Patna, February 28 — Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader, Jitan Ram Manjhi, declared that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections later this year under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Speaking at a 'Dalit Samagam' event organized by his party, Manjhi dismissed opposition claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had plans to undermine Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)]. According to Manjhi, the NDA would secure more than 225 seats out of the 243 in the state assembly. "The NDA will win 225-plus seats under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," Manjhi affirmed.
Responding to a remark by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who suggested that the BJP would be concerned if Nishant Kumar, the Chief Minister's son, entered politics, Manjhi took a swipe at the opposition. "They are defeated people, and losers tend to speak this type of language," said the former Bihar Chief Minister. Yadav had earlier claimed that the BJP might fear Nishant's political entry, believing it could disrupt their strategy to overpower Nitish Kumar's party.
On the topic of Nitish Kumar’s son, Manjhi expressed support for Nishant's potential entry into politics. "Nishant is young and looks capable of handling public life. If he shows the inclination to enter active politics, we would welcome it," he remarked.
Nitish Kumar, once Manjhi’s political mentor, also made a brief appearance at the 'Dalit Samagam'. Among the attendees were other key NDA figures, including Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader, Samrat Choudhary.
With the assembly elections on the horizon, political dynamics in Bihar are increasingly heating up as various factions within the NDA continue to strengthen their alliances.
