Bihar: Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks Rajya Sabha seat for his party HAM (S)

Speaking to reporters, Manjhi said his party had been promised two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat during seat-sharing talks ahead of the 2024 general elections.

"In the 2024 elections, we were promised two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat. At that time, we were given one Lok Sabha seat, which we won, and we thank the Prime Minister for appointing us as a minister; however, the Rajya Sabha seat is still pending. When the Rajya Sabha elections happen in April, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) should get one seat. This is our demand, and this is what we were saying to our party officials," Manjhi stated,

The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) is a Dalit-centric regional party in Bihar founded by Jitan Ram Manjhi in 2015 after his split from the Janata Dal (United). Manjhi, a prominent Mahadalit leader, served as Bihar's Chief Minister for a brief period from 2014 to 2015 and has since positioned HAM(S) as a key voice for marginalised communities.

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, HAM(S) aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. Following the NDA's victory at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Manjhi was inducted into the Union Council of Ministers.

Earlier in November, following NDA's landslide victory in Bihar Assembly polls, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had said there was "kanjoosi" (miserliness) within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to give more seats to his party, still, he did not protest as he was "disciplined within the alliance."

He said his demand for more seats is linked to his efforts to obtain recognition as a "recognised political party" from the Election Commission of India (ECI). Without that status, he says he faces "humiliation at many places."

"Our party has been in existence for 10 years, but we are yet to become a recognised party; we're a registered party, and due to this, we have to face humiliation at many places," Manjhi told reporters. (ANI)