NEW DELHI: Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, whose feud with Nitish Kumar pulled down JDU’s tally in 2020 Bihar assembly polls, has said that he has no problem with JD(U) returning to NDA, but cautioned the BJP leadership about Bihar CM’s propensity to flip sides.
Chirag, who discussed the fast-paced developments in Bihar which has opened up the prospect of NDA’s return to power in alliance with Nitish, told TOI, “I had a very fruitful discussion with the top BJP leadership on our alliance and developments in Bihar.We are part of NDA. We would wait to see whether the JD(U) president actually leaves ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and joins the BJP-led alliance. Then we will take our stand. But we have no issue with Nitish Kumar as a person.”
He said everything will be clear by Sunday.
Chirag has been critical of the Bihar CM and his policies. His party had spoiled the chances of JD(U) in more than two dozen seats in the last assembly election as it fielded candidates in those seats. Though his party has no sitting MLA, Chirag, with the assured support of politically conscious ‘Dusadhs’ (Paswans), remains an important factor in Bihar politics. BJP accepting the return of JD(U) to the NDA-fold is mainly aimed at sweeping the general elections in the state this year.
On the issues he raised at the meeting, Chirag said the BJP leadership has given him “assurances” and those are “pretty satisfying”. The two-time MP from Jamui said he has taken up his demand for six Lok Sabha seats, including Hajipur, which became synonymous with his late father and Dalit leader Ramvilas Paswan, and one in Rajya Sabha.
LJP (Ram Vilas) sources said Chirag won’t compromise on Hajipur seat, which has been at the centre of his fight with his estranged uncle and Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Chirag said, “In the last assembly election, we walked out of NDA in Bihar because our concern to include the ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ agenda of developing Bihar was not included. I have never been against any individual.”
Chirag, who discussed the fast-paced developments in Bihar which has opened up the prospect of NDA’s return to power in alliance with Nitish, told TOI, “I had a very fruitful discussion with the top BJP leadership on our alliance and developments in Bihar.We are part of NDA. We would wait to see whether the JD(U) president actually leaves ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and joins the BJP-led alliance. Then we will take our stand. But we have no issue with Nitish Kumar as a person.”
He said everything will be clear by Sunday.
Chirag has been critical of the Bihar CM and his policies. His party had spoiled the chances of JD(U) in more than two dozen seats in the last assembly election as it fielded candidates in those seats. Though his party has no sitting MLA, Chirag, with the assured support of politically conscious ‘Dusadhs’ (Paswans), remains an important factor in Bihar politics. BJP accepting the return of JD(U) to the NDA-fold is mainly aimed at sweeping the general elections in the state this year.
On the issues he raised at the meeting, Chirag said the BJP leadership has given him “assurances” and those are “pretty satisfying”. The two-time MP from Jamui said he has taken up his demand for six Lok Sabha seats, including Hajipur, which became synonymous with his late father and Dalit leader Ramvilas Paswan, and one in Rajya Sabha.
LJP (Ram Vilas) sources said Chirag won’t compromise on Hajipur seat, which has been at the centre of his fight with his estranged uncle and Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Chirag said, “In the last assembly election, we walked out of NDA in Bihar because our concern to include the ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ agenda of developing Bihar was not included. I have never been against any individual.”