"Was never true soldier of NDA": HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi after Pashupati Paras resigns as Union Minister

Gaya (Bihar) [India], March 19 (ANI): Reacting to the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras as Union Minister and alleging 'injustice' in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), former Bihar CM and Hindustani Awam Morch (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi said that the former was never a true soldier of the NDA.
"He used to make two kinds of statements. He used to call himself a soldier of NDA and now he has left the NDA. This means he was never a true soldier of the NDA. I won't like to comment more on this, it's their matter," the HAM leader said.
Manjhi's statement comes after Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned as union minister, a day after his party was denied any seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.
Speaking to ANI, the RLJP President said, "Yesterday, the NDA alliance announced the list of 40 candidates for Bihar Lok Sabha...Our party had five MPs and I worked with utmost sincerity. Injustice has been done to us and our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union Minister."
On Monday, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced seat-sharing in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls, with the BJP set to contest 17 seats and JD-(U) 16. Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest one seat each. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest five seats.
Among the major seats that the BJP will be contesting are Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Aara, Buxar and Sasaram.
The JD(U) has been given seats in Valmikinagar, Sitamadhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Jehanabad and Sheohar.
On the other hand, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui. Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest Gaya and Karakat, respectively.
The Lok Sabha elections in Bihar will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19 and concluding on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had won 17 seats with a vote share of 24.1 per cent, JD(U) secured victory on 16 seats with a vote share of 22.3 per cent.
On the other hand, LJP had won 6 seats with a vote share of 8 per cent while INC had won only one seat with a vote share of 7.9 per cent. (ANI)