Manjhi skips, BJP boycotts all-party meeting in Bihar

Patna, Feb 16 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Monday failed to attend the all- party meeting called by Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary while the opposition BJP boycotted it.

Meanwhile, the Patna High Court restrained the Manjhi government Monday from taking any policy decisions. Manjhi can only work on routine matters till his majority is proved on the floor of the house, it said.

The all-party meeting was called to discuss the political crisis in the state and to look into the demand of the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) that they be recognised as the main opposition after Manjhi refused to step down and was expelled from the party while former chief minister Nitish Kumar, who was elected legislature party leader, was not invited to form the government.

Manjhi did not attend as he was in New Delhi while Bharatiya Janata Party legislators have boycotted it to express their displeasure over any such move till Manjhi's vote of confidence on the floor of the state assembly Feb 20.

The JD-U had demanded recognition as the main opposition party and separate sitting arrangements in the assembly in view of the upcoming trust vote.

Senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav, who is also leader of the opposition in the assembly, said they will not allow such a move and would move court if the Nitish Kumar-led JD-U faction is recognised as the main opposition party.