Patna: Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) secured six seats each in the NDA for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. However, the reduced seat allocation has sparked internal discontent, posing a challenge to maintaining unity among leaders and workers.
HAM appears to be the most affected. Several senior leaders have already switched to the Jan Suraaj Party. Among them, Laxman Manjhi from Bodhgaya, Dr. Shashi Yadav from Tekari, and Rajeshwar Manjhi from Masaurhi have been nominated as Jan Suraaj candidates. Notably, Rajeshwar Manjhi was the national president of HAM’s SC/ST cell, Shashi Yadav served as national general secretary, and Laxman Manjhi was the state general secretary.
Jitan Ram Manjhi had originally staked claims to 15 seats, including Ghosi, Sherghati, Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Morwa, and Makhdumpur. Many party leaders, disappointed at missing out on HAM tickets, are reportedly preparing to contest as independents.
Political experts say that both Manjhi and Kushwaha were aware that the lower number of allotted seats could generate resentment. Their previous claims of 15–20 seats were largely aimed at reassuring party workers and asserting their importance within the NDA.
Currently, HAM has only one seat, Attari, available for a new candidate, and even here, close relatives of leaders have strong claims.
Public Displays of Discontent
Both leaders have expressed their frustrations publicly while trying to manage party morale. Late Sunday night, Upendra Kushwaha addressed party workers on social media, writing:
“I apologize to all of you. The number of seats did not meet your expectations. I understand this decision will upset thousands, including my colleagues who wished to contest. Many homes may not have cooked food today. But you all understand my and the party’s constraints. Behind any decision, there are circumstances that are visible from the outside, but there are also those that are not. I humbly request you to let your anger subside, and then you will feel for yourself whether the decision is right or wrong. Only time will tell.”
On Monday morning, Kushwaha posted a poetic message:
“Today the clouds conspired again, it rained where my house was. If Falak is determined to strike lightning, we are also determined to build our homes there.”
The post is widely seen as an attempt to elicit sympathy from party workers. Similarly, Manjhi has expressed subtle disappointment while accepting the NDA’s six-seat allocation.
Observers warn that ongoing dissatisfaction among HAM and RLSP leaders could potentially affect the NDA’s prospects in Bihar if internal cohesion is not maintained.
