Don't vote for JD(U), BJP-LJP will form next govt in Bihar: Chirag Paswan

A day after walking out of the NDA in Bihar, LJP president Chirag Paswan appealed to people against voting for Kumar's JD(U) and claimed that an alliance of his party and the BJP will come to power

A day after walking out of the NDA in Bihar targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Chirag Paswan appealed to people against voting for Kumar's JD(U) and claimed that an alliance of his party and the BJP will come to power in the state after the Assembly polls.

In an open letter, Paswan told the voters of Bihar that a vote for the Janata Dal (United) will force the migration of their children tomorrow as he sought their support for his party candidates in the three-phase poll starting October 28.

The LJP on Sunday decided to put up its candidates against the JD(U) citing "ideological differences" with the party to assert that it will not accept Kumar's leadership of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the principal member of the NDA and it has already announced Kumar as the leader of the bloc in the state.

"This is the most decisive moment in the history of the state of Bihar. It is a question of life and death of the 12 crore people of the state and we have no time to lose.... The road ahead is not easy for the LJP but we will fight and win too," Paswan said.

All LJP MLAs will work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

The 37-year-old leader also made a reference to his ailing father, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who has undergone a heart surgery at a private hospital in Delhi and is expected to remain hospitalised for some time.

He spoke of his "Bihar first, Bihari first" vision document and said his father would be proud that his son has stuck to the issue he had raised through it.

Citing his party's differences with the JD(U), Paswan said be it the growing bureaucracy in Bihar, the ruling party's treatment of its allies or its agenda, people's grievances are not being addresses either by the officials or the chief minister.