Jitan Ram Manjhi suddenly turns "Ram Bhakt" ahead of elections; Visits Ayodhya temple

Former Chief Minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi, known for his erstwhile take on the existence of Lord Ram as being ‘imaginary’, has taken a U-turn and visited Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a “Ram Bhakt” (devotee of Lord Ram), weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to offer prayers and seek blessings.

In a X post, Manjhi share a picture of his visit to Ram Temple, where he wrote "Humare saath Raghuvirnath to kis baat ki chinta, sharan mein rakh diya math to kis baat ki chinta. Aaj Ayodhya dham pahunch Ram lalla ke darbar mein hazari lagayi aur rajya aur desh ki khushhali ke liye prarthana kiya" (When Lord Ram is with us, there is no need to worry, when we bow our head in front of the lord, there is no need to worry. Today came to Ayodhya and pay a visit to Ram Lalla's court and prayed for the wellbeing of the state and the country).

“हमारे साथ श्रीरघुनाथ तो किस-बात की चिन्ता,
सरन में रख दिया जब माथ तो, किस बात की चिन्ता”

आज अयोध्या धाम पहुंच रामलला के दरबार में हाजिरी लगाई और राज्य एवं देश के खुशहाली के लिए प्रार्थना किया। pic.twitter.com/M4ThXDiD9c
— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) March 23, 2024

The Dalit leader, who had repeatedly claimed that Lord Ram is a “kalpnik” character in the past, has suddenly become a ‘Ram Bhakt’, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Manjhi, founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM), has been trying hard to potray his new image as a “Ram Bhakt” and is projecting himself as a part of the Hindutva brigade.

Before his Ayodhya visit, HAM chief, has started chanting "Jai Shri Ram" for quite some time. Manjhi was seen repeatedly chanting “Jai Shri Ram” at a Holi Milan function in Gaya, which was the first time he publicly announced his change of heart.

HAM is a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. The NDA, in its seat-sharing formula, has given the Gaya Lok Sabha seat to Manjhi. Manjhi's ideologic makeover is widely being seen as part of his strategy to send a message to the people of Gaya that he is not anti-Ram, an image he himself had created in recent years by questioning Ram and Ramayana.

In a X post shared by Manjhi on March 23, he announced that he was on the way to Ayodhya to visit the Ram Temple. He wrote "Ram Lalla darshan ke liye nikal chuka hain,agli mulakat Ayodhya mein hogi.Jai Shri Ram"(I am on my way to seek blessings from Ram Lalla, Will See you in Ayodhya, Jai Shri Ram).

रामलला दर्शन के लिए निकल चुका हूं,अगली मुलाकात अयोध्या में होगी।
“जय श्री राम” pic.twitter.com/NRErI4oOMn
— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) March 23, 2024

Political watchers observe this as a big change, as far as Manjhi’s widely reported stance against Hindutva politics in recent years, is concerned.
Earlier the HAM leader used to directly target BJP’s Hindutva politics until last year when he was part of the Mahagathbandhan, which is now part of the Opposition INDIA bloc.

As per the NDA’s seat-sharing formula, BJP will contest 17 of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, clearly signalling an upper hand over its allies. BJP's major ally Janata Dal-United will contest 16 seats, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) of Chirag Paswan five seats and HAM (Hindustani Awam Morcha) of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLM (Rashtriya Lok Morcha) of former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha one seat each. Manjhi is expected to file his nomination papers after Holi.