Jitan Manjhi, Upendra Kushwaha meet BJP's Dharmendra Pradhan ahead of govt formation in Bihar

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) supremo Jitan Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha have held separate meetings with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was the BJP's election in-charge in Bihar, at his residence here.

The BJP's in-charge of political affairs in Bihar, Vinod Tawde, was also present when the two NDA allies visited Pradhan's residence on Sunday. This comes amid the NDA's preparations to form a government in Bihar after its landslide victory in the state assembly polls.

"Met Union Minister and Bihar BJP in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and Bharatiya Janata Party's general secretary Vinod Tawde, who worked tirelessly to ensure a massive victory of the NDA in the Bihar Assembly elections, 2025, and congratulated them," Manjhi, who is also a Union minister, said in an X post.

He also posted pictures of his meeting with the two BJP leaders.

After meeting Pradhan at his residence, Kushwaha, in a post in Hindi on X, said, "I met Union Education Minister and in-charge of Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar elections, Dharmendra Pradhan, and congratulated him on the grand victory of the NDA."

The RLM chief also posted a picture of his meeting with the senior BJP leader.

Sources said both Manjhi and Kushwaha discussed with the BJP leader government formation in Bihar and representation of their parties in the state cabinet.

Decks were being cleared on Sunday for the formation of a new government in Bihar with the scheduling of the last meeting of the outgoing cabinet, which would, understandably, authorise Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to take necessary action.

According to a notification of the cabinet secretariat department, the council of ministers will meet on Monday, when, according to a senior JD(U) leader, a resolution will be passed to "authorise" Kumar to meet the governor with the proposal to dissolve the outgoing assembly.