NEW DELHI/PATNA: The Bihar political script changed a tad on Sunday with NDA ally Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) deciding to go it alone in the state Assembly elections. Stating that the LJP will seek a BJP-led government in Bihar, the Chirag Paswan-led outfit said it will field nominees against the JD(U).
Hours before the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the BJP met to clear its list of party nominees, the LJP left the NDA at the state level citing “ideological differences with the JD(U)”.
“There’s no bad blood between the BJP and the LJP. The victorious candidates of the party after the polls will support a BJP-LJP government,” the LJP said in a statement.
After the BJP’s CEC meeting, there were indications that the seat sharing formula could be announced in Patna soon.
But unconfimed sources said the JD(U) will get 121, the BJP 117 and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM 5 seats. The LJP’s decision to go solo could hurt the JD(U).
“This decision is aimed at pruning Nitish Kumar’s political stature amid anti-incumbency. It will harm the performances of JD(U) without harming the electoral prospects of the BJP,” said Dr R K Sinha, a prominent political analyst in Bihar.
Within the LJP, the wily Nitish Kumar’s ‘Mahadalit plank’ is seen as an attempt to cut the Paswan family to size as he is promoting former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
While the LJP claims to represent the state’s 16% Dalit constituency as well as the Bhumihars, the JD(U) and the BJP have been making significant inroads into their support base.
Chirag Paswan is itching to lead Bihar and wants to test the political waters now.
Thus far, the LJP has contested elections in alliances, mindful of the limitation of its support base, with his father Ram Vilas Paswan generally managing to stay on the winning side.
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar is understood to have called up Chirag Paswan multiple times but there was no response.
The CM then called his mother to enquire about the health of Ram Vilas Paswan, who underwent heart surgery in Delhi.