Patna, May 8 (IANS): Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday formally launched a new party, Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM), which will contest all the 243 seats in the coming assembly polls.

HAM leader Shakuni Choudhary has been named its state president.

"The new party was to be announced on May 10. But I have decided to formally launch it now as I will be out of Patna for the next two days," Manjhi told the media here.

The process to register HAM with the Election Commission has begun.

Manjhi had been hinting at floating a new party for some time. "Till the time HAM is registered as a political party, we will function as a political ... front."

Asked how many of the HAM leaders and legislators were likely to join the BJP or contest on HAM ticket, Manjhi said all of them would be HAM candidates.

He attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling him "a big hurdle for social justice". He urged expelled RJD MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, to join HAM.

Whether HAM goes with the BJP or the Congress will be decided later, said Manjhi.