LJP preparing for Bihar assembly elections: Chandan Singh

Weeks after JD-U leader KC Tyagi stated that his party has never formed an alliance with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar, LJP MP Chandan Singh said that his party is fully preparing for state assembly elections.

"JD (U) has itself decided not to contest elections with us. I am congratulating them. Their top leader KC Tyagi has itself said that LJP is not in coalition Bihar polls. If we are not in a coalition, then I want to say that we are preparing. It is for the BJP to decide who will be CM face," Singh told here.

JD-U leader KC Tyagi had on September 7 said that his party has never formed an alliance with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar and that BJP has made it clear that the assembly polls will be fought under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Prince Raj Paswan, Bihar LJP president said that it is yet to be decided about the number of seats his party will contest elections.

"We have not taken any final decision on the number of seats we are contesting. In the last Parliamentary Board Bihar meeting of the party, it has been decided to prepare a list of 143 candidates and send it to the central leadership. We are working on the same," he said.

Both Chandan Singh and Prince Raj Paswan attended LJP's Parliamentary Board Bihar meeting chaired by party president Chirag Paswan at his residence in Delhi. Party's MPs and former MPs participated in the meeting.

"All the MPs in the meeting welcomed the statement of KC Tyagi that JDU has no alliance with LJP. All the MPs also proposed that several journalists should also be given tickets for upcoming Bihar polls, which was passed unmously. All the MPs have unmously authorized the National President of the party Chirag Paswan to decide on the party's alliance and take decisions," an official release of the party said.

The party decided that soon there will be a meeting of the "Bihar first, Bihari first vision document and then "there will be a meeting of the Central Parliamentary Board in which the final decision will be taken."

Bihar has 243 Assembly seats and elections in the state are due and expected in October-November as the tenure of the current Assembly will end by last November this year. Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar.

( With inputs from ANI )