Three sitting Bihar MLAs join LJP

Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, LJP today got a shot in the arm with three sitting MLAs from different parties joining the outfit led by Ramvilas Paswan.

Three sitting MLAs -- Vijendra Choudhary (Independent), SN Sau (BSP) and Ramvinod Paswan (CPI) -- joined LJP at a press meet here.

Former BSP MLA Dayanand Thakur and Khagaria District Board Chairperson Sunila Devi (JD-U) also joined LJP along with the trio.

Welcoming the five in party fold, Paswan said those who had joined JD(U) from LJP were "rejected leaders".

Paswan said since he rejected ticket to Izahar Ahmed, the lone Muslim MLA in LJP, he switched over to the JD(U).

Defending his decision to project his brother and state LJP president Pashupati Kumar Paras as a candidate for the post of deputy chief minister of the RJD-LJP alliance, he said people should know that Paras has been an MLA from Alauli since 1977.

Meanwhile, the LJP Board today authorised Paswan for selecting candidates for party's share of 75 seats allotted to it under the seat-sharing pact with RJD.

The RJD will be contesting from rest of 168 of the 243 seats in alliance with the LJP.

"I have been authorised by the party parliamentary board for selection of candidates for all the six phases," Paswan told reporters.

He said the party would soon release its manifesto and lists of candidates.