'Seat sharing not decided yet', says Jitan Manjhi after joining NDA, calls it no big deal

After former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced that his party would join the NDA ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections, speaking to news agency ANI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief revealed that there had been no discussions on seat-sharing yet. "We have forged an alliance with Janata Dal (United) and have become a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). There has been no discussion about seat-sharing in the next Bihar Assembly elections," said Jitan Ram Manjhi. 

Earlier in the day, party spokesperson Danish Rizwan said that the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) will not merge with any party and would rather be a part of the NDA. Moreover, he added that the number of seats the party will get to contest in the upcoming elections was never an issue for it as the HAM(S) will join the NDA for the development of the state. 

RJD loyalists jump ship to JDU

On the other hand, RJD is facing an exodus after the party expelled Gaighat MLA Maheshwar Prasad Yadav, Patepur MLA Prema Choudhary, and Sasaram MLA Ashok Kumar Kushwaha for 6 years on August 16. Accused of anti-party activities, these legislators joined JD(U) a day later. On August 20, three more legislators- Parsa MLA Chandrika Rai, Paliganj MLA Jai Vardhan Yadav and Keoti MLA Faraz Fatmi switched their loyalty to JD(U).

Read: Bihar Polls: Ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi Returns To NDA Fold; Says' Full Faith In Modi-Nitish'

Read: Bihar Polls: Another RJD MLA Quits Party; 7th Legislator To Join JD(U) In A Fortnight

Bihar Assembly polls

The Bihar Assembly election is expected to take place in October-November 2020. In the 2015 state polls, the Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats in the 243-member Assembly under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, the BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. 

However, a power tussle in the ruling alliance kicked off with Tejashwi Yadav's elevation as the Deputy Chief Minister and RJD's role as the single-largest party in the Bihar Assembly. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav. After BJP extended support to its former ally, Kumar again took oath as the CM. The BJP top brass has consistently maintained that the JD(U) president will be the alliance's CM face in the upcoming Assembly polls. 

Read: Bihar Elections: 'Anyone Who Has Faith In PM Modi Welcome,' Says BJP On Nitish-Manjhi Meet

Read: Bihar Polls: HAM President Jitan Ram Manjhi Meets CM Nitish Kumar, Hints At Coalition