Reports of trouble in NDA surface as Jitan Ram Manjhi alleges his party wasn't given fair deal
Patna: Signs of unease within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have begun to emerge, with Union minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi alleging that his party was not given a fair deal in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, the former Bihar chief minister said he had raised concerns about the issue with BJP national president J.P. Nadda and JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha. "My party workers have been feeling sidelined by both the BJP and JD(U)," Manjhi said. However, he added that both Nadda and Jha have assured him that their concerns will be addressed appropriately in the upcoming assembly elections.
According to Manjhi, the HAM was initially promised two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha berth. “But out of loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we accepted what was ultimately given,” he revealed. In the 2024 general elections, HAM was allocated just one seat—Gaya—which Manjhi contested and won.
Looking ahead to the Bihar Assembly elections which is expected to be held during October-November this year, Manjhi said he wanted his party to contest 35-40 seats in the 243 seat-strong assembly.
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Niqab incident: Nitish Kumar perhaps revealing his true colours, says J-K CM
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday criticised his Bihar counterpart over the niqab incident and said that Nitish Kumar might be slowly revealing his true nature.
"Nitish Kumar, who was once considered a secular leader, may be slowly showing his true colours," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.
Abdullah said Kumar removing the face veil of a Muslim woman doctor was wrong and cannot be justified by any means.
"We have seen this kind of incident here several years ago. Have you forgotten how Mehbooba Mufti removed the burqa of a legitimate voter inside a polling station? That act was wrong, and this act (of Kumar) is also wrong.
"If the (Bihar) chief minister did not want to hand over the order to her (Muslim woman), they could have kept her aside. However, to humiliate her like this is totally wrong," the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Kumar stirred a huge controversy after he removed the face veil of a Muslim woman at a function earlier this week.
