NDA coalition partner LJP to contest 143 Assembly seats in upcoming Bihar polls

New Delhi: A crucial parliamentary board meeting of the Lok Janashakti Party here on Monday saw members give vent to their anger against alliance partner Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, with some even asking party chief Chirag Paswan to explore options of putting up candidates against the JD(U).

In an official statement, the party said that it would fight in 143 seats of the 243 Bihar Assembly seats and lists of candidates would be submitted to the party’s parliamentary board soon.

In 2015, the LJP contested 42 seats and won two. JD(U) was then part of Mahagathbandhan with the RJD and Congress.

Sources told this newspaper that some of the leaders questioned why LJP should continue its alliance when many JD(U) leaders have openly spoken out against the LJP.

One of the options that Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's party, now headed by his son Chirag Paswan, may consider is to remain a part of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre but to fight outside the coalition's fold in the state, while not contesting against the saffron party, sources said.