Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) on Thursday quit the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), reported PTI.

“HAM will no longer be a constituent of the grand alliance. The party has decided to leave mahagathbandhan,” party spokesman Danish Rizwan told reporters in Patna.

Rizwan said the decision to walk out of the five parties opposition coalition was taken at the party’s “core committee” meeting convened at Manjhi’s residence in Patna.

This comes months before the state is expected to go to polls in October-November.

According to sources, the party would merge with NDA. The party, however, did not announce as whether it would merge with any other party or become part of some other alliance.

The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar comprises of RJD, Congress, Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni headed Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP).

The party spokesperson denied party’s merger with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United).

The HAM leader said, “Leaders who do not listen to the constituent partners, will they listen to the people after coming to power?”

Manjhi, in February 2018, joined the grand alliance after quitting the NDA. The party had unsuccessfully contested three Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections with the opposition grouping.

Earlier, Manjhi had quit the JD(U) in 2015 after being forced to step down as the chief minister to make way for return of Nitish Kumar. He later formed HAM and joined NDA.

After Nitish Kumar returned to NDA in July 2017, Manjhi broke ranks with the ruling alliance and became part of the opposition formation.