Bihar Polls: Ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi returns to NDA fold; says' full faith in Modi-Nitish'

After days of hectic parleys between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and ex-chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, latter on Thursday has declared that his Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) will join NDA. This comes as a major development ahead of Bihar elections and a jolt to RJD. 

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) will t merge with any party, rar it will be a part of NDA in Bihar elections that is due in October-vember, party spokesperson Danish Rizwan said. Moreover, he added that number of seats party will get to contest in upcoming elections was never an issue for it as HAM(S) will join NDA for development of state. " party is firmly standing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for ir development works," he asserted.

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BJP says anyone accepting PM Modi's leadership welcomed in party

Ahead of assembly polls in Bihar, political alignments in state have begun, with BJP declaring that anyone who favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership is welcome to join ir fold. BJP chief JP Nadda also held a crucial meeting with party MPs to finalise its poll strategy. Talking about meeting, Jaiswal said Nadda told MPs to work for victory of BJP as well its NDA partners candidates in upcoming assembly polls. BJP's national president also instructed party MPs to visit at least 60 panchayats in September and interact with people.

READ | Bihar polls: HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi meets CM Nitish Kumar, hints at coalition

Manjhi was a close confidant of Nitish Kumar

Manjhi was a close confidant of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who even made him CM of state in 2014 after his own resignation after being routed in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. However, in ever-evolving political scene of Bihar, Manjhi in 2015 revolted against his mentor Nitish and was ousted after JDU MLAs pulled back ir support ahead of trust vote.  

With exit of Hindustani Awam Morcha, opposition Grand Alliance w comprises RJD, Congress, former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and ex-Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP). RJD also suffered a big jolt after senior RJD MLA Chandrika Rai - who was a close friend of Lalu Yadav and also Tej Pratap Yadav's far-in-law, and two MLAs Faraz Fatmi and Jaiwardhan Yadav joined ruling JD(U).

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Bihar elections 2020

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Bihar is all set to go to polls for a 243-member assembly seat in October-vember. In 2015 assembly polls, CM Nitish Kumar's JDU, n a part of Mahagathbandhan won 71 seats, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD won 80 seats, and Congress won 27 seats. BJP which fought elections alone after Kumar in 2013 broke 17-year-old alliance won a mere 53 seats out of 157 contested. However, saffron party came back to power when Kumar ditched Mahagathbandhan and once again stitched an alliance with BJP.

READ | Bihar polls: Ar RJD MLA quits party; 7th legislator to join JD(U) in a fortnight