LJP calls meeting of party MPs on Sep 16

 Lok Janshankti Party president Chirag Paswan has called a meeting of all party MPs on September 16 as the party continues to deliberate whether to fight against the Janata Dal(U) in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.

LJP sources said the meeting will also consider the proposal by the party's Bihar unit that it should contest 143 seats in the elections to the 243-member state assembly.

The LJP has six members in the Lok Sabha from the state and one Rajya Sabha member is its founder and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The party also hopes that there will be clarity by the time of the meeting about the seat-sharing arrangement between the two principal National Democratic Alliance parties, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-headed JD(U) and the BJP.

LJP sources said any attempt to undermine the party's position in the state will prompt it to go all out against the JD(U).

They said the JD(U) has been working to undercut the LJP. They cited the ruling party's decision to join hands with Dalit leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, who has a history of targeting the LJP, a party whose base is primarily among Dalits, as another attempt in this regard.

Nitish Kumar on Saturday held a crucial meeting with BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda on seat-sharing among the NDA alliance partners for the assembly elections due in October-November. 

(Image Credits:PTI)