LJP (Ram Vilas) To Contest Jharkhand Polls, In Alliance Or Alone: Chirag Paswan

Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Sunday said his party would contest Jharkhand assembly polls and discussion was underway for all options including contesting the election in alliance or alone.

Paswan's statement came a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also BJP's election co-incharge for Jharkhand polls, said the saffron party would contest the assembly polls in alliance with AJSU Party and Janata Dal (United). LJP (Ram Vilas) is a part of the BJP-led NDA government in the Centre.

"The LJP state unit is discussing all options including contesting the polls in alliance or alone...," Paswan, the Union Food Processing Industries minister told reporters at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport. Paswan will address a public meeting in Dhanbad on Sunday. LJP (Ram Vilas) had a strong mass base in Jharkhand, he said.

''When I was born, Jharkhand was in a unified Bihar. This had been a workplace for my father. The party has developed a strong mass base in the state. In such a situation, it has been decided that the party will contest the upcoming assembly polls," he said.

The Assam CM on Saturday said, "The BJP will contest the Jharkhand elections in alliance with AJSU Party and JD(U). The seat-sharing agreement with the allies has been done on 99 per cent of the seats. Discussions are underway for the remaining one or two seats and it will be finalised soon," he said while speaking to reporters in Ranchi.

Sarma said that a formal announcement in this regard will be made after 'Pitri Paksha', which ends on October 2. Elections to the 81-member assembly in Jharkhand are due later this year.