NEW DELHI/PATNA: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, along with his son and former minister Santosh Kumar Suman, met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday.
After the 45-minute meeting, Suman announced that the party would contest both the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 assembly polls in the state as part of the BJPled National Democratic Alliance (NDA). HAM has four MLAs.
Two days ago, HAM withdrew its support to the grand alliance government. Suman had quit the Nitish Kumar cabinet on June 13 saying he was under pressure by the CM to merge HAM with JD(U). Speculation is rife that Manjhi may get the governor’s post.
Former minister Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal is likely to join NDA. In fact, Kushwaha has already given indications about him joining NDA. There are also chances that two other leaders — Chirag Paswan and Mukesh Sahani, may also join BJP.