LJP may withdraw support to Nitish govt in Bihar

The Lok Janshakti Party may withdraw its support to the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar, its sources said on Friday after the party accused senior Janaat Dal-United leader Lalan Singh of "insulting" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

LJP chief Chirag Paswan met Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda on Thursday and discussed the matter among other issues, they said.

Paswan has called a meeting of party leaders at party's Patna office on Saturday over the issue, they said.

Lalan Singh had recently taken a swipe at Paswan, saying that like Kalidas he was cutting the branch of a tree on which he was sitting.

The LJP has said Singh's dig was aimed at a tweet of Paswan in which the party president had lauded Modi for his call to several chief ministers, including Kumar, to ramp up COVID-19 tests.

"Lalan Singh has insulted the prime minister. We may withdraw our support from the Nitish Kumar government," a LJP leader said.

The LJP has two MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly.

Even if it withdraws the support, it will make no material difference to the government but the development highlights worsening of the ties between the two BJP allies in the state.