Grand alliance in a flux in Bihar

Ahead of election in 2020, Manjhi-led HAM(S) has been keeping it on edge

Grand plans: HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi, LJD leader Sharad Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Singh of the Congress.

Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) president Jitan Ram Manjhi’s plan to organise a joint rally with Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens in minority-dominated Kishanganj district, on December 29, has triggered speculation about new political equations taking shape in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections due in October-November 2020.

Loaded statements

While Mr. Manjhi’s HAM(S) is currently part of Opposition

mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the former Chief Minister has been keeping the alliance on edge with his loaded statements.

Recently, he caused embarrassment to the alliance by demanding that it appoint a convener to avoid any confusion among the partners. Congress leaders backed Mr. Manjhi’s demand, and said a convener would be appointed soon but nothing has happened as yet. Seemingly sidelined in the mahagathbandhan , Mr. Manjhi is reported to be exploring new political equations and platforms ahead of the upcoming Assembly election.

‘Dalit-Muslim bloc’

“Mr. Manjhi’s political game plan could be to bring Dalits and Muslims, both are in sizeable number in the State, on a common political platform to make it a big electoral force during the 2020 Assembly poll and this joint rally with AIMIM in Kishanganj may be the first step in that direction,” retired Patna University Professor N. K. Chaudhury told

The Hindu . In Bihar, Muslims constitute 17% of the population, while Schedules Castes are about 16%. “Together, they could make a major dent in the secular votes in the election,” Mr. Chaudhury said.

In October, AIMIM candidate Qamrul Hoda won the Kishanganj Assembly byelection defeating BJP candidate Sweety Singh by more than 10,000 votes. AIMIM’s Bihar president, former MLA Akhtarul Iman, said the proposed joint HAM(S)-AIMIM rally would be the first of its kind in the State and would be held at Kishanganj’s Ruidhasa Maidan. Apart from the AIMIM chief, the Maharashtra cadre IPS officer who had recently resigned from the service in protest against the CAA, Abdur Rahman, too would address the rally, Mr. Iman confirmed.