LJP's choice of candidates shows party stands for secularism, social justice: Paswan

New Delhi: Lok Janshakti Party president and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan Wednesday cited the list of party's candidates to assert that it stands for secularism, social justice and power for the poor.

Speaking to reporters, he said his party has fielded two candidates from upper castes and one Muslim besides three Dalits in line with its social ideology. On Tuesday, the LJP had renominated its Khagaria MP Mehboob Ali Kaiser from the seat for the Lok Sabha election.

He will be the only second Muslim candidate the BJP-led NDA has fielded in Bihar, with another from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U). "My party has always stood for secularism, equality, social justice and power for the poor. Out list of candidates shows it," Paswan said.

Paswan's son Chirag and two brothers are in the fray from reserved constituencies. The Dalit leader also exuded confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come back to power, claiming that only "formalities are left". Paswan also hailed India's successful demonstration of launching anti-satellite missile capability, saying it shows how the country had progressed in the field of science and technology, and joined a select few countries like the US and China with such power.