Ahead of Bihar Assembly elections, Pappu Yadav on Sunday said that Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) President Chirag Paswan and Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) chief Prashant Kishor have formed an alliance.
The independent MP from Purnia also said that Kishor should declare Paswan as the chief ministerial candidate.
Yadav said that if Paswan does not like it with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he would welcome him, according to ANI.
"Chirag Paswan and Prashant Kishor have joined hands. Prashant Kishor should announce Chirag Paswan as the Chief Minister... Everyone knows that if they win even a few seats, it will cause trouble for the JDU and trouble for Nitish ji. If Chirag ji doesn't like it there, we will welcome him," Pappu Yadav said while speaking to reporters in Patna on Sunday.
His remarks come a day after Chirag Paswan launched a scathing attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government, expressing his disappointment over the "deteriorating" law and order situation.
"I also believe that these incidents are being carried out as a conspiracy to defame the government ahead of elections. But even then, the responsibility of controlling it lies with the administration. Either the administration is in collusion with it, or the administration has become completely useless, and now it is beyond their power to keep Bihar and Biharis safe," Paswan told reporters in Patna.
"I feel ashamed that I am supporting such a government, under which crime has gotten out of control. I request the Bihar government to take action on this matter in a timely manner," he added.
Paswan referred to a recent incident in Gaya where a retired health department official was shot by unidentified assailants. He said that repeated incidents of murder, loot, and rape show that the government has "completely bowed down" before criminals.
"The way there have been criminal incidents one by one, and the way the government has bowed its head down in front of criminals. It is true that the incident is as condemnable as embarrassing, and an arrest also happened. But why are such incidents like murder, loot, dacoit, rape, one after another, happening in Bihar? It looks like the government is totally unsuccessful in curtailing these incidents," Paswan said.
"If such incidents continue, they will create a frightening situation in the state," he added.
Amid the criticism, Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi urged Chirag Paswan to remain with the NDA and work to strengthen it.
"We are in NDA. We have to help NDA. We wish him all the best. He should strengthen the NDA," said Manjhi.
Referring to Paswan's approach during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Manjhi said, "If he does not adopt the 2020 policy, it will be a very good thing."
Manjhi also defended the NDA's importance at both state and national levels, saying, "Today, NDA has become necessary for the society and the country. Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar are doing all kinds of development. If someone opposes NDA, then I think he does not have good feelings towards the people of the state and the country, and if work is being done to strengthen it, then we will appreciate it."
Earlier, Prashant Kishor had reiterated that Jan Suraaj would not field any "baahubalis" or candidates with questionable backgrounds. "There is no place for any 'Baahubali' in Jan Suraaj, be it gun, money, liquor, sand or political 'Baahubali'. The children of common people will contest in Jan Suraaj," Kishor told reporters.
He also continued his attack on Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal, alleging involvement in heinous crimes and vowing to expose him further.
"...There are allegations against Bihar BJP President Dr Dilip Jaiswal for committing heinous crimes, and he is not responding to these allegations...We will expose the BJP and Bihar BJP President Dr Dilip Jaiswal...," Kishore told reporters.
On July 16, Kishor alleged that Jaiswal had formed a mafia nexus in the Seemanchal region and criticised the BJP for remaining silent.
Kishor also slammed Nitish Kumar's recent promise of 125 units of free electricity, calling it a mere publicity stunt.
"After 20 years in power, Nitish Kumar's promises are no longer credible. People are more concerned about inflated electricity bills and prepaid meters. Nitish will go, and Bihar will see a new Chief Minister after November," Kishor had said.
A high-stakes battle is expected in Bihar, where the NDA, which includes Janata Dal (United) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will face the Mahagathbandhan. The opposition alliance includes Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Left parties. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is the current chairperson of the alliance.
The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year.
With inputs from ANI
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