 "Chirag Paswan")
In a significant setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition partner Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), 22 leaders of the LJP tendered their resignations on Wednesday, citing dissatisfaction over not being nominated for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
According to reports, the surge of resignations points to internal discord within the party, with allegations emerging regarding the sale of tickets.
Among the prominent figures stepping down from Paswan's LJP are Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and national general secretary of LJP, along with Satish Kumar, state organisation minister Ravindra Singh, Ajay Kushwaha, Sanjay Singh, and state General Secretary Rajesh Dangi.
"Tickets should be given to the party workers instead of people from the outside. Tickets were given to the outsiders which means that able people are not there in your party. Are we the labour class people in your party who will work for you, make you a leader? Our devotion was questioned when an outsider was given a ticket. We are not here to serve as labourers for the party," former MP Renu Kushwaha told media outlets.
Further, Satish Kumar was quoted saying that the rebel LJP leaders will now support the INDIA bloc.
Last week, Chirag Paswan's party put forward candidates for five seats, including Hajipur, among others like Vaishali, Samastipur, Khagaria, and Jamui. The party declared that its chief, Chirag Paswan, would contest from Hajipur.
Coincidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Jamui on Thursday.
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In Bihar, the BJP is contesting 17 seats, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) is contesting 16 seats, and Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will each contest one seat.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, Janata Dal (United), and LJP, clinched 39 out of 40 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), could only secure only one seat.
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Bihar will witness polling in seven phases, starting from April 19 for the first phase, April 26 for the second, May 7 for the third, May 13 for the fourth, May 20 for the fifth, May 25 for the sixth, and June 1 for the seventh.
