Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (English: Indian People's Front), abbreviated HAM(S), is an Indian political party with a presence in Bihar. In Bihar, this party is also a natural ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), similar to the Janata Dal (United). It received a new election symbol, the wok, for the Bihar Assembly election in 2020.
Formation
It was launched formally on 8 May 2015 by former Chief Minister of Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi, who left the Janata Dal (United) party along with 18 others to form Hindustani Awam Morcha following the 2015 Bihar political crisis. The party added "Secular" to its name in June 2015, becoming Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). In July 2015, the Election Commission recognised HAM(S) as a political party. The election symbol of the party is a wok.
History
In July 2015, the party joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and contested 21 seats, with some additional members contesting on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket in Bihar. On 18 September 2015, HAM(S) announced its first list of 13 candidates with Manjhi contesting from Makhdumpur and Imamganj.
The party ended up winning only in Imamganj with Manjhi losing in Makhdumpur.
In the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election the alliance was led by the BJP alongside three smaller allies, namely the Lok Janshakti Party, the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party and HAM(S), while Janata Dal (United) had contested as part of the Mahagathbandan opposition party. In 2017, Janata Dal (United) switched allegiance, which caused the Mahagathbandan government to dissolve and the NDA to come into power. In 2018, HAM(S) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party left the alliance.
During the campaigning phase in August 2020, the alliance was re-joined National Democratic Alliance. The party won four seats in the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election and Manjhi's son Santosh Suman was made a minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet.
In the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, HAM (S) the contested in 6 seats as part of National Democratic Alliance. It won in 5 of these.
Prominent members Jitan Ram Manjhi, founding member and former Chief Minister of Bihar, former Member of Legislative Assembly from Imamganj and Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Santosh Suman Manjhi, Minister of Irrigation and SC ST Welfare in the Government of Bihar, and Member of Legislative Council of Bihar. Ramesh Singh (National Vice President), Hindustan Awam Morcha, he is national vice president of Hindustan Awam Morcha since 2021
Electoral performance
Lok Sabha elections
+Indian General Elections (Bihar) Election Year Election Alliance Contested Seatseat Won Seats-/+ Total Votes Votes % Votes % -/+Indian General Election 2019+201917th AssemblyMahagathbandhan309,56,5010.02%Indian General Election 2024+202418th AssemblyNDA114,94,9602.3%
List of Members of Parliament in Lok Sabha 2024 +Lok sabha (General) Election 2024 SL.No. Name Alliance Constituency Year Portrait1Jitan Ram Manjhi Union Minister of Micro, Small and MediumNDAGaya (Bihar)2024
Bihar Assembly Election +Bihar Legislative Assembly Election Year Election Alliance Contested SeatSeat won/Seats contested Seats-/+ Total Votes Votes % Votes % -/+201516th AssemblyNational Democratic Alliance21 18,64,8562.3%202017th AssemblyNational Democratic Alliance7 33,75,564 0.89% 1.41202518th Assembly National Democratic Alliance6 15,87,0561.17% 0.28
List of Members of Legislative Council of Bihar +Bihar Legislative council Election 2024 SL.No. Member Alliance Party Term Start Term end Portrait1Santosh SumanNDAHAM07-May-202406-May-2030 List of Members of Legislative Assembly in Bihar
+Bihar assembly Election 2020 SL.No. Name Alliance Constunsy Year Portrait1Jyoti DeviNDABarachatti2020 2Anil KumarTikari2020 3Prafull Kumar SinghSikandra2020 4Deepa ManjhiImamganj2024
+Bihar assembly Election 2025 SL.No. Name Alliance Constunsy Year Portrait1Jyoti DeviNDABarachatti2025 2Romit KumarAttri2025 3Prafull Kumar SinghSikandra2025 4Deepa ManjhiImamganj2025 5Lalan RamKutumba2025
See also List of political parties in India State Mahadalit Commission, Bihar Bhola Paswan Shastri Ram Sundar Das 2015 Bihar political crisis Bihar Legislative Assembly 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election
References