Chirag Paswan’s LJP cited “ideological differences” at the state level as the reason for this change.
Chandigarh:
Chirag Paswan, from Lok Janshakti’s party, has decided to focus his efforts on overthrowing Nitish Kumar, surpassing the technicality of both parties in the NDA. At a meeting in Delhi today, the LJP decided to present candidates against the decision of Mr Kumar, Janata Dal United. No candidate will be presented against the BJP and “all the winning candidates will form a BJP-LJP government,” the party said after the meeting.
Rajiv Ranjan, spokesperson for Janata Dal United, said that as long as the BJP-Nitish Kumar alliance remains intact, “we have no confusion over securing an overwhelming majority.” A section of NDA leaders suggested that Chirag Paswan’s decision – to keep Nitish Kumar as a target for months – could not have happened without the tacit support of senior BJP leaders.
The LJP cited “ideological differences” at the state level as the reason for the change and said it wanted to implement the “Bihar vision document” on which it had not reached consensus with the JD (U).
“However, we have a strong alliance with the BJP and even in Bihar, we want to continue this collaboration. There is no acidity in our relations,” the party said.
The LJP’s decision comes at the end of a months-long fight with the JD (U) over a number of issues, including the state’s handling of the coronavirus crisis and Mr Kumar’s rapprochement with the former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Dalit leader like the Paswans with a superimposed support base. Within the party, Chirag Paswan did not hesitate to express his ambitions for the high-level post.
The LJP also demanded a quick decision on the division of seats. But there was no response from the BJP. Although the LJP has repeatedly indicated that it will challenge the JD (U) unless it receives a fair share of the seats, the BJP has so far remained silent on the issue.
Last week, the LJP issued an ultimatum to the BJP in a meeting with party leader JP Nadda. But that did not speed up the process as desired.
Earlier today, sources said, as part of the seat-sharing deal, the JDU will get 122 of the 243 seats, while the BJP will get 121. The BJP is expected to provide seats for the Lok Janshakti party in from her part.
But without a decision coming from the BJP, the LJP made its decision this afternoon at a meeting in Delhi. Their decision comes at a time when party leader Ram Vilas Paswan is ill and has undergone heart surgery.
Sources said Chirag Paswan felt hurt when Nitish Kumar never inquired about his father’s health, which senior BJP leaders like Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi did.
A similar strategy had worked for the LJP in 2005, when the party played a central role in preventing Lalu Yadav’s RJD from winning a new term in government. The LJP, an ally of Congress and the RJD at the time, had challenged the polls against Mr. Yadav’s party only, which resulted in a suspended assembly. In subsequent polls, Mr. Kumar won enough seats to form his first government.
