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Paswan to fight polls on his own

Photo : Ranjeet Kumar

Union Steel Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan’s ‘crown’ being adjusted by his wife at the party’s ‘Sanklap rally’ in Patna on Wednesday.

PATNA: Union Steel and Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday said that he would fight the next elections to the Lok Sabha and the Bihar Assembly on his own strength.

Addressing the “sankalp rally” on the Gandhi maidan on the occasion of anniversary of his party, the Lok Jan Shakti Party, Mr. Paswan predicted that with the kind of “kichdi (factionalism in the JD(U) and horse trading)” that was on the boil, it might not be possible for the Nitish Kumar government to complete its term.

Mr. Paswan demanded Mr. Kumar’s resignation on the issue of short supply of fertilizers. He had provided more than what had been demanded.

“The State demanded 60,000 tonnes whereas I made available 1.14-lakh tonnes. If I’m telling a lie, I’ll quit. Otherwise, Mr. Kumar should give up his post.”

He said the State government had sold less than 18,000 tonnes till last week as per its own figures.

“Where’ve the rest gone? Who is getting them sold in the black market?”

Two years of Mr. Kumar’s rule had been a saga of total failures with no development or any activity in critical sectors such as road, power and irrigation and flood relief.

He also accused Mr. Kumar of dividing communities without actually benefiting anyone.

Mr. Paswan said the NDA had treated him like a bonded labourer and discriminated against him despite the fact that the combination could form the government only because he had extended support.

“When it came to distribution of portfolios, lesser beings were given the Railways and Finance. I was given the inconsequential Telephone Department.”

He said that it was at the behest of Sonia Gandhi that he contested the last Lok Sabha elections as an ally.

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