22 Leaders Quit NDA Ally Chirag Paswan's Party In Bihar, Say Will Back INDIA Bloc

In a major setback for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Chirag Paswan ahead of the Lok Sabha election, 22 leaders of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have tendered their resignations. These leaders accuse party chief Chirag Paswan of "selling all Lok Sabha tickets" and have pledged their support to the Opposition INDIA bloc.

Among those who have stepped down are former minister Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and LJP's national general secretary Satish Kumar, state organisation secretary Ravindra Singh, state general secretary Rajesh Dangi, and party leaders Ajay Kushwaha and Sanjay Singh.

Also Read | Does Ideology Matter At All In Today’s Indian Politics?

Renu Kushwaha, commenting on her resignation said, "Ticket should be given to the party workers instead of people the from outside. Tickets were given to the outsiders which means that able people are not there in your party. Are we the labour class people in your party who will work for you, make you a leader? Our devotion was questioned when an outsider was given a ticket. We are not here to serve as labourers for the party."

Ravindra Singh, the party's Organisation Secretary, accused Chirag Paswan of "selling the tickets," adding, "Chirag Paswan has played an emotional game with the people of Bihar. When he got five seats due to our hard work, he sold all those tickets. People of Bihar will give him an answer." 

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting five out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar - Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria, and Jamui.

In Bihar, the BJP is contesting 17 seats, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) is contesting 16 seats, and Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest one seat each.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, won 39 out of 40 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and RLSP, managed to secure only one seat.

Bihar will undergo polling in seven phases, with the first phase on April 19, the second on April 26, the third on May 7, the fourth on May 13, the fifth on May 20, the sixth on May 25, and the seventh on June 1.