RJD-LJP alliance on the rocks

The Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Janshakti Party honeymoon in Bihar appeared to be on the rocks on Wednesday with the latter accusing the Laloo Prasad Yadav-led party of 'sabotaging' the prospects of its candidates in the Lok Sabha polls.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of LJP national office bearers in Delhi, presided over by its president and Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, party general secretary R G James blamed RJD ministers, legislators and other leaders for the defeat of party candidates in four Lok Sabha seats.

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Regretting that both Yadav and Chief Minister Rabri Devi did not take any action against their party leaders despite repeated complaints from Paswan, he said, "We want the RJD leadership to take action against them and dismiss the ministers concerned from the (state) government."

James also categorically asserted that the RJD-LJP alliance 'was only for the Lok Sabha polls'. Asked about the possibility of the continuance of the alliance in the coming state assembly polls, he said, "If they rectify the mistake, we will sit and decide."

To a question whether LJP was raising the issue since Paswan has been deprived of the Railway Ministry, James said, "It is a closed chapter. We never demanded the Railway Ministry but if somebody who has all along been demanding Home and Defence suddenly angles for Railways, it hurts the cadres and the party, not Paswan personally.

"In a coalition, we expect the elder brother to be magnanimous. You cannot reach the ultimate aim by sitting on Paswan's shoulders and cutting him to size."