Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today transformed his apolitical Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) into a political party and announced they would contest all 243 Assembly seats.

Before he made the announcement at 1 Aney Marg - official residence of the chief minister where Manjhi still resides - his supporters garlanded him but no slogans were raised.

"Today, we are formally announcing the name of our new political party, Hindustani Awam Morcha. We will approach the Election Commission on May 11 or 12 to get it registered as a political party. We've also decided on the party flag. It would have green on top and at the bottom and white in the middle with HAM written on it," Manjhi said.

Accompanying Manjhi were his former ministerial colleagues Narendra Singh, Mahachandra Singh, Brishen Patel, Sahid Ali Khan, Samrat Choudhary, Bhim Singh, Vinay Bihari, Nitish Mishra and Tekari's rebel JDU MLA Anil Kumar, who is supporting him. Manjhi announced senior leader and former minister Shakuni Choudhary would be HAM's state unit president.

Seventy nine-year-old Shakuni was associated with the RJD for over a decade before shifting his loyalty to the JDU and, later, Manjhi. The seven-time MLA is the father of Samrat Choudhary, another former minister in Manjhi's bandwagon. Shakuni was among 108 office-bearers announced by Manjhi. Other than him, there are no prominent names in the list of office-bearers.

"Theses 108 leaders will start their campaign in all districts and Assembly constituencies and we have already chalked out a detailed programme. Our campaign against the Nitish Kumar government will begin from Muzaffapur on May 17. We will subsequently move out to other places.

Manjhi formed his outfit on February 28, soon after his removed as chief minister. At that time he had said he would form a new political party.

As the Janata Parivar factions headed for a merger, Manjhi began eying the JDU's arrow symbol. But on Friday he said: "The Janata Parivar merger is taking time. We can't wait, we also have to make our own preparations."

Manjhi denied a division in his camp in the context of Vinay Bihari, who said HAM should go with the BJP. "There might be different opinions, but decisions are taken unanimously. I have repeatedly said we will not go for any alliance before polls," he said. About a possible alliance with the Congress, he said there was no chance of allying with a party associated with Nitish. Nitish was his enemy number one and he would continue to fight him, Manjhi said.

Asked if he would take in expelled RJD MP Pappu Yadav, he said he would welcome him if he approaches HAM.

Nitish refused to speak on Manjhi when asked about the latter's new party.