The outcome of the Bihar election will decide whether the Lok Janshakti Party gets a place in the Narendra Modi government to fill up the vacancy created by the death of Ram Vilas Paswan, sources said.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United, the largest constituent in the NDA after the BJP, has lodged a strong opposition against the inclusion of LJP but the BJP wants to wait for the poll results to take a final call, sources said.
At present, the JDU has 15 MPs in the Lok Sabha and the LJP 6.
Chirag Paswan-led LJP’s decision to contest outside the NDA and go all out against Nitish has led an angry JDU to lodge a strong protest with the BJP.
According to sources, the JDU has told the BJP that the LJP should not get a place in the central government and also refused to lend its support in case the LJP is asked to fill the vacancy in the Rajya Sabha created by the death of Ram Vilas.
The BJP leadership, however, has maintained silence, waiting for the results of the Bihar polls to decide on the LJP’s utility. The LJP’s role has led many to believe that the party is acting like a BJP proxy to end Nitish’s stature as the big brother of the NDA in Bihar.
“We are slamming the LJP for spreading confusion in the polls, but at the same time we may need its support if the NDA falls short of majority,” a BJP leader said.
The leader pointed out that home minister Amit Shah, too, had indicated this by not closing the door on the LJP despite pressure from the JDU.
In an interview last Saturday, Shah said the LJP decided to go it alone despite being offered a reasonable number of seats to contest, but didn’t rule out the possibility of the party being back in the NDA after the election.
“We will see after elections on whether the LJP joins the NDA. We are opponents now and will contest accordingly,” Shah had said.
While Shah’s statement added to the perception that the LJP was indeed in a covert relationship with the BJP, party leaders said it was also driven by feedback from the ground.
Periodical assessments by the BJP have generated a fear that the JDU-BJP combine along with two other allies, Hindustan Awam Morcha Secular and Vikassheel Insaan Party, may fall short of the majority mark in the 243-member Assembly.
“In that case, if the LJP manages to win a substantial number of seats, then it can fill the gap,” a BJP leader said. “If we start saying that there is no place for the LJP in the NDA, then it could join our opponents,” the leader added.
On the LJP’s firm refusal to accept Nitish as the chief minister, the BJP leader said. “That will be resolved post-elections.”
Many believe the BJP, despite promising to stick with Nitish, may hoist its own chief minister with the help of the LJP if the JDU’s tally dips substantially.
However, if the JDU-BJP combine manages to return to power comfortably and the LJP fails to make a mark, then the BJP could be compelled to slam the door on the LJP.
In that case, Chirag may find it difficult to fill his father’s shoes in the Modi government.
