Relatives get preference in HAM list of 13 nominees for Bihar polls

PATNA: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), an ally of the BJP, today declared the names of 13 candidates for Bihar polls with majority of them going to big leaders of the fledgling party and their family members.

As per the seat sharing agreement of the NDA allies, the HAM would contest 20 seats.

Announcing the names of 13 candidates, HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi said he would contest from his old seat Makhdumpur (reserved) in Jehanabad district.

Manjhi's son Santosh Kumar would be the party candidate from Kutumba (reserved seat) in Aurangabad district.

His another son Devendra Kumar was expected to contest from Masaurhi (reserved seat) in Patna district.

HAM Bihar president Shakuni Chaudhary has been made a candidate from Tarapur in Munger. His son Rakesh Kumar would be the HAM nominee from Khagaria.

Shakuni Chaudhary's another son Rakesh Kumar alias Samrat Chaudhary, who was a minister in the Manjhi ministry, was a MLA from Parbatta in Khagaria district and was expected to get nomination from there.

Elsewhere, the HAM has nominated legislators who sided with Manjhi in his fight against his mentor Nitish Kumar.

Former minister Brishen Patel would contest from his traditional seat Vaishali. Shahid Ali Khan has been made candidate from Sursand in Sitamarhi.

In Mahua in Vaishali district, HAM announced the name of Ravindra Rai, the sitting JD(U) MLA, whose membership was terminated for going against party.

Rai was expected to take on RJD president Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Mahua seat.