Contesting under UPA umbrella not practical: Paswan

“I do wish the UPA could contest together, but it is not practical. For instance, in Bihar, parties would be ready to ally with the LJP, but if I want to contest in Delhi (as a part of the UPA), there will be no agreement,” LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan told reporters here. He said the pre-poll alliance could be possible in only a few states. “The Congress has a base in all states, but it is not the case for all other political parties. The LJP is preparing to fight the election on its own,” said Paswan.

His reservation about a pre-poll alliance was apparently guided by political equations in Bihar. While the LJP sought to expand its role in state politics by contesting on its own, the more dominant RJD has been seeking to co-opt other parties to regain its hold in Bihar. There is already an understanding between the Samajwadi Party and the RJD not to contest against each other in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

In a separate development, the LJP on Wednesday said it wanted some changes in the Women’s Reservation Bill, even as the party welcomed its introduction in the Rajya Sabha. “One-third of the strength of the Lok Sabha comes to 181. Our party would like the Government to consider increasing the total Lok Sabha strength by 181 seats and give a sub-quota for Dalits, backwards and minorities out of the women’s quota. We should otherwise resort to double membership constituencies whereby men and women could get their turns every three years,” said Paswan.