and his camp followers) firing line”, he said while counting numerous welfare achievements he had done for the poor and depraved section of the society.

“But, in spite of all that if Nitish Kumar had asked me directly to step down I would have quit the post next moment but he started sending me messages through party leaders which I refused to comply”, he said.

“I did not know that Nitish Kumar had such an orthodox mindset against those working for poor, dalit and mahadalit section of society”, Mr. Manjhi said.

While justifying his work and welfare measures done for the poor people and dalit section of society, Mr. Manjhi further asserted that the vote bank of JD(U) has increased during his period.

“Earlier, for the first one-two months I was working under pressure but now I’ve come out on my own and started doing what I’m supposed to do for the deprived section of the society, irrespective of any caste or community”, he said.

“And, if I fail to win the confidence motion in the assembly I’ll make an emotional speech there and step down immediately from my post”, Mr. Manjhi declared.

But, till then, “where there is will, there is way”, he summed up.