Chirag Paswan says his party will contest all 40 Bihar LS seats

Patna, April 7 (IANS) Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJPR) President Chirag Paswan on Friday said that his party will contest in all 40 Lok Sabha seats of Bihar.

The decision was taken during the party's state executive committee meeting here.

"We are preparing to contest the Lok Sabha election for all 40 seats. I am a firm believer that every party has to prepare for every seat. We are strongly preparing for all 40 seats of Lok Sabha and 243 Assembly constituencies," Paswan said.

His statement came in wake of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his Nawada rally, claiming that the BJP will contest on 40 seats of Bihar and will win all of them.

With his announcement, Paswan, who claimed to be 'Hanuman' of PM Narendra Modi and always stood on the side of NDA, has given a strong message to the saffron party leaders.

Asked about alliance with any other party, he said: "We have to prepare for every challenge. I cannot demand seats from any other party and I also will not break the alliance pact. During the 2020 Assembly election, you have seen that the election commission had announced the dates of voting and alliance partners were not decided in the NDA as well as in Mahagathbandhan. So, going with the alliance has time."

Asked about the Iftar party of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday evening, Paswan said that he will not go there, but will sent a senior leader of his party to the event.

"We cannot form an alliance with Nitish Kumar. He brought Bihar on the path of destruction. I did not make an alliance with him when my party was weak. Now, we have huge public support. So, there is no question of making an alliance with him at this stage," he said.