Political crisis in Bihar: Chirag Paswan sets THESE conditions before NDA
Chirag Paswan was a major reason for the JD(U)'s poor performance in the 2020 Assembly elections and the deterioration of relations with the BJP before Nitish Kumar broke ties and allied with the RJD in 2022.
Political unrest in Bihar: Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda in Delhi on Saturday. saffron party top buyer for his concerns.
Reports quoting sources close to Paswan say the LJP president has expressed concerns over rumors of Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA fold. Paswan has also reiterated his stand on the LJP's “Bihar First, Bihari First” policy to the NDA, India Today reported, citing sources.
Chirag Paswan told the BJP that the NDA should not reduce the LJP's seats in the upcoming elections and should also work on a common minimum program for Bihar, the report said.
The party wants the NDA to strictly adhere to the old 6+1 formula. Paswan has threatened to quit the alliance if things don't work out and contest elections to 23 seats in Bihar.
About Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Chirag said, “an enemy of my enemy is my friend,” in an apparent reference to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with whom Paswan shares an uneasy relationship, to say the least.
“However, I will make it very clear that I am part of the NDA alliance,” he said.
“But options are always open,” Paswan said.
Chirag expresses concern over Nitish's return to the NDA
Earlier today, Chirag Paswan met Amit Shah and JP Nadda at the home minister's official residence in Delhi and “strongly” raised his party's concerns with the two leaders.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Paswan said he would first wait to see whether the Janata Dal (United) president would join the BJP-led alliance or not before finalizing his party's stand on the issue . Chirag, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, however, did not reveal what Shah and Nadda told him about the political developments in the state.
“We have had our concerns growing amid these reports but without any authorized information about the developments in Bihar. I strongly expressed my concerns at the meeting and received assurances on many issues,” Paswan said, adding that the LJP will finalize its position when the situation becomes clear in the coming days.
Paswan added that he has been in touch with BJP leaders of late and has come to know that there is a 'truth' in these murmurs, a reference to reports of political realignment in Bihar.
Political unrest in Bihar
The differences between Kumar and his INDIA bloc partners have been openly exposed among some BJP leaders as well as the party's allies, indicating that the Bihar Chief Minister is all set to switch sides once again .
Aware that some of its current allies from Bihar, including Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha, are politically hostile to Kumar, the BJP has been reaching out to them in recent days.
Paswan was a major reason for the JD(U)'s poor performance in the 2020 Assembly elections and the deterioration of relations with the BJP before Kumar cut ties and allied with the RJD in 2022.
BJP allies fear that Kumar's presence in the NDA could reduce their share of seats in the polls.
(With PTI inputs)