LJP sets up panel on Bihar Govt formation

Paswan began a process of consultation with political parties for Govt formation.

After JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar's failed attempts, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday set in motion a process of consultation with like-minded parties for government formation in Bihar by constituting a committee to interact with them.

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Senior LJP leader Ranjan Yadav will head the committee which has former Bihar minister and Paswan's brother Pashupati Paras, former state party chief Narender Singh, former Union minister Nagmani, leader of the LJP legislature party in Bihar Ramashraya Prasad Singh and Maulana Ghulam Rasool Baliabi as members.

Paswan said the committee would not have any interaction with the JD (U) till it severed ties with the BJP-led NDA. The LJP is for a non-BJP, non-RJD Government, he added.

The LJP leader's efforts come close on the heels of JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar's letter to non-RJD and non-BJP parties on government formation in Bihar.

"The Committee will get in touch with leaders of Congress, CPI, CPI (ML), Samajwadi Party, NCP and BSP to seek their support for Government formation," Paswan told the agency.

These parties together have over two dozen MLAs, while LJP has 29 MLAs. RJD, JD (U) and BJP together account for 167 MLAs in House of 243.

Paswan said the Committee would have regular interaction with these parties and the Independent MLAs to explore ways to form a secular government.