Patna, October 8, 2025 — As the political temperature rises in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, former Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) president Jitan Ram Manjhi has drawn attention with a poetic swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His remarks come amid intense discussions over seat-sharing arrangements within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), signaling potential friction among alliance partners.
Manjhi’s poetic remark — subtle yet sharp — hinted at his dissatisfaction with the BJP’s perceived dominance in the alliance. Without naming the saffron party directly, he quipped in Hindi, “Jo apne ko bada samjhe, usse bada koi nahi hota” (One who thinks himself great, finds none greater than himself). The statement, delivered during a public meeting in Gaya, was met with laughter and applause, but also raised eyebrows among political observers who viewed it as a veiled critique of the BJP’s approach to coalition politics.
Seat-Sharing Negotiations Underway
The NDA in Bihar, comprising the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Manjhi’s HAM, has begun deliberations on the distribution of seats for the upcoming assembly polls. With around 243 assembly constituencies in play, the discussions have become increasingly complex as each party seeks to assert its influence.
Sources close to the alliance indicate that the BJP is likely to contest the largest share of seats, followed by the JD(U), while smaller partners such as HAM and LJP are expected to receive limited allocations. However, Manjhi has made it clear that his party will not accept “symbolic” representation, insisting that HAM deserves a “respectable” number of seats due to its growing grassroots presence among Dalit voters.
Political Undercurrents in the NDA
Manjhi’s poetic jab is being interpreted as both a warning and a negotiation tactic. Political analysts believe that the HAM leader is leveraging his position to secure a more favorable deal within the NDA. Dr. Pramod Kumar, a Patna-based political analyst, commented, “Manjhi’s choice of words reflects a deeper unease within the alliance. His rhetoric serves to remind the BJP that smaller allies, though limited in numbers, hold significant caste-based clout in certain regions.”
Meanwhile, the BJP and JD(U) leaders have downplayed the incident, emphasizing that seat-sharing talks are “progressing smoothly.” Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary stated that all partners “will contest together to ensure a strong NDA victory,” while JD(U) leaders maintained that there is “no discord” within the alliance.
Opposition Keeps Watch
The opposition Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, has seized on the NDA’s internal rumblings. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari remarked that the poetic jibe reflects “frustration and distrust” among NDA partners, asserting that “the alliance is held together by power, not principles.”
The Road Ahead
As Bihar gears up for what promises to be a closely contested election, the dynamics within the NDA remain under scrutiny. Manjhi’s remarks, though wrapped in verse, have added a dramatic touch to the pre-election discourse, highlighting the fragile balance of power within the coalition.
Whether his poetic protest translates into tangible political leverage will depend on how the seat-sharing negotiations unfold in the coming weeks.
Keywords: Bihar elections 2025, Jitan Ram Manjhi, BJP, NDA, JD(U), seat-sharing, Bihar politics, Hindustani Awam Morcha, Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, RJD, Bihar assembly polls.
