Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Chirag Paswan, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), faces a significant setback as 22 leaders of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have tendered their resignations. The leaders cited their dissatisfaction with not receiving tickets for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as the reason for their resignation.
The wave of resignations appears to be rooted in internal party grievances, with allegations emerging about the distribution of tickets in exchange for money.
Some notable figures who have resigned from Paswan’s LJP include Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and national general secretary of LJP, Satish Kumar, state organization minister Ravindra Singh, Ajay Kushwaha, Sanjay Singh, and State General Secretary Rajesh Dangi.
Chirag Paswan’s party is fielding candidates in five seats, including Hajipur. The other seats contested by Paswan’s LJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are Vaishali, Samastipur, Khagaria, and Jamui.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Jamui on Thursday. Paswan has entrusted the leadership to his brother-in-law Arun Bharti after representing Jamui in the Lok Sabha twice consecutively.
In Bihar, the BJP is contesting from 17 seats, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) from 16 seats, and Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest one seat each.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, won 39 out of 40 seats. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and RLSP, managed to secure only one seat.
Bihar will witness polling in seven phases, with the first phase on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1.
