The internecine war within the Bihar NDA seems to be turning into an ugly one. Despite intervention by senior BJP leaders, including party general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, who tried to assuage the ruffled feathers of LJP chief Chirag Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party is likely to field its candidates against Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) nominees.
The reason: The LJP is miffed over the fact that Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) has been included into the NDA without proper consultation with the alliance partners (read: LJP). “The top LJP leadership is sore over the way Manjhi has been included in the NDA at the insistence of Nitish, but without taking other allies (like LJP) into confidence,” said a senior LJP functionary.
"Our party national president Chirag Paswan has, therefore, convened the parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi on September 7. The meet will discuss three issues threadbare: Alliance within the NDA, relationship with the JD(U) and Manjhi’s entry into the BJP-led alliance,” said the LJP source, dropping ample hints that the party top leadership was not very happy with the way Manjhi was inducted into the NDA, apparently to cut LJP to size.
Sources said Chirag has asked his partymen to be prepared for any eventuality and be ready to contest on at least 119 seats (out of 243 constituencies).
However, the BJP is quite elated over Manjhi joining its camp. “We welcome Manjhi Ji into the NDA fold. He will add muscle to the alliance,” said senior BJP leader and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
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