PATNA: A video claiming to show Union minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi speaking about influencing an election result went viral on Friday, sparking an uproar among opposition parties. After the furore, Manjhi claimed the video had been tampered with and accused his political opponents of trying to malign him.

In the video, Manjhi is heard addressing a public gathering in Magahi, a local dialect, and is allegedly heard saying that he helped secure a candidate’s victory in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections by speaking to the then district magistrate.

He says the candidate was trailing by 2,600 votes but went on to win after his intervention. “This time, the candidate lost by 1,600 votes, but he wasn’t informed,” Manjhi adds in the clip. The official margin of victory does not match Manjhi’s claim.

The remarks were reportedly made during a programme in Mohanpur block of the Barachatti Assembly constituency. In the video, Manjhi also refers to the district magistrate involved, who is now reportedly posted in Tripura.