"A public movement is needed in Bihar. We are forming Hindustani Awam Morcha to work for the people. It will be known as HAM, meaning 'we' after AAP (Aam Aadmi Party). It will work for everybody. We will need support of all of you in this," Manjhi said.
The announcement was made at jam-packed Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in the state capital, where the rebel leaders and supporters of JD (U) had convened a 'karyakarta swabhiman sammelan' (worker self-respect summit).
"There are some technical difficulties in forming a political party right now so we are forming a front," Manjhi said.
The summit was attended by former ministers of Manjhi's cabinet - Narendra Singh, Brishin Patel, Mahachandra Prasad Singh, Shahid Ali Khan, Bhim Singh, Samrat Chaudhary, Nitish Mishra; MLAs Ravindra Rai, Rahul Sharma, Poonam Devi, and veteran leaders Jagdish Sharma and Shakuni Chaudhary.
Also Read
The former Chief Minister, who hails from the 'mahadalit' Musahar caste, also pointed out that the move for a front was an expedient one due to the mega-merger of Janata Parivar parties in the offing.
Manjhi will attend a summit of "1,000 intellectuals" which is being organised in New Delhi on March 3, and then hit the road with a statewide tour beginning in the middle of March to make people aware about the reasons he was removed, as well as, the faults in government policies.
"I will start from Muzaffarpur on March 16 and follow it up with a programme in Khagaria on March 17. I have been asked everywhere to blow the bugle against injustice and I will do so. Before it I will attend a summit of 1,000 intellectuals in Delhi," he said amid standing ovation by the crowd full of supporters and workers.