New Delhi, March 4 Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national President Chirag Paswan said on Tuesday that his party will contest the Bihar Assembly elections on the issue of development. The Assembly elections are due in Bihar later this year and the LJP is going to issue its manifesto long before the elections are announced.
The LJP President told a press conference here that the party's election manifesto 'Vision Document-2020' will be released at a rally to be held at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on April 14, which is currently under preparation.
He said that a meeting of the party was held here under the chairmanship of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan, which was attended by other office bearers including party MPs and various issues were discussed.
He said that if the manifesto is released before the Assembly elections, caste will not be an issue, but the focus will be on development of the state.
Chirag Paswan is running 'Bihar First, Bihari First' campaign in the state, which will conclude on April 14 at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. He said that during this time he will prepare a 'Vision Document', which will cover the issues and problems that will facilitate the development of the state.
Questioning the issue of security in the state, the LJP President said that in Bihar, number 100 does not work in any district except Patna, and education and health services are in a bad shape.
The LJP is a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre and Bihar and has announced to contest the Assembly elections in the state by staying in the alliance itself, but the issues raised by Chirag Paswan highlight the failure of the state government. However, on the question asked, he said, "I am not highlighting the shortcomings of the state government, but drawing attention to the problems for the better development of Bihar".
Claiming victory in the next election, Chirag said: "There is no doubt that after the 2020 elections, only the NDA government will be formed in Bihar and Nitish Kumar will again become the next Chief Minister. Under the Common Minimum Program, the LJP ask government to implement its suggestion prominently".
The LJP currently has only two MLAs in Bihar's 243-member Assembly, but the party has started preparing for all the seats for the upcoming Assembly elections. The party says that it will field candidates from the seats it will be given under the alliance.
How many seats does the LJP want to contest in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections? Chirag said this is not the right time to tell anything in this regard. "We are preparing for all seats and the party will field its candidates on seats it will be given. Also, the LJP workers will work for the victory of coalition candidates".
He said that the issue of regularising the contractual teachers in Bihar will be included in the manifesto. These teachers are on the streets, he said.
The LJP President said that by issuing toll-free numbers, the party is seeking suggestions from the people at the Assembly and district levels, which will be included in the manifesto.
( With inputs from IANS )