Patna:
In a shake-up within the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), 22 party leaders have simultaneously tendered their resignations while expressing anger over not being given tickets for the Lok Sabha elections.
Notable figures who have resigned include former minister Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and LJP national general secretary Satish Kumar, state organization minister Ravindra Singh, Ajay Kushwaha, Sanjay Singh and state secretary Rajesh Dangi.
The wave of resignations appears to stem from grievances within the party’s ranks, with allegations emerging over the distribution of tickets in exchange for money.
On her resignation from the party, former MP Renu Kushwaha said, “The tickets should be given to the party workers instead of people from outside. The tickets were given to the outsiders, which means there are no competent people in your party. Are we the working class people in your party who will work for you and make you a leader? Our commitment was questioned when an outsider was ticketed. We are not here to serve as workers for the party.”
Former MLA and LJP National General Secretary Satish Kumar was miffed over not getting the ticket and claimed that the LJP rebel leaders will now support the INDIA bloc.
“When there are such important elections in the country, the LJP Supremo has distributed tickets to such people that the party workers were baffled. The people who shouted ‘Hail Chirag Paswan’ slogans day and night and hoped for a ‘new Bihar’ have been betrayed, their aspirations crushed. To save the country, the INDI alliance must be supported. Now we will support the INDI alliance.”
The party’s organizing secretary Ravindra Singh alleged that Chirag Paswan was “selling the tickets”. “Chirag Paswan has played an emotional game with the people of Bihar. When he got five seats due to our hard work, he sold all those tickets. The people of Bihar will give him a reply,” he said.
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting five of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar: Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui.
Bihar will go through elections in seven phases. The first phase will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third on May 7, the fourth on May 13, the fifth on May 20, the sixth on May 25 and the seventh on June 1.
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