Prashant Kishor behind LJP's U-turn against NDA? Paswan points squarely at Bihar CM Nitish

With LJP speaking openly against CM Nitish Kumar while backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and BJP hinting at a secret deal between RJD and Paswan's party, the question of who is fighting against whom is increasing ahead of the Bihar elections. As the LJP left the NDA and has amped up its attack on CM Nitish Kumar, rumours in the state's capital Patna suggest that poll strategist Prashant Kishor has thrown his weight behind late Ram Vilas Paswan's son.

However, quashing all claims, LJP president Chirag Paswan on Tuesday said that his party is 20-years-old and is capable of winning elections without anyone's help. Pinning the blame of these rumors on CM Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan has said that Nitish is scared. "They are spreading rumours that Prashant Kishor is backing me and I am B-team of a party. I want to clarify that the Lok Jan Shakti Party is a 20-year-old party with 51 years of the taint-free political career of Ram Vilas Paswan ji. Why would I need backing from someone? Lok Janshakti Party has its own ideology and we will win the election and the Chief Minister is scared. That is why he is spreading the rumour," Chirag Paswan told news agency ANI.

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In February this year, Prashant Kishor announced a new campaign called "Baat Bihar Ki" aimed at forming a political front of young people of Bihar and to make grassroots connect to people who want development in Bihar. In a scathing attack on Nitish Kumar, he had accused him of deflecting from his development agenda. However, even as one week is left for the first phase of polls, he is out of the scene. He has not even tweeted about the Bihar elections and his last tweet was in July about the COVID-19 pandemic. His team IPAC is currently working for DMK's campaign in Tamil Nadu and in West Bengal for TMC's campaign. 

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Even as political circles remain abuzz in Patna about Chirag Paswan's sudden line of attack and Kishor's no-show in the Bihar elections so far, the LJP chief has ruled out any post-poll alliance, adding that the 20-year-old party has never done any post-poll alliance in its history. "If someone is thinking that after polls I will form an alliance with RJD then I want to clarify that I am with Prime Minister Modi and his views on development. LJP has never done post-poll alliance and has only done pre-poll alliance," he added.

On October 4, Chirag Paswan decided that LJP won't contest Bihar polls under CM Nitish Kumar's leadership, passing a resolution for an LJP-BJP government. He said that he had "always been opposed to" Nitish's politics.

Even after quitting the NDA, Chirag Paswan has said that he believes in PM Modi. Emphasizing his affection for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the LJP president contended he was the PM's "Hanuman". Opining that the former's photo was in his heart, Paswan added that he was ready to "tear open his chest" to prove this. 

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Bihar Elections 2020

Bihar Assembly Elections will be held in three phases - on October 28, November 3 and November 7 - and counting of votes will be held on November 10. Nitish Kumar is seeking reelection and is the CM face for the NDA. Mahagathbandhan has chosen Tejashwi Yadav as their CM face.

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