BJP firms up alliance with RLSP for general elections

BJP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) today announced a pre-poll alliance for the general elections under the NDA's banner, with the two parties contesting 37 and three seats, respectively, in Bihar.

The state unit BJP chief Mangal Pandey told this to reporters, bringing to an end speculation about the alliance.

Flanked by BJP national general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan, former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Nand Kishore Yadav, CP Thakur, RLSP national president Upendra Kushwaha and its state unit chief Arun Kumar, Pandey said the seats to be contested by the new ally in Bihar would be decided in due course of time.

The state unit BJP chief neither confirmed nor denied speculation that RLSP will contest Nawada, Ujiarpur and Karakat parliamentary seats in Bihar.

In addition to the pre-poll alliance with BJP, RLSP will also be part of the NDA in Bihar, Pandey said.

RLSP national president Upendra Kushwaha hailed the leadership of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and wished him success in his endeavour to become the next prime minister which, Kushwaha claimed, would fulfil dreams of former chief minister and the socialist icon Karpoori Thakur.

The RLSP president, who had quit JD(U) and also his seat as the Rajya Sabha MP two years ago to protest against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's alleged dictatorial attitude, said his party would also support the BJP-sponsored 'rail chakka jam' in Bihar on February 28 to protest against the Centre's discriminatory attitude towards Bihar by denying it the special category status.