Expelled JD(U) leader and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday announced launching of a new party “Hindustani Awam Morcha” (HAM).
He said the party would contest alone on all the 243 seats in the coming Bihar polls.
Manjhi announced launching of the new party at a press conference in Patna. He named former Bihar minister Shakuni Chaudhary as Bihar President of the HAM.
But, neither Manjhi nor 17 others rebel JD(U) MLAs names figure in the list of the new party for technical reasons.
“We will soon approach the Election Commission for registration of the new party with a flag (green on top and bottom while middle portion will be white with the word HAM),” Manjhi flanked by Shakuni Chaudhary and two rebel JD(U) MLAs Nitish Mishra and Anil Kumar, told reporters.
“Once the new party is registered we will become part of it,” Manjhi and others said.
After being expelled from JD(U) and removed from the Chief Minister’s chair, Manjhi and his supporting MLAs had floated a non-political organisation “Hindustani Awam Morcha” (HAM) which was given the shape of a political party by him on Friday.
Manjhi and his supporting MLAs had earlier claimed that once the merger of splinter parties into Janata Parivar was completed and JD(U) leaves its Arrow symbol they would claim it.
But, with the merger of the unified Janata party taking time, Manjhi and supporters decided on Friday to launch a new party. Manjhi said the new party would field candidates on all 243 seats in the upcoming election.
Names of 108 leaders were announced in the Bihar unit of the party. It comprises former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, ex-MP Brahamdeo Anand Paswan and former state ministers and legislators like Ganesh Yadav, Ram Kumar Yadav, Om Prakash Paswan, K D Yadav and Ramchandra Prasad Singh.
Manjhi spitted venom against his mentor Nitish Kumar and identified him as the new party’s “number one enemy”.
On expelled RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, Manjhi said he would welcome him if he decides to work with him.
Asked if the new party could enter into alliance with Congress, Manjhi said “we will keep distance from any party having any kind of tie-up with Nitish Kumar.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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