Won't extend support to Nitish Kumar at any cost, ready to form govt with BJP in Bihar: Chirag Paswan

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Saturday said that his party would never extend support to Nitish Kumar as the chief minister of Bihar. Paswan, however, said that he would support JDU's alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for chief minister. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Paswan said he was, is and would continue to be in alliance with the BJP. The third and final phase of polling in 78 assembly constituencies in Bihar assembly elections will conclude today. 

In a conversation with India TV, Paswan, who is pulling a lonely furrow in the polls this time, said the people of Bihar were not happy with Nitish Kumar, particularly in view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and flood situation in the state. 

The Jamui MP vowed to extend support to the Bharatiya Janata Party but not Nitish Kumar and Mahagathbandhan. "I am not asking them to leave Nitish ji, I just want that he doesn't become CM again. All winning LJP MLAs will extend support to a BJP CM. There will be no support for Nitish Kumar or Mahagathbandhan," Paswan told India TV. 

He further said that the BJP and JDU are not expected to get enough numbers for Nitish Kumar to become CM. JDU's performance is going to be extremely disappointing, he said. "JDU is not expected to get more than 40 seats. There won't be hung assembly. BJP's performance will be good and we will form government with them," the LJP chief said. 

Paswan said that he was not upset with any of the BJP leaders. "In fact, I learn from leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda who had once said that their leader would be Nitish Kumar and continue to stand by it even now. I was in an alliance with PM Modi, I am with him and will be in future," he said.