Patna, Oct 8 (IANS) Hours after Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi’s expressed his firm stance over seat-sharing within the NDA for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said Union MSME Minister’s “displeasure” is irrelevant, as the people of the state want change.

“Whether Jitan Ram Manjhi is angry or anyone else is, it doesn’t matter – the people of Bihar are deeply upset with the NDA government. This time, the people want change. They want a new government and a new Bihar,” Tejashwi said.

He further added that the people, fed up with “rising unemployment and inflation”, will ensure a change of regime in the upcoming elections.

Seat-sharing talks remain unresolved in both alliances.

Reports suggest that the Grand Alliance may announce its seat sharing formula by this evening, while discussions within the NDA are still ongoing.

Since the announcement of the Bihar Assembly election schedule, both alliances – the NDA and the Grand Alliance – have been engaged in intense internal negotiations over seat distribution.

Sources said Jitan Ram Manjhi, patron of HAM(S) and a key NDA ally, is dissatisfied with the current proposal and has insisted on contesting 15 seats.

He also warned that if his party is not allotted a respectable number of constituencies, HAM(S) may withdraw from the contest altogether.

Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday took to social media to reiterate his demand, quoting lines inspired by the Mahabharata to make his point.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, HAM(S) had contested seven seats and won four – Imamganj, Barachatti, Tikari, and Sikandara – achieving a strong strike rate within the NDA fold.

Initially, Union Minister Manjhi had demanded 40 seats for the 2025 elections, but has now scaled down his demand to 15.

His discontent follows that of Chirag Paswan, chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), who has also been pressing for a larger share of seats.

The opposition, particularly the RJD-led Grand Alliance, is closely watching the developments within the NDA.

–IANS

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