Bihar: Key LJP meet on September 15 as party’s rift with JD(U) widens

PATNA: The ruling NDA is headed for trouble as the rift between its two allies — JD(U) and LJP — is widening fast ahead of the state assembly elections.
A day after senior JD(U) functionary K C Tyagi said in New Delhi that his party was in alliance with BJP and not LJP in the state, LJP spokesperson Ali Asaraf Ansari on Tuesday said, “We welcome Tyagiji’s statement. He has made it clear that JD(U) is not having an alliance with LJP.”
Tyagi’s reaction came in the wake of media reports that LJP was contemplating to field candidates on 143 seats, including the seats to be contested by JD(U) in the upcoming assembly polls. Tyagi had said JD(U) had an alliance with BJP, which has already announced to contest the coming polls under CM Nitish Kumar’s leadership.
LJP parliamentary board chairman and Govindganj MLA Raju Tiwari, however, said any decision about the forthcoming election would be taken at the meeting of the party MPs with its national president Chirag Paswan on September 15. The issue related to the relationship with JD(U) will be discussed at the meeting.
The parliamentary board, at its meeting held in New Delhi on Monday, authorised the national president to take a final call on the matter. Sources said a senior BJP leader, who is in the know of the matter, talked to Chirag and tried to persuade him not to break ties with JD(U).
The rift between JD(U) and LJP widened following the induction of HAM(S) chief and former CM Jitan Ram in the NDA fold. Chirag got irked after Manjhi’s unconditional support to Nitish, who is also the national president of JD(U).
A section of LJP workers felt that Manjhi had been inducted in the NDA at the insistence of Nitish, but without consulting the alliance partners. “The September 15 meeting is crucial not only for our party, but also the NDA. We have been asked to be prepared for any eventuality,” a senior LJP leader said on the condition of anonymity.
BJP MLC and spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh, on the other hand, said NDA is intact. “We will fight the elections together,” he said.
Political experts feel that the conflict between JD(U) and LJP is mainly because of the Dalit vote bank. LJP founder and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and HAM(S) chief Manjhi are considered to be two prominent Dalit leaders in the state. Dalits make up for around 16% of the total population in the state.
Political observers are of the view that Manjhi has a major stake in the Musahar community, a sub-caste among the Dalits in Bihar.
RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said, “Till date there is no indication from LJP leaders to join hands with Grand Alliance, but Chirag is not feeling comfortable in the NDA. It’s is up to him to decide whether he wants to contest the election with the NDA or the GA.”
Tiwari, however, added the RJD would welcome LJP if it snaps ties with the NDA. “First the party (LJP) has to step out of the NDA fold,” he added.
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha also expressed similar views on the issue. “I am not aware of any indication from LJP to change sides ahead of the elections,” he added.