The Electoral Commission is likely to announce the election this month (Archive)
Highlight
- LJP will discuss in meeting if they should go with JDU in Bihar polls
- Paswans could argue if they can compete only against JDU, not against BJP
- Both parties have been launching attacks on each other for some time.
Patna:
Bihar’s chief minister Nitish Kumar will launch his campaign for state elections on Monday, under a cloud of uncertainty over his key alliance with the Lok Janshakti Party, or LJP, led by Chirag Paswan. On the same day, Chirag Paswan’s father, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will meet with his party leaders to discuss whether they should go for or against Janata Dal United in the next election.
The two sides have been arguing for the past few months over a number of issues, including handling the coronavirus pandemic and the collapse of a highway during recent floods. In July, the LJP sided with the opposition, claiming that there was no initiative by the Chief Minister to investigate the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, a “promising young man” from the state.
Kumar’s recent decision to join forces with former Prime Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Dalit leader like the Paswans with a history of acrimony to the LJP, has worsened ties.
A day before the meeting, Chirag Paswan, 37, said Nitish Kumar has failed to fulfill the promise of free land made to members of the programmed caste and tribal communities.
Chirag Paswan, who has been attacking Kumar for a number of problems and joined the opposition for postponing the Bihar elections due to the coronavirus outbreak, also demanded jobs for all those from the SC / ST communities who died during the 15 years. of the Chief Minister. -Long rule.
In a scathing letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday, Chirag Paswan also questioned Nitish Kumar’s promise of free lands made to members of registered castes and tribes, questioning why it has not yet been fulfilled.
The Paswan, however, have not directly attacked the BJP, which has been saying that the next elections will be contested under the leadership of the JDU chief and with all existing allies.
The Paswans, at the meeting, could reportedly discuss with their leaders the feasibility of a deal in which the party will remain in the NDA and compete only against the JDU, not the BJP.
A similar electoral strategy had worked for the LJP in 2005, when the party had played a critical role in preventing Lalu Yadav’s RJD from winning another term in government. The LJP, an ally of Congress-RJD at the time, had contested the polls only against Yadav’s party, resulting in a hung assembly. In subsequent polls, Kumar won enough seats to form his first government.
If the LJP, which has notable support among the Paswan community and other programmed caste communities, decides to compete against the combined JDU-BJP, the opposition could benefit.
The Electoral Commission is likely to announce the elections this month.
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