New Delhi: Dismissing speculation of his being unhappy with the NDA, Union minister and Lok Janashakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said there was nothing wrong in the NDA, but the government needed to create a correct perception about the work it was doing for dalits and minorities.
He said it was “unthinkable” that his alliance with the BJP is under strain and asserted that Narendra Modi will remain the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Paswan had in Bihar said recently that some of the comments made by BJP leaders were communal in nature and had asked the party to take along all sections of society, setting off speculation about his future plans.
“The NDA is not in any difficulty. I had earlier said that there is no vacancy for the Prime Minister’s post in 2019. Narendra Modi is and will remain the Prime Minister. The NDA will remain intact,” he said.
Asked about the proposed federal front being talked about by many parties, the Union Minister said meetings keep happening “but nothing comes out of them”, and referred to the failed attempt to unite the ‘Janata Parivar.’
Sources said that BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, who is also Bihar in-charge, had met Mr Paswan following his recent comments.
Interestingly, the dalit leader has often switched sides in the past before elections and ended up with the winning combination.
Mr Paswan said the government had done a lot for dalits and minorities and its efforts should be directed at highlighting them.
