Bihar polls: Fadnavis rules out LJP's NDA exit, hints at more Parties joining alliance

Amid LJP's strained ties with JD(U), BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday asserted that the NDA will remain united and win comfortably in the upcoming Bihar elections. Speaking to the media in Katihar, he exuded confidence in the alliance partners working out a seat-sharing formula in a smooth manner. Moreover, he hinted at the possibility of other parties joining NDA ahead of the Assembly polls. According to the former Maharashtra CM, the people of Katihar and Bihar trusted the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. 

Commenting on the probability of LJP leaving NDA, Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "We will remain united. We will easily work out the seat-sharing formula. NDA partners will remain together. While nobody will go out, someone from outside can join NDA."

"People have a lot of faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They feel that their future is safe in the hands of Modi. On the other hand, the state government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi has done a very good job. That’s I why feel that we will win comfortably in Katihar and Bihar," he added. 

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Bihar political scenario

The Bihar Assembly election is expected to take place in October-November 2020. In the 2015 state polls, the Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats in the 243-member Assembly under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, the BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. 

However, a power tussle in the ruling alliance kicked off with Tejashwi Yadav's elevation as the Deputy Chief Minister and RJD's role as the single-largest party in the Bihar Assembly. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav. After BJP extended support to its former ally, Kumar again took oath as the CM.

The BJP top brass has consistently maintained that the JD(U) president will be the alliance's CM face in the upcoming Assembly polls. But, LJP leaders have authorized party chief Chirag Paswan to take a call on the way forward for the election. In a parliamentary board meeting on September 7, LJP decided to prepare a list of 143 candidates for the Assembly polls. The ties with JD(U) will again be discussed in the meeting of parliamentarians called by Chirag Paswan on September 16.

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