Bihar heading for midterm polls, claims Chirag

Patna: Bihar is tipped for midterm polls as constituents of the ruling NDA are at each other’s throat, former ally Chirag Paswan claimed here 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,” he said.

A spat ensued after a JD(U) spokesman took potshots at state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal over his offer of help to family members of those who died in a hooch tragedy in West Champaran district last year.