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Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas) mulling new alliance before Bihar MLC polls
LJP at present has no representation in either house of Bihar. It’s lone MLA switched over to the JD(U) and following a division in the party, LJP (Ram Vilas) has only one MP in the Lok Sabha -- Chirag Paswan whereas the other faction -- the LJP (National), led by Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras has five MPs.
Following a dismal performance in the recently held by-polls for two assembly seats and an equally poor performance in the 2020 assembly election, Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas) is mulling forming a new political equation for the elections for the MLC seats in Bihar.
Members of the party’s state parliamentary board, which met under the chairmanship of Hulas Pandey on Saturday, were unanimous that the party should contest the Council polls but it should not contest it alone.
“A proposal to this regard passed by the state parliamentary board will be sent to the party’s national president. The meeting wanted an alliance and we are leaving it to our national president to explore the option. Whether it will be with the NDA or some other party, it is up to our president to decide,” said Ashraf Ansari, LJP (Ram Vilas) spokesperson. The meeting was also attended by party’s state president, Raju Tiwary.
People familiar with the development said that most probably, the party would go for a tie-up with the RJD and Chirag Paswan would make some announcement in this regard on November 28 on the occasion of the party’s foundation day. Unconfirmed reports said that RJD has even offered 5-6 seats to Chirag’s party for MLC elections which are to be held on 24 seats for the Bihar Legislative Council. “We are having talks for an alliance but can’t say with which party as it is initial days yet,” said LJP (Ram Vilas) state president Raju Tiwary.
LJP at present has no representation in either house of Bihar. It’s lone MLA switched over to the JD(U) and following a division in the party, LJP (Ram Vilas) has only one MP in the Lok Sabha in the form of Chirag Paswan whereas the other LJP, the LJP (National), led by Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras has five MPs.
Just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, former Union Minister the late Ram Vilas Paswan had included his party LJP in the BJP-led alliance. In the 2020 Legislative Assembly election, Chirag’s party had fielded its candidate against the candidates of JD-U. Chirag’s party did not get any seat in this election, but did a lot of damage to Nitish Kumar’s party.
Senior party leaders said that Chirag’s party, which entered the Bihar bypolls with a new name and symbol, could not damage the JD (U)’s prospect though it pushed the Congress to a distant fourth position.
At both the places, Kusheshwarsthan and Tarapur, where JD-U won and RJD secured the second spot, Chirag Paswan’s party came in third. In the Kusheshwarsthan seat, Paswan’s party candidate Anju Devi got 5,623 votes, while in Tarapur, LJP (Ram Vilas) candidate Kumar Chandan got 5,350 votes.
Chirag, however, expressed his satisfaction on bagging the third position in the by-election and said that this is just the beginning.
“The state parliamentary party reviewed the causes of the party’s poor performance and decided to contest the MLC elections on 24 seats with a new alliance. The new alliance will fight more openly against Nitish Kumar, if the opposition parties of JD-U get together, then its impact will be seen in the coming days. This will further strengthen the ongoing political battle of the opposition parties against Nitish Kumar,” said party spokesperson, Krishna Singh Kallu.
