HAM not to insist on contesting Jahanabad bypoll: Manjhi

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today said his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) would not insist on contesting Jahanabad seat but voiced displeasure over delay by NDA in announcing candidates for the three seats in Bihar, where by-elections are scheduled next month.
The HAM president had last week said that the district unit of his party in Jahanabad had passed a resolution staking claim over the assembly seat which has fallen vacant upon the death of RJD MLA Mundrika Yadav.
Bypolls are also scheduled on March 11 in Araria Lok Sabha seat, necessitated by the death of RJD MP Mohd Taslimuddin, and Bhabhua assembly segment which has fallen vacant upon the death of BJP MLA Anand Bhushan Pandey.

"I realized that my party's desire to contest the seat was leading to some discomfort within the NDA. So we have decided not to stake claim over the seat. I want the NDA to do well and not suffer defeat", Manjhi told reporters here.
The HAM leader, however, added "it is regrettable that we are yet to finalize our candidates for any of the three seats. We should have announced our nominees 15-20 days ago. That way we would have been able to build a tempo in our favour. The opposition appears to have stolen a march over us on this count".

Manjhi was referring to the Congress-RJD combine having come out with its formula for seat sharing in the three seats. The RJD has announced its candidates for Araria and Jahanabd, giving tickets to sons of the deceased incumbents in both places. The Congress is likely to announce its candidate for Bhabhua shortly.
In the NDA camp, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) has announced that it would not contest any of the three seats as these had been vacated upon the death of incumbents, none of whom belonged to the party.
Media reporters have highlighted competitive claims made by HAM and RLSP of Union minister Upendra Kushwaha for Jehanabad assemby seat to discomfort of NDA.