No rift in NDA, says Bihar BJP chief

Patna, April 15 (IANS) Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal on Tuesday dismissed speculation of cracks within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asserting that there is no internal dispute.

"Jitan Ram Manjhi is very happy - in fact, happier than us. We met this morning and everything is fine. There is absolutely no issue within NDA. We are contesting the Bihar elections with full strength," Jaiswal said.

This statement comes in the wake of Jitan Ram Manjhi, patron of Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) and a Union MSME Minister, demanding 35 to 40 seats in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, asserting that his party can secure 20 seats if given a fair chance.

Union Minister Manjhi reiterated his position that the Chief Minister would be decided after the elections, fuelling continued ambiguity within the alliance on leadership.

On Rashtriya Lok Jantatntrik Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras quitting NDA, Jaiswal said the BJP's alliance is strictly with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan.

"Our alliance is not with that party. It's not our concern," he said on Paras' announcement to contest all 243 seats of Bihar independently.

On the opposition front, Jaiswal criticised Tejashwi Yadav's meeting with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, branding the Mahagathbandhan as a "mismatched alliance".

"RJD and Congress are like frogs on a scale - neither wants the other to grow. Congress wants a bigger role, but RJD won't allow it. Their alliance won't make any real impact," he said.

Notably, after meeting Tejashwi, Kharge posted on X, "This time, change is certain in Bihar. Today we met the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr Tejashwi Yadav, and discussed the strengthening of the Grand Alliance. In the coming elections, we will give the people of Bihar a strong, positive, just and welfare-oriented option. Bihar will be freed from BJP and its opportunistic alliance. Youth, farmers-labourers, women, backward, extremely backward and people of all other sections of society want the Grand Alliance government."

Jaiswal also asked West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to "improve" her habits, after the violence in her state against Waqf law.

--IANS

ajk/svn