Chirag’s salvo at Nitish aimed at ‘increasing’ seat share in Bihar-OxBig News Network

Ahead of the Assembly election in Bihar, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan began his second round of salvo at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. His attack is being speculated as the LJP’s way to demand a larger seat share.

In the backdrop of recent high profile murders in the state, Chirag directly targeted the government, stating that maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the state.

In the 2020 Assembly elections, Chirag had played a key role in cutting JD(U) votes.

It is widely believed that Chirag has support from the BJP. He slammed the state government over its failure to maintain law and order, after his meeting with BJP president JP Nadda.

Bihar is a few months away from going to the polls for its 243-member legislative Assembly.

Chirag has had an uneasy relationship with Nitish. In the run up to the 2020 state polls, while Chirag had walked out of the NDA over the seat-sharing arrangement, he maintained cordial ties with the BJP.

Subsequently, he had tactfully fielded candidates against JD(U) to divide NDA votes. LJP (RV) contested 137 seats in 2020, but mostly in constituencies where JD(U) was fighting and not the BJP. It resulted in the massive fall of JD(U)’s seat from 71 in 2015 to 43 in 2020.

“In the NDA, the JD(U) has never accepted less than 115 seats, but the BJP leadership might persuade Nitish to settle for less this time. The BJP already has 80 MLAs so they might push for more than 100 seats. LJP (RV) will also leverage its Dalit base, which is crucial in this election. Talks are still on over seat-sharing, but we want a respectable number this time,” said an LJP(RV) leader, requesting anonymity.

While announcing his decision to contest elections from all the 243 seats to ensure NDA’s victory, Chirag has slammed the lack of development and poor law and order in the state till now.

However, it is not clear if he was speaking about the 243 seats in a figurative sense of being an aid to all the parties of NDA, or if he would put up his own candidates.

However, it is believed that if Chirag is not satisfied with the seat sharing, he may contest alone even, while continuing to be a part of the NDA at the Centre.

However, this could be a jolt to Nitish’s party. Battling health conditions, if JD(U) plunges further, Nitish might not be in a position to lead the state and the mantle will be passed to the BJP.