Patna, Feb. 4: Uncertainty escalated over Jitan Ram Manjhi's fate today as his party's top bosses refused to give any guarantee on the chief minister's future in the run-up to the Assembly elections due later this year.

What indicated the isolation of Manjhi - alone battling opposition from several ministers, legislators and spokesmen believed to be close to his predecessor Nitish Kumar - was his absence from the training camp at the former chief minister's house.

Today's session was supposed to be attended by all JDU leaders. Insiders believe Manjhi did not attend the session for fear of being "heckled" by JDU legislators, ministers and supporters who are gunning for his (Manjhi's) head.

JDU president Sharad Yadav, who addressed the session, virtually refused to give a guarantee on Manjhi's future. Asked if Manjhi will continue as the chief minister, he said: " Yeh phaltu question hai (It is a useless question)." Pointedly asked if Manjhi will be removed, Sharad said: " Mujhe kuch nahin kehna hai (I have nothing to say)."

JDU's national spokesman and Sharad aide K.C. Tyagi initially threw the ball in Sharad's court, but later hinted that he was not favourably disposed towards Manjhi. "Our national president (Sharad) is here and he is the final authority to speak on such issues," Tyagi said.

However, when pointed out that RJD boss Lalu Prasad too has said Manjhi's fate was the JDU's internal matter and Nitish should take a call on it, Tyagi said: "I too have read Laluji's remarks in the newspapers. The party should go by what Laluji has stated."

Nitish, who stayed put in the almost nine-hour session at his 7 Circular Road home, remained incommunicado.

Asked if his future was uncertain, Manjhi, while speaking on the sidelines of a government function at Samvad, shot back: "Has Nitishji told you anything about my future?" When it was pointed out to him that his party leaders were not defending him, Manjhi said: "I am the CM and do not face any uncertainty until Nitishji communicates anything to me otherwise. I don't care what others say."

But Manjhi's isolation became pronounced with transport minister Ramai Ram, who had earlier batted for him, doing a turnaround. "Manjhi will be removed as the CM within 15 days," Ram told reporters in Jehanabad. To Manjhi's chagrin, his ministerial colleagues who had so far been backing him - Narendra Singh, Brishen Patel and Nitish Mishra - remained silent despite much prodding.

Sources revealed that uncertainty over Manjhi's fate has grown since Lalu has become reluctant in defending the chief minister.

Grapevine has it that Lalu initially wished to "guard" Manjhi since the state's first Musahar chief minister's continuation was politically beneficial for the Janata Parivar. But Manjhi reportedly annoyed Lalu by breaking bread with his (Lalu's) estranged brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav and also getting "cosy" with Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy - the RJD chief's arch foe who defeated Rabri Devi in Saran in last year's Lok Sabha elections.

The sources said the JDU leadership, and also the top leaders of the Janata Parivar factions, while miffed with Manjhi, are still uncertain about the political impact of any action against him.