LJP sees 'positive change' in Rahul Gandhi, lauds Congress' poll performance

Miffed with the BJP over no progress in seat-sharing discussion in Bihar, the LJP on Wednesday praised Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi for poll performance in recently concluded assembly elections. LJP Parliamentary Board chairman Chirag Paswan said he sees a "positive change" in and the Congress chief should get the credit for his party's victory in three states: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

LJP leader Chirag Paswan. Photo: ANI

NEW DELHI: Miffed with the BJP over no progress in seat-sharing discussion in Bihar, the LJP on Wednesday praised Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi for poll performance in recently concluded assembly elections. LJP Parliamentary Board chairman Chirag Paswan said he sees a "positive change" in Gandhi and the Congress chief should get the credit for his party's victory in three states: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. "There has definitely been a positive change in him (Rahul Gandhi). The Congress party has won after a long time. You will have to give it to him. If you criticise someone, you should also appreciate them when they perform well," Chirag Paswan said. In an apparent dig at the BJP, Paswan said while the saffron party persisted with issues like religion and temples, the Congress was spot on raising concerns related to farmers and unemployment. "They chose issue well. The manner in which they raised the issue of farmers and unemployment, I feel they chose well and we stayed tangled in religion and temples. I urge the government that we should focus once again solely on development in the time to come," he said.

Chirag Paswan, Lok Janshakti Party: The manner in which they raised the issue of farmers & unemployment, I feel they chose well & we stayed tangled in religion & temples. I urge the govt that we should focus once again solely on development in the time to come. https://t.co/oo530DycUL

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2018

Earlier in the day, the LJP pressed for finalisation of the coalition's seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar by month-end while making it clear it will not agree for anything less than six Lok Sabha seats and one in Rajya Sabha. The assertion was made by LJP's state president Pashupati Kumar Paras, younger brother of the party chief and union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, a day after the party's parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan expressed dissatisfaction over no headway being made on the seat-sharing issue despite several meetings with the BJP leaders. Paras said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has "undoubtedly" weakened in Bihar with exit of partners like Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha. On Tuesday, in a series of tweets, Chirag Paswan had on Tuesday cautioned the BJP against damage to the NDA in the event of the BJP's failure to arrive at a seat-sharing formula that was respectable for other allies. His tweets have triggered speculations that the party, which was part of the Congress-led UPA for a decade before switching over to the BJP-led coalition during the 2014 polls, was bracing for changing sides yet again.