Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is seen as the “oddball” in the upcoming Assembly elections of 2015. The once low-profile politician, 
who was rarely noticed during his tenure as minister in successive state governments, has suddenly emerged as a noticeable player. Once perceived as a natural ally against chief minister Nitish Kumar, the politician is now paving a different path for the coming elections. He says there would be no enemy number 1. “In elections, every other party is an enemy,” he insists. He is currently busy drumming up support for the April 20 Gandhi Maidan rally. Manjhi spoke to Dipak Mishra of The Telegraph, outlining his political agenda and bitterness against the man who made him chief minister

People are confused about your political stance in a state poised for an electoral battle between the NDA and the Nitish-Lalu combine.

There is no ambiguity. I have said we will go for a post-poll alliance. Initially, I had said we would contest 125 seats. But that was before I saw the response of the people in Gaya. The crowds have swelled at public meetings I have addressed. Even the response in Darbhanga was very encouraging.

So, who will be enemy number 1 for you in the elections - the BJP or the Nitish Kumar-Lalu-combine?

In a battle, all are enemies. There is no enemy number 1 and enemy number 2. Those parties have no issues other than secularism and corruption. I will go to the polls with my agenda, which is development for all sections of society.

Before becoming chief minister, you were considered a low-profile politician. Why did Nitish Kumar select you to be the chief minister?

He did so because of a misconception. In 2005, when Nitish took oath as chief minister, I was made a minister. Then, because there was a case pending against me, the media started talking about a tainted person being sworn in. Nitish ji asked for my resignation the same day I took oath as minister. I sent my resignation within four hours. He thought I was docile and willing to do anything he says.

When did you start facing difficulties from Nitish and his followers after becoming chief minister?

There are no exact dates. But when I tried to do something for teachers, farmers, home guards, police constables, Mahadalits and other sections, I was told there was no money. I found that there was rampant corruption in government contracts and if I managed to stop it, there would be more than enough to give financial incentives to the sections I wanted to help. That is when I faced resistance.

During your tenure, you were charged with putting your party in an embarrassing position with your flip-flop statements.

I kept asking the leaders which statement had embarrassed the party. There was no reply. Instead, a few leaders made public statements against me. It became clear to me that Nitish ji wanted to be chief minister again. The statements made by me were appreciated at the London School of Economics when I went there to deliver a lecture.

In one of your statements, you dubbed Dalits and tribals as the original inhabitants and said the upper castes had come from outside India.

It is a historical fact. I was only saying what history says. I also said the upper castes had lived with us for thousands of years and were our brothers.

But it was Nitish who made you the chief minister. Should you not have resigned if he wanted you to resign?

Had Nitish personally asked me to resign, I would not have hesitated for even a minute before putting in my papers. But he did not do that. He got others to demand my resignation. The spokespersons and MLAs started issuing statements and even insulting me.