Cracks surfaced in the BJP-led NDA camp ahead of Bihar polls with a war of words brewing between two of its Dalit leaders — Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) (Secular) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
Mr. Manjhi on Tuesday targeted Mr. Paswan as he claimed that the LJP leader had insulted him by telling a news channel that “he (Manjhi) was on trial in NDA”.
“How could he (Paswan) claim to be a national leader of Dalits when he did not utter a word on several issues plaguing the Scheduled Castes. He didn’t even protest when his own castes of Paswan and Dusadh were not included among ‘mahadalits’ by the Nitish Kumar government,” Mr. Manjhi told reporters.
Mr. Manjhi said he was ready to accept Mr. Paswan as an “international leader if only he could separate himself from the family-centric politics he practices”.
“I am telling this with due respect that Mr. Paswan has been unable to raise himself and his party above his son and brothers. His entire politics revolves around them,” added Mr. Manjhi.
