Why BJP won’t allow Chirag Paswan to rock the NDA boat

With barely a month left before the first vote is cast for the Bihar Assembly election in the first phase of polling on October 28, the NDA seat-sharing pact is yet to be formalised.

One prime reason is LJP president Chirag Paswan, who has not made it clear whether he would be part of the NDA or join hands with so-called Third Front, a conglomerate of disgruntled and discredited leaders.

NDA sources told DH that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was unhappy with Chirag after the LJP chief asked his partymen to prepare for a contest on 143 seats, out of 243 constituencies, and field candidates against all the JD(U) nominees. Nitish has reportedly asked the BJP that handling the LJP was their concern and he had nothing to do with the over-ambitious Chirag.

At the same time, not to be seen as anti-Dalit, Nitish has played his cards well. He has appointed his Cabinet colleague Ashok Choudhary, a prominent Dalit leader, as working president of the Bihar JD(U).

Choudhary was Bihar Congress president and a minister in Grand Alliance government (2015-17) but shifted his allegiance to Nitish when the JD(U) strongman changed colours and joined the NDA in July 2017.

Besides, Nitish has roped in Jitan Ram Manjhi, the tall Mahadalit leader whom he made Bihar chief minister in May 2014. Last month, Nitish made a DG-rank officer Sunil Kumar (also Dalit) take VRS and join the JD(U). Sunil is likely to be fielded as Nitish’s nominee from Bhore in Gopalganj.

Aware of this backdrop, the BJP is still keen that Chirag, the self-styled leader of Dalits, should not rock the NDA boat at this juncture. “In this battle of Bihar, perception matters a lot. Already two of the oldest allies — the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal — have dumped the NDA in the last one year. If the LJP too deserts the NDA, it may send a wrong message to the electorate,” said a senior NDA functionary, adding that efforts were being made by the top BJP leadership to assuage the ruffled feathers of Chirag as well as Nitish.

“A seat pact, adjusting all the four allies — the JD(U), BJP, LJP and the HAM — has almost been clinched. A formal announcement is likely by the weekend,” the source added.