Many Opposition MLAs in touch with NDA, claims Chirag

Union minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday claimed that “a number of MLAs” of the Opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar were in touch with the ruling NDA, which has retained power in the state with a brute majority.

Paswan, who heads Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), made the remark in response to a query from journalists who asked him about the rumours that at least four MLAs of the Congress, which won only six seats in the recently held assembly polls, were in touch with the JD(U), headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The Hajipur MP said, “I cannot say about any specific party but many Opposition MLAs are in touch with the NDA. They feel that it is only in this coalition, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that they can serve the people.”

However, state Congress president Rajesh Ram, who, incidentally, lost his own seat in the elections, bristled at the claim of Paswan.

“This has been a narrative that always does the rounds whenever elections are held. We heard similar things in 2020, but all our 19 MLAs remained with the party,” he said.

Nonetheless, Paswan claimed that there is a growing disenchantment with the Opposition, which does nothing constructive and does not let the Government work.

“This has been noticed during every session of the Parliament. We anticipate similar behaviour in the session beginning tomorrow when, incidentally, the session of the state assembly is also going to commence,” he said.

Notably, in the assembly elections, the NDA bagged 202 out of the assembly’s 243 seats, and while the BJP emerged as the single largest party with a tally of 89, followed by JD(U)’s 85, the LJPRV also put up its best ever performance, with 19 out of its 28 candidates tasting victories, two of whom have been rewarded with ministerial berths.

Replying to another query, Paswan also voiced disapproval of the controversial remarks of Jamiat Ulema e Hind chief Maulana Mahmood Madani, who has criticised the Supreme Court verdicts in “cases related to Babri Masjid and triple talaq”.

Addressing a gathering in Bhopal on Saturday, Madani had said the apex court “could be called supreme only if it upholds the Constitution”, and he had also defended the concept of “jihad”, stating that it meant “fight against injustice and oppression”.

Paswan said, “Such statements are part of a politics of appeasement which stokes religious divide. India’s judicial system is known to uphold the truth. If you allege that it acts under political pressure, it is regrettable.”

“There is a rule of law in the country. But when you make such utterances, you end up attacking the very foundations of the nation state and, wittingly or unwittingly, promoting anarchy”, said the Union Minister.