Former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi quits NDA; joins 'RJD led grand-alliance'

Former Bihar CM, Hindustani Awam Morcha head, Jitan Ram Manjhi quits NDA on Wednesday and joined RJD led grand alliance. Earlier on Sunday, Jitan Ram Manjhi had demanded that his party be allotted a Rajya Sabha seat in the upcoming elections failing which the party will not support the BJP-led coalition in the next Lok Sabha poll and two Assembly by-polls.

Addressing the media along with Manjhi, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav said, 'he has been an old friend to my parents, we welcome him.'

"The NDA must announce at least one Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS) leader among its candidates for the six Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar. If that does not happen, our party workers will not campaign for candidates of the coalition in the by-polls," Manjhi said. The Rajya Sabha election is slated for March 23.

The by-polls for the Araria Lok Sabha seat and the Jehanabad and Bhabua Assembly seats are scheduled to be held on March 11.

Manjhi had formed HAMS after walking out of the JDU to protest alleged pressure to step down as chief minister in 2015 and make way for the return of Nitish Kumar. He had fought the Assembly polls held the same year as part of the NDA which lost to the Grand Alliance comprising the JDU, the RJD and the Congress.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)