Pashupati Kumar Paras, the chief of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), on Monday announced that his party is quitting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). His announcement ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections has shaken the political landscape of Bihar. It has fueled speculations whether he will join Mahagathbandhan or navigate the elections solely. While breaking ties with the NDA, Paras claimed that his party who has been a loyal ally since 2014, was treated unfairly during the Lok Sabha elections of 2024. He stressed that RLJP was treated indifferently due to its Dalit roots.
Paras Alleges Injustice
Amid all these developments, Paras stated the RLJP has started a membership drive in the state. The party is preparing for the upcoming assembly elections and intends to contest all 243 seats in Bihar.
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Paras highlighted that NDA did injustice to his party especially during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
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“I have been with the NDA from 2014 to date. We were loyal allies of the NDA. You must have seen that when Lok Sabha elections were held, people of NDA did injustice to our party as it is a Dalit party. Still, in the national interest, our party decided to support NDA in the elections,” stated Paras.
Will RLJP Join Mahagathbandhan?
Meanwhile, Paras gave a subtle hint on whether he will join hands with the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan). He stated that if the Grand Alliance offers proper respect and a suitable position, the RLJP might consider joining them in the future.
RLJP Chief Pashupati Kumar Paras told ANI, “We were compelled...We are going amid the people and have started a membership drive. We are preparing for all 243 seats...If Mahagathbandhan gives us proper respect at the right time, we will definitely think of politics in future.”
Paras further alleged that BJP and JDU Bihar chiefs never mentioned RLJP's name in any NDA meetings over the past 6-8 months, while referring themselves as the "5 Pandavas" in Bihar.
"Whenever NDA meeting was held in Bihar, BJP state chief and JD(U) state chief issued statements that they are '5 pandavas' in Bihar, they didn't mention our party's name anywhere,” added Paras.
Paras’ decision to quit NDA comes as another jolt to the coalition. Earlier, several MPs resigned from JD(U) over party’s stance on Waqf bill. This was seen as severe blow to JD (U), who is part of the NDA and currently ruling the state under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.
Tejashwi Asks JDU To Take Note Of Saini's Remark
Earlier, in the day, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav asked JD (U) to "take serious note" of a remark by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. He indicated that CM Saini appears to have revealed what the party's top leadership has decided, but is not making public. Yadav made this comment in regard to Saini’s statement which he made during a function in Delhi on Sunday, when he was sharing stage with Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary.
Saini was heard saying: “Our victory march that saw the BJP return to power in Haryana must continue in Bihar. I am sure the upcoming elections will be won by the BJP under the leadership of Samrat Choudhary.”
Bihar Assembly Elections: A High-Stakes Battle
The upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections will be crucial in determining the political landscape and future of the state. If we talk about Bihar, the state is currently ruled by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led JDU government in alliance with NDA. Nitish is holding the post for his 9th term. While the JDU will try to retain its stronghold, the opposition RJD is eyeing to rule the state. RJD is trying to position itself as Muslim sympathiser in the state, while for JDU, it is a “do or die” situation. Bihar’s political battle is a clear showdown between the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
The stance of the voters will be crucial in deciding who will form the next government in Bihar. While political parties fear that the specific concentration of communities, caste and religion can shape the election results; we have seen certain elections that have proven it wrong. The fresh example being Haryana, where it was believed that the BJP will lose the ground due to the farmers’ protest, wrestler row and sway of Jaat votes. It has become clear that the vote of only one community will not change the political situation of any state.
However, the repercussions of the Waqf Bill will also be felt in the Bihar elections. Out of Bihar’s 243 Assembly seats, 47 constituencies have a significant Muslim voter base. And this voter base’ decision will be crucial in sketching the fate of the state. Therefore, the stand of parties on Waqf bill was crucial to observe. It will be important to see how it will impact the Bihar Assembly elections. This is because prominent Muslim political leaders and the opposition opposed the bill stating it “unconstitutional” and “against the Muslims.” While Congress, TMC, RJD, SP, AIMIM opposed the bill, BJD and BRS remained neutral.
With this, the Bihar Assembly Elections are set to become a high-stakes battleground between the NDA and opposition Mahagathbandhan. The date of polls haven’t been announced yet, but are expected to take place between October-November.