Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) was denied seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar…reports Asian Lite News
Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned as union minister, a day after his party was denied any seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.
Speaking to ANI, the RLJP President said, “Yesterday, the NDA alliance announced the list of 40 candidates for Bihar Lok Sabha…Our party had five MPs & I worked with utmost sincerity…Injustice has been done with us & our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union Minister.”
On Monday, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced seat-sharing in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP set to contest 17 seats and JD-(U) 16. Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest one seat each. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest five seats.
Among the major seats that the BJP will be contesting are Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Aara, Buxar and Sasaram.
The JD(U) has been given Valmikinagar, Sitamadhi, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Madhepura, Gopalganj, Siwan, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Nalanda, Jehanabad and Sheohar seats.
On the other hand, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui. Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha will contest Gaya and Karakat respectively.
The Lok Sabha elections in Bihar will be held in seven phases, starting from April 19 and concluding on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had won 17 seats with a vote share of 24.1 per cent, JD(U) secured victory on 16 seats with a vote share of 22.3 per cent.
On the other hand, LJP had won 6 seats with a vote share of 8 per cent while INC had won only one seat with a vote share of 7.9 per cent.
BJP takes a dig at RJD, Congress
A day after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) finalized the seat-sharing agreement in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary expressed confidence that the ruling alliance will win all seats in the state.
He took a dig at the opposition RJD-led alliance over their having not finalised seat-sharing so far and said “those who have not been able to finalise, should now speak”.
“NDA’s seat-sharing was done yesterday. ‘Ab jinka nahi ho raha hai voh batayein’. BJP and NDA are ready to win all the seats in Bihar in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Chaudhary told ANI.
RJP invites Paras
RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav invited Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party leader Pashupati Kumar Paras, who resigned as Union Minister on Tuesday after the NDA ignored his party in the Bihar seat-sharing deal, to join the Mahagathbandhan.
“Injustice was done to Pashupati Kumar Paras in the NDA. He should have separated a long time ago. He has made a good decision. If he joins the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, I will be the first person to welcome him,” Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, said.
“The atmosphere is turning out positive for the Mahagathbandhan in the 2024 Lok Sabha election contest. The Mahagathbandhan will become stronger with his presence,” he added.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said that PM Narendra Modi had given great respect to Paras, who was a cabinet minister for a long time. “After the death of Ram Vilas Paswan, his political successor was Chirag Paswan, still Paras was given respect and a post in the Union Cabinet. Now, he has to give blessings to his nephew Chirag Paswan and take the NDA forward,” he said.