Day before poll, BSP leaders join Paswan

Several BSP leaders in Himachal, including state president Balwant Singh, have resigned from the party and joined Ramvilas Paswan’s LJP. Singh said he decided to join Paswan as he was the “true protector of Dalits”. Singh alleged that Mansingh Manhera, the BSP general secretary in-charge of Himachal, and party leader Vijay Singh Mankotia had committed irregularities in the allotment of tickets. Singh predicted that the BSP, which had made a “strong start” in the beginning, will draw a blank in the Assembly because of the “misdeeds” of the two leaders.