Contentious issues like Ram Temple harming NDA: LJP

Contentious issues like Ram Temple are harming the NDA and should not be on its agenda for this year's Lok Sabha elections, BJP's key ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) said on Sunday.

Chirag Paswan, senior leader of the LJP, said that the election results of the three states - Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan - where the BJP lost, were indicative of this point.

"I personally feel Ram Mandir should not be on our agenda, only development of the region, farmers, jobs should be given priority. Same thing I had said when results of the three (Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) states came recently. Contentious issues like Ram temple harms NDA," Chirag told ANI.

In December, Paswan scion wpraised Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said he had raised "real" issues of the youth and farmers, which, he said, fetched Congress victory in the assembly elections.

Last week, BJP president Amit Shah announced his party will contest on 17 seats and LJP will contest on six seats in Bihar in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.