RJD and LJP seen drifting apart, RJD MLA calls LJP a treacherous party

PATNA: The Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD), facing its biggest political crisis following incarceration of its chief, Lalu Prasad, seems to soured its ties with alliance partner Lok Janshakti Party ( LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan.

The first provocation came from RJD, when its Banka MLA Javed Eqbal Ansari described LJP as a treacherous party, while alleging Ram Vilas Paswan could not see beyond his son. RJD leaders, including Vaishali MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, followed this up and suggested that RJD could contest all 40 Lok Sabha seats. LJP termed the statements as affronts.

It is significant that Singh’s remarks were made after he visited Prasad in jail. LJP’s exploration of a possible alliance with JD(U)-Congress may have triggered RJD’s outbursts.

“If things become adverse, we will find contest all 40 Lok Sabha seats. It was very sad RJD leaders have said things that has agitated our party cadres and workers,” the chairman of the LJP Parliamentary Board Chirag Paswan told ET on the issue. Even prior to remarks from RJD leaders, Chirag Paswan had during LJP foundation day said that it had enough of political muscle to fend for itself. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, however, preferred not to read too much into what the RJD leaders have said.

“We have an alliance with RJD and we only hope the alliance will remain in place in future,” the LJP chief said. A LJP source said a section of party leaders were of the view that it should opt for an alliance with JD(U) and Congress.