Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, former Bihar Chief Minister and founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) Jitan Ram Manjhi demanded five seats for his party in the coming election but after meeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 7, he asserted he would remain with Mr. Kumar whether he gets the desired number of seats or not. The very next day on June 8, he met the Governor and thereafter on June 9, his party had a core committee meeting in Patna to chalk out election and organisational strategies.
Recently, Mr. Manjhi also had a meeting with Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah in Delhi.
The mercurial Mr. Manjhi has been keeping everyone guessing on what would be his next political move. “We want at least five seats, which is very less as we are preparing on all 40 parliamentary seats in the State. It would be good if Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gives us a respectable share of seats and that would be better for the alliance as well,” Mr. Manjhi told media persons in Patna on June 4. The five Lok Sabha seats his party is said to have sought are Gaya, Jamui, Aurangabad, Samastipur and Purnia. He added that “whichever side the HAM(S) supports, it wins the poll”. Mr. Manjhi’s party HAM(S) is currently part of the seven-party mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government in Bihar.
