Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday said the party has written to Bihar governor Phagu Chauhan to recommend the President’s rule in the state to prevent deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor.
"Bihar CM Nitish Kumar intentionally raises issues like Pegasus, caste census, population control bill & special status to Bihar on which BJP's stand is already clear. He probably wants to be a contender for PM's post by joining the Opposition," Chirag Paswan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"We have written to the Governor to recommend the President's rule in Bihar in order to stop more deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor," he added.
Bihar is tipped for midterm polls as constituents of the ruling NDA are at each other's throat, Chirag Paswan claimed on Friday.
Paswan claimed that likelihood of early polls became evident when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, "who does not venture out until faced with elections", recently planned a state-wide tour.
He was replying to queries from journalists about recent squabbles between Kumar's JD(U) and the BJP, primarily over the manner in which liquor prohibition law is being implemented in the state.
"Since the day assembly polls results came out, I have been saying that this government is not going to last. The straw in the wind is now for all to see," said Paswan who heads a splinter group of Lok Janshakti Party.
An ugly spat ensued after a JD(U) spokesman took potshots at state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal over his offer of help to family members of those who died in a hooch tragedy in West Champaran district last year.
Jaiswal is also engaged in a war of words with Upendra Kushwaha, the JD(U)'s parliamentary board chief, over the alleged denigration of Emperor Asoka by a Sahitya Akademi winning playwright, who is perceived to be close to the saffron party.
Paswan further pointed towards notes of discord struck by Mukesh Sahni, a minister whose Vikassheel Insaan Party had joined NDA just ahead of the assembly polls in 2020.
His party's MLA from Bochaha died recently and Sahni threatened to exit the alliance if the BJP or the JD(U) staked claim for the seat in by-election.
"All these things indicate man bhed (rift) as distinct from mat bhed (divergence of views). It is bad for any alliance," said Paswan.
(With inputs from PTI)
