Bihar Rural Development Minister Sharvan Kumar criticized Jitan Ram Manjhi’s decision to withdraw his Hindustani Awam Morcha from the state’s ruling Mahagathbandhan alliance. According to Kumar, Manjhi’s move was a self-goal which would ultimately hurt him. Kumar stated that Nitish Kumar had respected Manjhi, his son Santosh Kumar Suman, and their party to a great extent, which no one else could claim.
Furthermore, Kumar added that they were set to unite with the opposition in the country to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Therefore, if any politicians intended to leave their alliance, they would not be alarmed. Manjhi’s son, Santosh Kumar Suman, resigned as a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government a day after HAM(S) quit the Mahagathbandhan coalition. Manjhi urged his supporters to leave the coalition after the Grand Alliance declined to give him more than one seat to compete in the upcoming Bihar assembly election.