Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday claimed that the BJP-led NDA did not offer his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), , an ally of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a fair deal in the Lok Sabha elections last year.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sildelines of the HAM's national executive meeting here, Manjhi stated that he had discussed the issue with BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda and JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha, among others.
"My party members have been feeling sidelined by the BJP and JD(U). Both Nadda and Jha have assured me that our concerns will be addressed directly in the assembly elections due later this year," added the former Bihar CM.
Manjhi alleged that his party was promised "two Lok Sabha seats and one berth in the Rajya Sabha," but "because of our loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we remained content with what was actually offered."
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, HAM received only one seat, Gaya, which Manjhi contested and made his parliamentary debut at the age of 80.
The HAM founder disclosed his aspirations for the assembly elections, in which JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar is expected to run for a fifth consecutive term in office, saying he wants to contest "35-40 seats" of the 243-member House.
"We contested seven seats in 2020, winning four. I believe that if HAM has 20 MLAs, it will be able to effectively push its pro-Dalit agenda, regardless of who is the chief minister. For a tally of 20 or more, we need 35-40 seats to compete," Manjhi stated.
In addition to the JD(U), BJP, and HAM, the NDA in Bihar comprises Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, led by Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha.
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