Bihar elections: Chirag meets Nadda, bats for BJP fighting ‘more seats’ than JDU

LJP President Chirag Paswan. (File)

Even as uncertainty continues in the relationship between LJP and JD(U), and the decision on whether the former will contest the Bihar Assembly elections as part of NDA, party president Chirag Paswan held a meeting with BJP chief J P Nadda late Tuesday night.

Paswan communicated this to party leaders at a meeting of LJP MPs, both present and past, on Wednesday. Sources said that he urged the BJP to contest more seats than JD(U) in the Bihar polls.

Paswan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, informing him of the political situation in the state, and the ostensible anti-incumbency against the JD(U) government of Nitish Kumar, sources said.

Asked on a call on LJP’s NDA stint, party’s principal general secretary, Abdul Khaliq, said they would discuss a vision document of “Bihar First, Bihari First” at the next meeting. “The party has authorised Chirag Paswan to take a final decision on NDA alliance at the LJP central Parliamentary board meet, which would take place after our next meeting.”

In a statement issued after Wednesday’s meeting, the party said, “Chirag Paswan congratulated all members about steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Bihar. He informed about a meeting with the national president of BJP late last night, as well as a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

About Paswan’s meeting with Nadda, a senior leader told The Indian Express: “He reiterated the ground situation to the BJP president—about anti-incumbency against the Chief Minister—and said that in the current climate JD(U) should compromise on seats. This was also the crux of his letter to the PM.”

The LJP has continued to show support for BJP, but has incessantly slammed its Bihar alliance partner JD(U). On Wednesday’s meeting, a resolution was passed welcoming a comment from JD(U) leader K C Tyagi, who has said that his party has no alliance with LJP.

Tyagi told The Indian Express: “Whatever Chirag Paswan is saying is against basic spirit of coalition. We have perfect understanding with BJP. I still maintain that we never had an alliance with LJP. It is just poll posturing (by LJP).”

A senior LJP leader said, “At today’s meeting, all feedback from the ground was of anti-incumbency (in Bihar). Other parties have started hitting the ground, and the LJP must, too. While we will still wait for a word from BJP, a decision will be taken latest by September 25.”

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