LJP stays firm about not compromising on seat-sharing

Patna: Despite the intervention of BJP national president JP Nadda, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) doesn't appear to be in a mood to compromise on seat-sharing with the JDU.

Chirag Paswan, the national president of LJP, has asked members of the party's parliamentary board to prepare a list of 143 candidates and start campaigning in their respective constituencies. The decision has won the appreciation of parliamentary board members in New Delhi.

Abdul Khalik, the general secretary of the LJP, said that the party will soon hold a "Bihar First Bihari First" meeting in which a final decision will be taken on how many seats the party would contest in the forthcoming assembly polls.

"The party has raised strong objections over the statement of JDU MP Lalan Singh who called Chirag Paswan 'Kalidas'," Khalik said.

"Our national president Chirag Paswan has also informed the parliamentary board about the letter he has sent to PM Narendra Modi. He, however, did not disclose its contents," Khalik said.

In light of the LJP's tough stand, the seat-sharing formula in the NDA doesn't appear to be nearing resolution in the near future. Chirag is the political heir to Ram Vilas Paswan who is a prominent Dalit leader in Bihar and holds sway over a significant vote bank.

Jitan Ram Manjhi, another big Dalit leader, recently joined the NDA. The idea behind his inclusion the in NDA, sources say, was to develop an alternative which can challenge Paswan.