Every MP and MLA takes commission, says Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has once again put the National Democratic Alliance in an awkward situation with his remarks that all MPs and MLAs take commissions from their constituency development funds. 

The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader further claimed he had given his commission money to the party several times and advised party leaders to use the money to buy a car.

Mr. Manjhi made the comment at a party event on Sunday (December 21).

He told legislators that if they were not able to get a 10% commission, they should at least take 5%. He further said “every MP and MLA takes commissions” and “even 10 paise taken from a rupee” was a significant amount.

“I have personally given my commission money to the party fund several times. An MP gets ₹5 crore, and if he gets a 10% commission, it would be ₹40 lakh,” said Mr. Manjhi, who represents Gaya ji Lok Sabha constituency.

He also asked his son and party president Santosh Kumar Suman, who is a Cabinet Minister in the State, to take commissions as this “was no secret and everyone did it”. Looking at his son, Mr. Manjhi said, “If these people [the party leaders] are unable to do this, it is the fault of the party president.”

He declared that in the next Assembly election, the HAM(S) should contest 100 seats and if the demands were not met, then the party will go it alone. Mr. Manjhi asked his son to prepare an action plan to achieve the target, adding people of his caste will support it, though the HAM(S) will need the support of a few more castes.

He also said NDA ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made a mistake by underestimating him.

“We are not a ordinary party in Purnia, Magadh, and Munger divisions. We also have supporters in West Champaran. Our party is strong everywhere, but the BJP has underestimated us in every election. Whatever has happened so far is fine. If we are not given importance in the next election, we will go our own way,” Mr. Manjhi said.

A few days ago, a purported video of Mr. Manjhi’s speech had gone viral on social media, in which he was heard saying that in the 2020 Assembly election, he helped his Tikari candidate, who was trailing by 2,700 votes, win with the support of then District Magistrate of Gaya ji.

His remarks that he would walk out of the alliance if his demand for a Rajya Sabha seat was not met had also caused a stir.

“I saw in the news that Janata Dal (United) was being given two Rajya Sabha seats, the BJP two, and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) one. Where does our party stand? In the 2024 election, a promise was made to us on two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat. At that time, we were given one Lok Sabha seat, which I won, and I thank the Prime Minister for making me a Minister, but we are still waiting for the Rajya Sabha seat,” Mr. Manjhi said.

Minister and BJP leader Dilip Kumar Jaiswal termed Mr. Manjhi’s remarks on Sunday his “personal opinion”. Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav said all was not well in the NDA even after winning 202 seats in the Assembly election.