LJP shocked, but not angry, won’t break up with NDA: Chirag Paswan

Reports of LJP's displeasure with seat sharing in NDa got further momentum today

bihar elections, LJP, chirag paswan, Amit Shah, BJP, Bihar polls, BJP seat sharing, ram vilas paswan, jitan ram manjhi, NDA

LJP leaders Ram Vilas Paswan and Chirag Paswan (Express photo)

All’s not well within the NDA, but we will try to keep coalition mantra after BJP chief Amit Shah promised that our concerns will be addressed – this was the message LJP leader Chirag Paswan conveyed at a specially convened press conference today a day after NDA announced its seat-sharing deal for Bihar polls.

“There is no smoke without fire,” Chirag said referring to the reports on LJP being upset with the BJP for the seat sharing. “We were not angry, but were shocked…We were taken aback.. Because the formula agreed on during the negotiations was different. We just want the same parameters to be applied in our case also,” Chirag told reporters.

In the seat sharing formula announced on Monday, BJP will be contesting on 160 seats, LJP on 40, Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP on 23 and the late entrant Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM has got 20 seats.

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At the press conference Chirag, who was accompanied by Pashupati Kumar Paras and Ram Chandra Paswan, said that his party is awaiting for a response from the BJP leadership which promised him that it would address their concerns.

Chirag said the BJP leadership did not inform Paswan or the party the number of seats it would be getting before Shah made the announcement at the NDA’s joint press conference held at the BJP Head Quarters on Monday.

“Nor did we ask (before the press conference),” he said.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s party, a constituent of the NDA in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and a part of the coalition government at the centre, now awaits a favourable response from the BJP leadership.

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Chirag said BJP President Amit Shahji spoke to Ram Vilas Paswan after the press conference and suggested that there could be a review in the decision. The telephone call was followed by another round of discussions and Chirag met Shah on Monday evening. “He is much elder than me and more respected. But he explained the coalition compulsions. I felt honoured. He said our concerns will be addressed. We trust him and now our priority will be NDA’s victory. This is not the time to take small things seriously,” said the LJP leader.

Chirag, however, denied the reports that his party was upset with the number of seat Manjhi’s party has walked away with. “Manjhi is a prominent leader and he has a key role in Bihar elections. Manjhi, Kushwaha and we all are same family.”

Chirag also admitted that he has given a list of leaders belonging to Manjhi’s party against whom he and his party has reservations, saying they should not be allowed to contest in the LJP’s areas.

He said during the seat sharing negotiations with the BJP’s Bihar leaders, Bhupendra Yadav and Ananth Kumar, they had agreed on a formula and an upper limit was given to the LJP too. But what was announced was not on the basis of that formula and different parameters were applied to different parties in deciding the number of seats.

Liz Mathew

Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More