Jitan Ram Manjhi’s income down in past 5 years, wife’s earnings double

As per the affidavit submitted by Jitan Manjhi while filing his nomination papers on Monday, the former CM bought two cows and two guns in the past five years and so far has no agricultural land to his name.

The income of former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha national president Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Grand Alliance (GA) candidate for the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, has come down during the past five years. But in the same period, the income of his wife Shanti Devi doubled.

Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS) National President Jitan Ram Manjhi (PTI)

As per the affidavit submitted by Jitan Manjhi while filing his nomination papers on Monday, the former CM bought two cows and two guns in the past five years and so far has no agricultural land to his name.

Jitan Manjhi’s rival Vijay Manjhi of the Janata Dal (United) is richer and has more cash deposits apart from immovable property. Vijay Manjhi is the son of Bhgawatia Devi, a stone-crusher who had made it to the Lok Sabha on a Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket and represented the Gaya parliamentary constituency in the Nineties. The National Democratic Alliance has made Vijay Manjhi its candidate in Gaya.

Even when it comes to criminal cases, Vijay Manjhi is ahead of Jitan Manjhi — the former has six cases pending against him in a Gaya court, while the latter has three such cases. No charges have been proved against either of the two, and verdicts are awaited. “All these cases are political and election-related and almost every politician is facing such cases across the country,” said the former CM.

Asset tally

Jitan Manjhi had ₹20.60 lakh in 2014, as declared in his nomination affidavit, which has now come down to ₹18.8 lakh. He, however, acquired two cows worth ₹1 lakh, and two guns, including a DBBL and a .312 rifle worth ₹1 lakh. His wife Shanti Devi has doubled her income in the past five years, and her earnings, as declared, have gone up from ₹2.5 lakh in 2014 to more than ₹5 lakh in 2019.

Besides, Jitan Manjhi has two four-wheelers worth ₹6 lakh and a 4,000 sq. ft flat worth ₹12 lakh. The balance in his three bank accounts totals ₹8.29 lakh. Manjhi has no bank loan to date.

Rival Vijay Manjhi has six four-wheelers worth ₹54.94 lakh, apart from a 2,000 sq. ft flat worth ₹60 lakh. He has five bank accounts with a total balance of ₹2.06 lakh. His spouse has ₹50,000 only. He also has a loan of ₹31 lakh to his name, according to the affidavit filed with the nomination papers on Monday.

A total of 14 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, but the main contest is between the GA and the NDA.