Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, October 7
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is hugging the leaders who Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hurling.
Interestingly, the LJP has been a part of BJP-led NDA at the centre. The equation is however different in Bihar as the BJP has to deserted Ramvilas Paswan’s party following its President Chirag launching a crusade against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The crossing over to the LJP from BJP is guaranteed—the big guns have been given tickets to contest the state polls. Ironically, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) would be their rival.
In a recent move, BJP leader Usha Vidyarthi joined LJP in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Political commentators said the rush of BJP leaders to join LJP accelerated after the party announced contesting against the BJP ally JD(U). Nitish could be their common enemy.
A number of senior BJP leaders, including two sitting MLAs, joined the LJP on Wednesday. They are likely to contest election on the LJP symbol from Dinara, Sasaram, Paliganj, Jhajha, and Govindganj. All these seats have gone to the JD(U) under seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP.
Among those who joined the LJP include former MLA Usha Vidyarthi who is likely to be fielded from the Paliganj assembly seat where the JD(U) will contest as well.
Vidyarthi was the member of Bihar State Women Commission. She quit the commission as well as the BJP before joining the LJP.
Speaking to this correspondent, Vidyarthi said she would file nomination papers from Paliganj constitutency on Thursday. She was earlier a BJP MLA from Paliganj.
This comes a day after another senior BJP leader from the state, Rajendra Singh joined Paswan’s party. Singh is a veteran BJP leader and was associated with the RSS for a long time.
According to sources, BJP president JP Nadda spoke to Rameshwar Chaurasia and tried to convince him not to leave the party. But it was in vain as Chaurasia joined LJP and was likely to contest from Nokha seat.
Sitting BJP MLA, Rabindra Yadav, who was denied re-nomination, quit membership of BJP, joined LJP and filed papers from Jhajha.
Announcing his exit from the NDA in Bihar, president Chirag Paswan has come out strongly against JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but claimed that he was not against the BJP.
The BJP, on the other hand, has asserted that it will contest the elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and he will be the chief minister even if the saffron party wins more seats.
As per the seat-sharing formula for Bihar assembly polls, the JD(U) will contest on 122 seats and BJP 121 out of a total of 243 seats.
The three-phase Bihar polls will start on October 28. The counting of votes will be held on November 10
Independent MLA, Anant Singh who is lodged in Beur jail, filed his papers as RJD candidate. His wife also filed her papers.
International shooter Shreyanshi Singh filed her papers from Jamui as BJP candidate while former chief minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi went to file nomination papers as HAM candidate supported by NDA.
