Jharkhand assembly elections: Now, ally LJP gives a jolt to BJP

RANCHI/DUMKA/PATNA: After All Jharkhand Students’ Union Party (AJSU-P) and JD(U), another BJP ally, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), has turned hostile by deciding to go solo in the upcoming assembly polls in the state.


Newly anointed LJP chief Chirag Paswan said on Tuesday that his party will contest 50 of the total 81 seats.

Soon after the announcement, LJP released a list of candidates for five constituencies. The move follows BJP’s refusal to allot any seat to LJP. Chirag, who was in Deoghar on Tuesday to hold a meeting with his party leaders, told TOI his party decided to go solo in Jharkhand after BJP did not accept LJP’s demand for six seats. He also said LJP may go it alone in the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi as well if BJP does heed its demand. He appealed to BJP to be more careful about its regional allies as they, too, have their own ambitions.

The MP from Bihar’s Jamui said,“We refuse to accept seats given as tokens. We were also ready to make compromises in favour of the alliance but there was no response. BJP released its list of candidates without even informing us.”

Chirag, however, clarified that LJP’s decision will not have any implications in Bihar assembly polls. “The decision to go solo in Jharkhand is a separate issue; it will not impact our alliance with BJP at the Centre and in Bihar,” he said.