Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks 15 Seats, threatens to withdraw from Bihar Polls

Unease over seat sharing in the NDA ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar seemed to become evident with Jitan Ram Manjhi threatening not to contest the polls if his party, the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), is not allotted at least 15 seats.

However, the former Chief Minister clarified that his party will remain in the NDA fold, reported NDTV, adding that BJP president JP Nadda has spoken to Jitan Ram Manjhi over the issue.

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‘Don’t want humiliation’

Manjhi said that his party.the Hindustan Awam Morcha, was requesting from the NDA leaders a respectable number of seats, as he does not want it to be humiliated. He also said that he does not have a Chief Ministerial ambition but only wants his party to get recognised.

"We are praying to NDA leaders because we feel humiliated. We need a respectable number of seats so that we get recognition as a party. If we do not get the proposed number of seats, we will not contest the election,” said Manjhi.

We will support NDA, but we won't contest the election. I don't want to become Chief Minister. I just want our party to be recognised," he added as quoted by NDTV.

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Manjhi’s seat-sharing hints

Earlier in the day, Manjhi dropped clear hints over his party’s demand for more seats for the Bihar Assembly elections by tweaking legendary poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's lines, saying that he wants “15 villages” to suggest 15 seats.

The original poem narrates a desperate attempt by Lord Krishna to prevent the Mahabharata battle.

"If there is justice, then give half/ If there is any obstacle in that/then give only 15 grams/ Keep your entire land/ We will happily eat that/ And not raise a sword against kin,” posted Manjhi in Hindi.

This can roughly be summarised as “If justice is to be given, then give me even half of it. If that too is difficult, give me just 15 grams of it and keep the rest of the land for yourself. I will gladly accept that small share and will never raise arms against our own.”

The former Chief Minister replaced 5 villages with 15 in his X post.

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HAM Bihar chief says no rift in NDA

Later in the day, State Minister and national president of Hindustani Awaam Morcha Santosh Kumar Suman said that Manjhi has expressed his views, and they were hopeful that the NDA would consider it sympathetically.

"(In NDA) there is no rift. He (Jitan Ram Manjhi) has put forward his views and demands, as well as the concerns of the public and workers. We believe that NDA understands this and it will be considered sympathetically...Everything will be clear by tomorrow,” said Suman as quoted by ANI.