The National Democratic Alliance broke up in Jharkhand before the assembly polls as the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) decided to walk separately and contest the assembly polls independently, after a cold response from the BJP leaderships over their request to grant six seats to the Chirag Paswan-led party.
The state unit of the LJP announced its first list after its national president Chirag Paswan announced the party’s stand. The party released its first list nominating five candidates to contest from Palamu region that would go to polls in the first phase on November 30.
The LJP list includes the names of Rekha Choubey, the granddaughter of Giribar Pandey from Bhawnathpur, Anand Pratap Singh (Husseinabad), Sashikant Kumar (Chattarpur-SC), Sashiranjan Dhar Dubey (Bishrampur) and Ramdev Prasad Yadav (Panki). The candidates will file their nominations on Wednesday.
“The LJP has decided to contest the state polls independently as the BJP rejected its claim of six seats in the alliance. Candidates would be nominated for other seats soon,” said LJP state president Birendra Pradhan.
The party had claimed Jarmundi, Hussainabad, Latehar, Barkagaon, Nala and Poraiayhat, said Pradhan. He mentioned that all the seats were free from encumbrance as all those are represented by the opposition parties.
“It would have been better if the BJP had accepted LJP’s legitimate claim. We are confident of winning at least three seats,” said Pradhan. However, he underlined that the party would keep open the doors for post poll alliance with the BJP.
In 2014, the LJP had got single seat in Shikaripara in Santhal Pargana, but its candidate had failed to open account.
