Dalit Parties Become A Headache For NDA In Bihar

Even as most media houses and political pundits are predicting a walkover for the NDA alliance in the upcoming elections in Bihar, the NDA is plagued by problems galore. Interestingly, the problems are not because of the major parties like the BJP or the JDU. The problems are because of the smaller political parties.

Both Lok Jan Shakthi Party and the Hindustani Awam Party, both of which depend on Dalit vote bank, are now part of the NDA. Both the parties work among the same voter block and hence are fighting for supremacy. The LJP is strongly opposed to giving more seats to HAM. On Sunday, LJP leader Chirag Paswan warned the NDA that his party would walk out of the alliance if they give more tickets to the HAM. He also said that his party would want more seats for itself and an equal treatment on par with the JDU and the BJP.

The BJP, JDU, which are riding anti-incumbency, do not want any split in their votes and are hence forced to cajole these two small parties. They are trying to convince the LJP and the HAM to behave more responsibly and set aside their differences. Let’s wait and see how the Bihar drama unfolds in the days to come.