Not joining NDA, will stay with grand alliance even if no seat offered: Jitan Ram Manjhi

Patna (Bihar) [India], Feb 13 (ANI): Clearing the air on his party’s seat-sharing expectations and their future in the Bihar grand alliance, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday said that they will remain in grand alliance even if not a single seat is offered.
“We will remain in Mahagathbandhan even if one seat is not given to us but if talks are held on seat-sharing we will only agree if we are offered a similar number of seats as other allies of Mahagathbandhan like Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP,” Kushwaha told ANI.
Asserting that his party will remain a part of the grand alliance and is not at all considering NDA, he told ANI: “We have said it earlier also, we are a part of the grand alliance and will stay a part of it. We came to help Lalu ji when nobody did. We are no less than anyone; our contribution is more in the grand alliance. There is no question of us joining the NDA.”
He also said that there will also be a meeting of his party’s core committee on February 18, following which the future course of action will be decided.
Yesterday, Manjhi had given rise to speculations of rift in the Bihar grand alliance after he had said that his party will under no circumstance accept any less number of seats than what RLSP will get.
"We will in no way accept any less number of seats than being offered to RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha,” he had told media person on the sidelines of a party meeting.
On February 11, RJD leader Tej Pratap had also met with Manjhi and had said that everyone will be given importance in the grand alliance.
“There is the importance of everyone in Major alliance (Mahagathbandhan), everyone plays their own role. The discussion was done over elections and how everything will work out. I have just come here to meet. After discussion we will tell you everything,” Tej Pratap had said. (ANI)