LJP not to contest Bihar polls under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, may extend post-poll support to BJP
Bihar Elections 2020: The decision was taken at the party's Central Parliamentary Board meeting on Sunday.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will not contest the upcoming Bihar Elections in alliance with Janata Dal (United) due to ideological differences, said Abdul Khaliq, National General Secretary, LJP.
At the national level and in Lok Sabha elections, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) shares a strong alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said Khaliq.
The party has said that LJP wants a BJP-led government in Bihar just like the one in Centre.
He further added that, “LJP wanted to implement Bihar first vision document but consensus on it could not be reached in time.”
“Lok Janshakti Party will not contest the upcoming Bihar elections in alliance with Janata Dal (United) due to ideological differences,” ANI quoted Abdul Khaliq, LJP national general secretary, as saying. According to a Patna-based LJP leader, the party has the strength to get 6 to 12 per cent votes, which could spoil the game for JD(U).
Also, the party was not willing to back down on the issues it has been raising through its “Bihar first, Bihari first” campaign for over a year. “After the elections in Bihar, all LJP MLAs will join the BJP to form the government. There is no bitterness between the BJP and LJP, but ideological differences with JD(U),” said a party release.
It added in many seats there could be an ideological fight with the JD(U). “We have decided to break away so that the public can decide which candidate is better in the interest of Bihar.”
“Also, the Lok Janshakti Party wanted to implement the Bihar First Bihari First Vision document, which could not be agreed in time,” said Khaliq.
He added they have a strong alliance with the BJP in the Lok Sabha.
“The LJP believes that on the lines of the Centre, a government under the leadership of the BJP should also be formed in Bihar. Every LJP MLA will work to make Bihar a first under the leadership of the BJP,” he said.
The decisions were taken in a meeting of the LJP parliamentary board held on Sunday, which saw a 100 per cent presence of the members, including Pashupati Paras and Kaiser through videoconferencing because of health issues.
As far as Bihar is concerned, the BJP has said that it will fight the elections under the leadership of incumbent CM Nitish Kumar, even as the LJP, its partner in the NDA at the Centre, was not happy with seat-sharing.
Meanwhile, Chirag Paswan has found space to make headlines.
This is a developing story