Patna, March 7 (IANS) A week after launching a new political front - the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced on Saturday that his party would contest 125 of the 243 seats in the assembly polls later this year.

"we would contest 125 seats in the next assembly polls," Manjhi, who is the convenor of HAM, said at a function here.

Manjhi also hinted that HAM may join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to defeat the ruling JD-U of chief minister Nitish Kumar. "HAM may have seat adjustments with BJP in the state," he said.

Last week Manjhi, who was forced to quit as Bihar's chief minister, launched the new political front to "expose the real face" of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Manjhi's supporters mostly belong to Mahadalit communities.

Manjhi, who was made chief minister in May 2014, resigned on February 20 this year after a leadership row involving Nitish Kumar.