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Nitish was left with no option, says Paswan

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan today shrugged off the resignation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a "drama" and claimed that there was internal rebellion in JD(U) and he was left with no option.

The former Union minister said that people of Bihar have rejected both-- RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U)-- and the next government in Bihar will be of NDA in which his party is an ally.

"It's all a drama, Nitish Kumar has no option but to quit as there was internal rebellion in his party. Whether election happens in Bihar today, tomorrow or a year after, the NDA will form a government," Paswan told PTI.
 

The LJP chief, who was accorded a grand welcome by party workers in Delhi today after his party won six of the seven seats it contested in alliance with the BJP, said that the alliance between the two parties will continue even in the Assembly election for Bihar, which as per schedule will happen by October 2015.

"We will fight in alliance and win elections in Bihar. Nitish Kumar's resignation is good riddance for people of Bihar, who have rejected both RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U). This is a good omen for Bihar," Paswan said, who had fought the last Lok Sabha election in alliance with Prasad's RJD and drew a blank.

To questions on whether his party or NDA will try to form a government in Bihar now after the resignation of Nitish Kumar, Paswan said that he has "not applied his mind to it" as yet and it is for the state leaders of the alliance to take a call on it.

He, however, did not comment on the remarks of JD(U) president Sharad Yadav that Nitish Kumar's successor will be chosen tomorrow saying it was their "internal party matter."

To questions about his demand of a ministerial berth in the upcoming BJP-led government at the Centre, he said he has "no demand" and joined NDA to support the policies and programmes of Narendra Modi.

Paswan also acknowledged Modi impact over polls in Bihar, where the NDA won 31 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats.

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First Published: May 17 2014 | 9:00 PM IST

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