The future path of LJP president Chirag Paswan, who played a key role in making JDU the number three-party, is not easy. Angry JDU is adamant about ousting LJP from NDA. The BJP is not in a position to further annoy the angry CM Nitish. In such a situation, it is considered certain to assume the Rajya Sabha seat of the late Ram Vilas Paswan with participation in the Union Cabinet of LJP.
Chirag burnt his house and made JDU a B team, but now BJP is not in a position to oblige him. The participation of the LJP in the Union Cabinet or the seat of Rajya Sabha in place of the late Paswan will seal Chirag's discussions of damaging the JDU at the instigation of the BJP. As the Lok Sabha elections are far away, the BJP does not even have an immediate need for a lamp. According to a senior BJP leader, more and more LJP can be retained in the NDA. As far as giving a place in the cabinet or a Rajya Sabha seat is concerned, there is no possibility.
BJP indicated to make the distance
Amid reports of Nitish's displeasure, the BJP has given a clear indication of distance from the LJP. First state in-charge general secretary Bhupendra Yadav accused LJP of cheating. Shortly thereafter, Deputy CM Sushil Modi accused LJP of harming both BJP and JDU. On the counting day, several leaders including Bhupendra Yadav, Sushil Modi, and state BJP president Jaiswal had reached Nitish's house. Sources claim that Nitish was not ready to become CM. He agreed to this only after talking to Home Minister Amit Shah and later PM Modi. Nitish has been assured of the freedom to work as before.
Why is Nitish angry with BJP?
JDU has lost most of the seats where rebel leaders of BJP were contesting on the LJP ticket. According to a senior JDU leader, the result proved two things. The first is that the JDU's core vote bank still stands with him. Second, JDU's core vote bank went with the BJP in the election. But the BJP's core voter went with LJP especially in those seats where BJP rebels were on the LJP ticket. There are more than two dozen such seats.
Nitish weak but maintain the importance
Nitish is undoubtedly weak in the political battle, but his importance has not decreased. The reason for this is the vote bank of JDU. JDU may get only 43 seats in the election, but the party's vote percentage is 15.39. This vote percentage is just 1.41 percent less than the 16.8 percent in the last assembly elections, less than 15.8 percent in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The results also show that the party with whom Nitish will still join will form the government.
This is why Nitish is also important
Now JDU is left as a big party in the NDA. Shiv Sena and Akali Dal have left NDA in big parties. Now JDU, LJP, and Apna Dal are among the NDA who have representation in the Lok Sabha. The representation of allies in the cabinet ministers of the Modi government is also over after Paswan's death and Harsimrat Kaur-Arvind Sawant's resignation. Ramdas Athawale of RPI is just a symbolic representation of the minister as MoS. At a time when the BJP has to fight the political battle of Uttar Pradesh after West Bengal, the party will not want to give the message of ending the existence of the NDA.