Mid-term poll likely in Bihar: Chirag Paswan

He accuses Nitish Kumar over hooch deaths

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Saturday said that mid-term elections in Bihar was likely and his party would be a part of an alliance in the poll. Mr. Paswan further announced that his party would contest upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. He also accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his favourite officials responsible for the recent hooch deaths in the State.

“Mid-term poll is likely to take place in Bihar and his party will be part of an alliance in that poll”, Mr. Paswan told media persons in Patna. However, he did not reveal whether his party would be part of the NDA alliance or the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal-led grand alliance. But, sources close to Mr. Paswan told The Hindu that his party has decided to contest the upcoming elections in the State along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav-led mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). When asked about his party’s performance in recently held two by-polls, he said his party candidates had come on third position similar to where his party stood in 2020 assembly poll in the State. “And, keeping the results in view, my party has decided to contest the upcoming election in Bihar in alliance”, he added.

Mr. Paswan also declared that his party would contest upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab next year. “Proposal to contest assembly poll in these two states had come from our party’s State units which has been accepted by our party”, said Mr. Paswan but refrained from revealing whether LJP would contest poll in these States alone or in alliance with some regional parties there.