Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, also the patron of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), reiterated his request for a Rajya Sabha seat, emphasizing that the BJP had committed to providing his party representation in the Upper House. Manjhi, speaking at a private event in Jehanabad, highlighted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had pledged two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat to HAM. Despite this assurance, the promised Rajya Sabha seat has not materialized, leading Manjhi to express concerns about his party’s standing within the NDA alliance.
Manjhi, who accepted one Lok Sabha seat for the 2024 elections in line with alliance principles, was later appointed as a Union Minister in the Modi government. However, he stressed that HAM is entitled to a Rajya Sabha seat as per the earlier agreement. Manjhi even suggested that his son and party leader, Santosh Kumar Suman, could relinquish his ministerial position to secure the Rajya Sabha seat for HAM. While reaffirming his allegiance to the NDA and Prime Minister Modi, Manjhi warned that he would not stay silent if the commitment was not honored.
The political discourse within the NDA has heightened following Manjhi’s public statements, as discussions on seat-sharing and alliance commitments intensify ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar. Notably, Manjhi is vying for one of the five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar that will be vacant on April 9, 2026, including one currently held by Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Morcha. Manjhi’s persistence in claiming a seat has sparked conversations on alliance dynamics and political strategies within the region.
