Patna, Dec 14 (IANS): Bihar Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Minister Ratnesh Sada on Thursday said that former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will face tough times ahead.

“When Jitan Ram Manjhi was with Nitish Kumar, he had taken the oath in support of liquor ban. He had supported it. Now, he is with the NDA, objecting to the ban and singing on the tunes of BJP,” Sada said.

Manjhi, after leaving the Mahagathbandhan, has been critical of Nitish Kumar and his policies especially the liquor ban. He is demanding withdrawal of the liquor ban in Bihar.

Reacting to Manjhi’s claims that poor people are getting penalised in the Liquor Prohibition Act, Sada said that the poor people are happy with the act.

“It has reduced crime against women in the state. Liquor is banned in Bihar and will remain so,” Sada said.

When asked about the chances of Nitish Kumar leadership in Bihar and his national prospects, Sada said: “Nitish Kumar is a better leader than Narendra Modi. The former respects every religion while the latter will only do religious politics. Everyone knows the work of Nitish Kumar.”