Published 18:30 IST, October 19th 2020
Amid LJP's pro-BJP stance, Tejashwi backs Chirag Paswan's accusations against Bihar CM
In a surprising move ahead of the Bihar election, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav backed LJP national president Chirag Paswan's accusations against Nitish Kumar.
In a surprising move ahead of the Bihar election, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday backed LJP national president Chirag Paswan's accusations against Nitish Kumar. On October 15, Paswan alleged that JD(U) had worked against LJP candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha election in violation of the "coalition dharma". Moreover, the LJP chief claimed that the Bihar CM had behaved in a haughty manner when his late father Ram Vilas Paswan requested him to accompany him for filing the nomination papers for Rajya Sabha.
Extending support to Paswan, Yadav drew attention to the void caused by LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan's untimely demise. According to him, the Bihar CM did injustice to Paswan. It is pertinent to note that LJP is NDA's partner at the Centre while RJD is the key party in the opposition's Mahagatbandhan alliance. Interestingly, Yadav had earlier indirectly referred to LJP as being the 'B' team of BJP.
Former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav remarked, "What Nitish Kumar did with Chirag Paswan is not good. Chirag Paswan needs his father at this juncture more than ever before. Today, we feel sad that Ram Vilas Paswan is not among us. Looking at Nitish Kumar's behaviour vis-a-vis Chirag Paswan, it is clear that injustice was done to him."
LJP's conflicting stance
The Bihar Assembly election will be held in 3 phases- October 28, November 3 and November 7 with the counting of votes scheduled for November 10. An NDA ally since 2014, LJP decided to contest the polls separately owing to ideological differences with JD(U). Asserting that joining the Mahagatbandhan would have been an easier choice, Chirag Paswan said that LJP wanted to bring back Bihar's lost pride. Lamenting that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar hadn't lived up to his party's expectations, Paswan questioned the JD(U) president's idea of development.
What set the rumour mills abuzz is his repeated assertion of LJP and BJP forming the next government in Bihar. Reiterating his affection for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the LJP president contended he was the PM's "Hanuman". Noting that Nitish Kumar was continuously trying to wedge a divide between him and the PM, Paswan opined on October 18 that he did not want the latter to face any moral dilemma. Thereafter, he appealed to PM Modi to speak against him without any hesitation to follow the NDA coalition dharma. On the other hand, BJP has slammed Paswan's attempt to misguide the voters and affirmed faith in Nitish Kumar as the Bihar CM face.
Updated 18:30 IST, October 19th 2020