Patna, Dec 20 (NationPress) A recent declaration by Union MSME Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi has ignited a significant political uproar in Bihar. This follows the emergence of a video in which he seemingly states that he reached out to the District Magistrate to assist a candidate who was behind by 2,700 votes during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections.

In response to the ensuing controversy, Manjhi has categorically rejected any claims of vote tampering, describing the viral video as misleading and misinterpreted.

Manjhi clarified that his comments were solely about the legal process of recounting votes, not about rigging them. “This is a false and misleading video. You must remember that in the 2020 election, after recounting, one candidate won by just 27 votes, while a JDU candidate lost by the same margin. My point was only about requesting a recounting of votes,” he stated.

He elaborated that during the 2020 elections, HAM (Secular) candidate Anil Kumar from Tikari constituency had called for a recount, which eventually led to his victory.

“I was telling him that in 2020, he won after a recount. This time, instead of demanding a recount, he left. My point was that he should not have run away and should have sought a recount again,” Manjhi said.

He also clarified that Abhishek Singh, who served as the District Magistrate of Gaya in 2020, was a competent and impartial officer.

“We only asked the DM to provide recounting figures, which he did. There was no wrongdoing. Even this time, the DM was fair. Had we asked for a recounting, the result might have been different,” he added.

Despite his clarification, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has ramped up its criticism, asserting that Manjhi’s comments represent an admission of electoral manipulation.

RJD leader Gautam Krishna remarked, “Jitan Ram Manjhi’s statement is a clear confession. This proves what we have been alleging all along. We demand that the Election Commission immediately form a special team and conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the Bihar Assembly elections.”

The controversial video was reportedly captured during a felicitation ceremony for HAM MLA Jyoti Devi of the Barachatti constituency, held at Mohanpur High School in Gaya district.

In the clip, Manjhi is heard claiming that in 2020, his party’s candidate was losing by 2,700 votes but won due to his intervention, while in 2025, the candidate lost by 1,600 votes because he did not seek his assistance, resulting in a loss.

The situation has escalated into a broader political discussion, with the opposition alleging electoral misconduct and the ruling coalition maintaining that the remarks are being distorted for political advantage.