Manjhi seeks fair number of assembly seats from NDA
13 July 2015 6:35 AM IST
“We are seeking respect and (hence) a respectable number of seats from the NDA in upcoming assembly polls....so long as we get respect, there will be no deviation otherwise all options are open to us,” he told reporters at a joint press conference with the Jan Adhikar Party founder leader Pappu Yadav.
Manjhi said that his party will be compelled to explore other options if the NDA failed to come <g data-gr-id="37">upto</g> his expectation of number of seats for the HAM (Secular) in the assembly polls due in Bihar in a couple of months’ time.
With Pappu Yadav sitting on his side, the former chief minister made it clear that he may explore <g data-gr-id="28">alliance</g> with the MP from Madhepura, who has recently junked the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad to float his outfit.
On his equations with the Jan Adhikar Party founder, Manjhi said that the two shared identical views on socio-economic and political issues, besides issues related to deprived sections of the society.
“We have been together on a host of political issues for quite some,” the HAM (Secular) leader said about his relations with Pappu Yadav.
The Jan Adhikar Party founding leader too praised the former chief minister saying he was a bigger leader than the incumbent chief minister Nitish Kumar and the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.
“If the secular alliance can project Nitish Kumar as its face in the assembly polls, then the NDA too should come forward with Manjhi’s candidature,” Yadav said.
The Madhepura MP said that the HAM (Secular) leader was any day more powerful than either the JD(U) leader or RJD supremo as he enjoyed the backing of 22 <g data-gr-id="36">per cent</g> <g data-gr-id="35">dalit</g> population.
Manjhi’s latest political move as well as his subtle hints to go with Pappu Yadav in the event of not getting desired number of seats for the assembly polls may have caused heartburn for the BJP leadership which had recently overcome similar move of muscle flexing by another ally - Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).
Council victory to enhance BJP’s bargaining power
BJP's strong show in the Bihar Legislative Council polls has not only boosted its morale ahead of the crucial Assembly elections due later this year but also enhanced its bargaining power vis-a-vis allies in the seat-sharing talks.
With BJP winning 11 of the 18 Council seats it contested, Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP pocketing only one of the four and Upendra Singh Kushwaha-led RLSP none out of the two they fought, BJP sources said the results were a reflection of the ground reality. Allies like Union Minister Kushwaha-led RLSP and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani <g data-gr-id="49">Awam</g> Morcha (Secular), which did not contest the Council poll, have been demanding many more seats than what BJP is willing to concede, saffron party sources said.
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