Chirag says his party looking to contest assembly polls in Bengal, Assam

Ranchi, Feb 28 (PTI) Union minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday said his party, LJP (Ram Vilas), is preparing to contest the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

Speaking to reporters at Ranchi airport, Paswan said the party is expanding its base in many states, and it already has MLAs in Jharkhand and Nagaland.

"Our MP Rajesh Verma recently visited Assam and West Bengal. He will visit these two states after Holi again to make an assessment," he said.

"After his assessment, the parliamentary committee of the party will take a final decision on contesting polls in the two states," he added.

Paswan was in Jharkhand to attend a private function.

On the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, he said, "The priority is to ensure that all five strong (NDA) candidates (from Bihar) who can truly raise issues related to Bihar are elected to the Rajya Sabha. Names for this will be announced very soon.” Paswan said discussions are underway among the allies on the issue.

"Multiple times my mother's name has come up, but she does not want to come into active politics," he said. PTI RPS SAN SOM