Registering a landslide victory in alliance with BJP, LJP today forecast the fall of Nitish Kumar Government in Bihar shortly and a mid-term elections in the state by October-November this year.
“The Nitish Kumar Government will fall on its own in the next 2-3 months and the people will have to give a fresh mandate for a good State Government by October-November this year,” LJP President Ramvilas Paswan told reporters here.
Another BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) demanded that Kumar resign following the rout in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“Nitish Kumar should resign and seek a fresh mandate,” RLSP President Upendra Kushwaha, a friend-turned-foe of Kumar who won from Karakat told reporters.
His party, which contested three seats in Bihar in alliance with BJP, rode on Modi wave to win all of them.
Both Paswan and Kushwaha said their tie-up with BJP was rock solid and the NDA would repeat its Lok Sabha performance in the next Assembly poll in the state.
The two were harsh on Kumar, whose JD(U) won only two seats, and RJD president Lalu Prasad, who had to remain content with four.
“Jo log Narendra Modi rupi jawar bhatta rokne chale the khud uske prabhav me bah gaye (those who wanted to stop the hurricane in the form of Narendra Modi were themselves swept away by it),” Paswan said mockingly.
“While Nitish Kumar was considering himself as a Prime Ministerial candidate, another (Lalu Prasad) claimed he would be PM-maker... both were left ruined,” the LJP chief, who won from his traditional Hajipur (SC) seat, said.
Paswan flanked by son Chirag Paswan, who won from Jamui (SC) seat, said the party’s Parliamentary Board would meet in Delhi soon to decide the future course of action.
The LJP chief said the lone party loser Satyanand Sharma from Nalanda would file a writ petition against the district administration’s role in “ensuring victory of JD(U) candidate in the CM’s home district’’.
Asked about the chance of getting a ministerial berth in the new Narendra Modi government, Kushwaha said it was the prerogative of the PM.