Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned as member of the Legislative Assembly seven months after he was expelled from the JDU in the wake of his refusal to quit the chief minister's post.

Manjhi was later declared an unattached member of the lower house.

Sources said Manjhi resigned from the Assembly to pave way for the post of national president of Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular.

Manjhi was on Tuesday elected the first national president of the party, which he formed after snapping ties with the JDU this year. In the first national executive meet of HAMS, Manjhi was elected unopposed as the new president of the party.

In May this year, Manjhi announced the formation of the party with former RJD leader Shakuni Chaudhary, who was appointed state president of HAMS.

HAMS spokesperson Danish Rizwan said: "Technically, Manjhi had to resign from the Assembly to become a HAMS member and also the national president. After resigning, he was elected the national president of the party, which he had formed."

On the occasion, Manjhi asked party workers and the executive members: "HAMS workers should take the issue of Nitish betraying a Mahadalit son, to the lowest section of the society and especially among the rural populace."