Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM-Secular) on Monday formally decided to snap its alliance with the Mahagathbandhan. Party president Jitan Manjhi has already sought an appointment with Bihar governor in this regard.
The decision was taken at a crucial executive committee meeting of the party held here for the first time after snapping ties with the grand alliance government in Bihar. At present, the HAM has a total of four MLAs and one MLC.
With the exit of HAM, the seven-party grand alliance is reduced to six now ahead of the Opposition meeting of non-NDA partners in Patna on March 23. The six allies are: RJD, JDU, Congress, CPI, CPM and CPI-ML.
Manjhi’s son, Santosh Suman resigned from the Nitish cabinet on June 13. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Suman said: “We will submit a copy of withdrawal of support from the Mahagathbandhan partner to the governor”.
He said party workers have authorised the patron of the party and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi to take decision which will be acceptable for all party members.
“We are now going to New Delhi to decide the future course of action. All options are open for us now. If BJP invites, then we will also meet the party leaders,” Suman told reporters.
He further said, “We can fight alone since we have already nurtured some constituencies. We can go for NDA also. We can also join the third front. All options are open, let’s see what they have to offer us.”
Political observers strongly feel that the Manjhi has got a clear offer from the BJP to join the NDA alliance. The party is optimistic about getting some berth for him and his son Santosh Suman in the Lok Sabha election, said an observer.
“We will be in a position to tell you about our future course of action only after return from Delhi in a couple of days,” Suman said, adding, “I resigned from the minister’s post to protect the party after Nitishji gave a proposal to merge the HAM with the JDU.”
A day after Suman’s resignation, BIhar CM Nitish Kumar accused Manjhi of ‘spying’ on Mahagathbandhan allies for the benefit of BJP.