Chirag Paswan suffers jolt as over 200 LJP leaders join JDU; accuse him of corruption

In a massive setback to Chirag Paswan's LJP, more than 200 key leaders have quit the party to join the ruling Janata Dal-United (JDU) in Bihar. JD(U) national president RCP Singh announced the induction of 208 LJP leaders, at a press conference on Thursday.

A rattled Lok Janshakti Party, which took pride in having weakened the JD(U) in the state assembly elections last year, lashed out at the deserters and dismissed them as traitors. Some of the leaders held state-level posts in the party that was founded by late Ram Vilas Paswan and now headed by his son Chirag.

READ | NDA Allies In Bihar Irked After LJP's Chirag Paswan Gets BJP's Invite For Budget Meeting

The turncoats were reportedly led by former state general secretary Keshav Singh, who had been revolting against Paswan and predicting the LJP's collapse for some time. After joining the JD(U), Keshav Singh criticised the LJP chief, claiming that he was running the party like a corporate house after the demise of his father. Singh also accused Paswan of corruption, alleging that he ran several private entities both in India and abroad.

Keshav Singh further said he will reveal the "corrupt activities" of Chirag Paswan and he will soon be put behind the bars in connection with these cases. 

READ | 'Chirag Paswan Instrumental In Tejashwi's Victory From Raghopur': JD(U) Fires Fresh Salvo

LJP cries foul

Soon after the exit of its leaders LJP hurriedly convened a press conference, addressed by party MP Chandan Kumar Singh and former MLA Raju Tiwari.

"These so-called leaders are traitors who had helped the JD(U) in the assembly elections and betrayed our party's agenda of Bihar First, Bihari First," they said indignantly.

Relations had begun to sour between the JD(U) and the LJP last year when Chirag Paswan had started criticising Nitish Kumar for his government's handling of COVID-19 and the migrant crisis thrown up by the lockdown.

READ | Padma Honour For Ram Vilas Paswan, Son Chirag Paswan Thanks PM Modi

Right before elections, he pulled out of the NDA, vowing to dislodge Nitish Kumar from power but helping the BJP to form the next government in Bihar. The LJP queered the pitch for the JD(U) by fielding its candidates, many of them rebels from the BJP, against the chief minister's party.

It, however, came a cropper and managed to win only one seat. One of the prominent BJP rebels fielded by it, Rameshwar Chaurasia, quit the party on Wednesday. 

READ | 'Bihar RJD Chief Karenge Tej Pratap Ka Swag Se Swagat': JDU Takes Swipe At Lalu's Son