In a stark admission of the high stakes ahead, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi declared on Sunday that the upcoming Bihar assembly elections represent a "do or die" moment for his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), as the party fights to shed its "registered but unrecognised" label after a decade in existence.

Speaking to reporters in his Gaya Lok Sabha constituency, the 80-year-old leader expressed deep frustration over HAM's failure to achieve recognized party status, calling it a source of personal humiliation. "To get the status, my party needs to win at least eight seats in the Vidhan Sabha or poll six per cent of the total votes," Manjhi explained, outlining two strategic paths forward.

The first option involves contesting at least 15 seats as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), where even a 50% strike rate could secure the required eight wins. Alternatively, HAM could field candidates across 50-100 seats, aiming to amass around 10,000 votes per constituency to hit the six percent vote share threshold.

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This comes on the heels of a recent national executive meeting in Delhi, where Manjhi stirred controversy by boldly claiming HAM could contest all 243 seats in Bihar. Confronted by the media back in Gaya, he quickly clarified that the statement was mere rhetoric intended to rally his party workers. "It was to enthuse our cadres," he said with a laugh.

Manjhi's political journey has been marked by turbulence. He founded HAM in 2015 after breaking away from the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), protesting then-Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's pressure to vacate the top post and pave the way for Kumar's return. Today, HAM remains a key NDA ally, but its survival hinges on electoral success.

Pressed on his preferred strategy for the polls, Manjhi remained coy, deferring to party hierarchy. "If I am authorised by the party to take a decision, I will certainly do the needful. I am not the national president. The post is held by Santosh Kumar Suman," he said. Suman, Manjhi's son and a minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet, serves in the state legislative council, while his wife Deepa and mother-in-law Jyoti Devi hold assembly seats—giving the family a firm foothold in Bihar politics.

Reiterating the gravity of the situation, Manjhi lamented, "The upcoming assembly polls present us with a do-or-die situation. I feel humiliated that even after 10 years, my party still falls under the category of registered but unrecognised."

As Bihar gears up for what promises to be a fiercely contested election, Manjhi's candid words underscore the precarious tightrope his party must navigate to cement its place in the state's volatile political landscape.

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