JITAN RAM MANJHI HAS MADE LEAPS AND BOUNDS EVERY 10 YEARS, NEVER GIVING UP DESPITE SETBCKS

JITAN RAM MANJHI HAS MADE LEAPS AND BOUNDS EVERY 10 YEARS, NEVER GIVING UP DESPITE SETBCKS

27-SEP-ENG 8

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is among the most prominent Dalit leaders. Following Ram Vilas Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi raised the voice of Dalits. He carved out a unique identity for himself by adopting a distinct political stance. Despite numerous setbacks, Jitan Ram Manjhi achieved a new milestone in politics after a gap of 10 years. On Sunday, Jitan Ram Manjhi was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in the NDA government.

Acting Assembly Speaker for 5 days: Jitan Ram Manjhi's path has not been easy. He first entered politics in 1980 through the Congress Party and by the age of 79, he had reached the position of Union Minister. By 2005, Jitan Ram Manjhi left the Congress and became an MLA on a JDU ticket. He also received the opportunity to become a minister in the Bihar government. In 2020, Jitan Ram Manjhi also served as the acting Speaker of the Assembly for five days.

First Congress MLA: In 1980, Jitan Ram Manjhi became an MLA from the Fatehpur reserved seat on a Congress ticket. Subsequently, in 1983, he became a Minister of State in Chandrashekhar Singh's government. In 1985, Jitan Ram Manjhi became an MLA again. Although Jitan Ram Manjhi has lost three Lok Sabha elections, he did not lose heart and continued to move forward. This is why he was elected from Gaya in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Lost Lok Sabha Elections Three Times: In 1991, Jitan Ram Manjhi contested the Lok Sabha elections for the first time from the Gaya reserved seat on a Congress ticket but faced defeat. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Jitan Ram Manjhi tried his luck in the Gaya reserved seat but also faced defeat. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Jitan Ram Manjhi left the NDA and joined the Grand Alliance. He tried his luck again in the Lok Sabha elections but lost. Finally, in 2024, the NDA gave Manjhi a new lease on life, and he won the election.

Became CM despite losing: The defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections proved to be a lifeline for Jitan Ram Manjhi. Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister after the crushing defeat. To consolidate the Dalit vote, Jitan Ram Manjhi was appointed Chief Minister. Jitan Ram Manjhi held the post of Chief Minister for nine months, from May 2014 to February 2015, but was forced to step down after a dispute with Nitish Kumar.

Recognition as a prominent Dalit leader in the country: From 2015 to 2024, Jitan Ram Manjhi continued to strengthen his party, the HAM Party. In 2024, his wish was fulfilled: he was appointed a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet. Jitan Ram Manjhi continued to rise in the 10-year gap between defeats, and today he is recognized as a prominent Dalit leader in the country.