Jitan Ram Manjhi

Jitan Ram Manjhi hurls abuses against Brahmins; BJP, RJD hit back

HAM (S) president Jitan Ram Manjhi  shows her finger marked with indelible ink after cast their vote at Polling station for the  first phase Bihar Assembly polls, at Atri  in Gaya district on Wednesday.

Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar Assembly polls

Ram Manjhi, Hindustani Awam Morcha, HAM

Shyam Rajak

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Ham(S) Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi at a function in Patna. Photo:PTI

Former Bihar Chief Minister and HAM (S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi meets with Haj pilgrims at Gaya airport on Thursday, 27 August 2015 <b>Picture by PTI</b>

<div>
	Jitan Ram Manjhi is an Indian politician and a significant figure in Bihar&#39;s political landscape. He won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bihar&#39;s Gaya constituency with 494,960 votes out of the 963,676 total votes, or 51.36 per cent of vote share. His main opponent Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Kumar Sarvjeet managed to bag 40.8 per cent of vote share. On 10 June, 2024, Manjhi was appointed as the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises under the newly formed NDA govt after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He has previously served as the 23rd Chief Minister of Bihar from May 2014 to February 2015. Born on October 6, 1944, in Mahkar, Gaya district, Bihar, Manjhi comes from the Musahar community, which is a Dalit community. His commitment to education and social service laid the groundwork for his future political career.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Educational background</strong></div>
<div>
	Jitan Ram Manjhi completed his early education in his native village in the Gaya district of Bihar. He pursued higher education at Magadh University in Bodh Gaya, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.</div>

<div>
	<br />
	<strong>Political History</strong></div>
<div>
	Manjhi began his political journey with the Indian National Congress (INC) and was first elected as a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1980 from the Fatehpur constituency. Over the years, he shifted his political allegiance several times, joining the Janata Dal and later the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), before finally aligning with the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)].</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Throughout his career, Manjhi held various ministerial positions in the Bihar government, handling portfolios such as SC/ST Welfare, Transport, and Revenue &amp; Land Reforms. His administrative experience and focus on social justice and development earned him recognition as a dedicated public servant. In May 2014, Jitan Ram Manjhi was appointed as the Chief Minister of Bihar following the resignation of Nitish Kumar. Kumar stepped down after his party, JD(U), performed poorly in the 2014 general elections. Manjhi&#39;s appointment was seen as a move to strengthen the support base among the Dalit community. During his tenure as Chief Minister, Manjhi implemented several welfare schemes aimed at uplifting marginalised communities and improving social infrastructure. However, Manjhi&#39;s term as Chief Minister was marked by political instability and internal conflicts within the JD(U). Disagreements between Manjhi and Nitish Kumar led to a power struggle, culminating in Manjhi&#39;s resignation in February 2015. Nitish Kumar then returned to the position of Chief Minister.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following his resignation, Manjhi formed his own political party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)], in April 2015. The party aimed to represent the interests of marginalised communities and weaker sections of society. In the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, HAM(S) aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Although HAM(S) did not win many seats, it remained an important ally in Bihar&#39;s political scenario. Manjhi&#39;s political journey took another turn in 2018 when HAM(S) exited the NDA and joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led alliance, Mahagathbandhan, ahead of the 2019 general elections. This move was seen as an effort to consolidate support among the opposition parties against the BJP-JD(U) coalition in Bihar. In the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, HAM(S) contested as part of the Mahagathbandhan. However, post-elections, Manjhi realigned with the NDA, rejoining the alliance in a strategic move to maintain his political relevance and continue his efforts towards social justice and development.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Jitan Ram Manjhi&#39;s political career is characterised by his focus on social justice, particularly for marginalised communities. His journey from a humble background to holding the highest political office in Bihar reflects his dedication to public service.</div>

Jitan Ram Manjhi is an Indian politician and a significant figure in Bihar's political landscape. He won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bihar's Gaya constituency with 494,960 votes out of the 963,676 total votes, or 51.36 per cent of vote share. For more info., visit Business Standard.

Page 2 - Latest Updates on Jitan Ram Manjhi

BJP fumes over ally Jitan Manjhi's Lord Ram 'not god' comment

Jitan Ram Manjhi hurls abuses against Brahmins; BJP, RJD hit back

Issue of Dalit dignity leaves Jitan Manjhi and Bihar BJP at loggerheads

Bihar elections 2020: Jitan Ram Manjhi blames RJD regime for job scarcity

Ahead of Bihar Assembly polls, Jitan Ram Manjhi set to join NDA again

As Bihar Assembly election gets nearer, Dalit politics gathers momentum

Manjhi's HAM quits Bihar Grand Alliance, may fill Dalit space in NDA

Received Rahul Gandhi's assurance: Manjhi on coordination in Grand Alliance

Jitan Ram Manjhi: Bihar neta who jumped BJP ship at the right time

Jitan Ram Manjhi quits NDA to join RJD-led grand alliance in Bihar