London: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has claimed that his party JD-U's stand of dumping the BJP last year, in protest against the latter appointing Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, has made no difference to the growth story in Bihar.

Speaking exclusively to RAY after delivering a lecture at the London School of Economics (LSE), Manjhi, clad in crisp white dhoti and kurta with a black waistcoat, said: "Economic growth in Bihar is as high as it was when we (JD-U) had an alliance with BJP and (it) will go higher."