New Delhi: Nitish Kumar has overseen the defection of the lone Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in the Bihar assembly in an action that is being described as the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] chief’s ‘revenge’ on Chirag Paswan.During the assembly elections last year, the LJP had walked out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), citing ‘ideological differences‘ with the JD(U). It proceeded to field its own candidates against those put up by the JD(U), which was seen as one of the major reasons for Nitish Kumar’s party being reduced to just 43 seats in the 243-member house.According to the Indian Express, on Tuesday, LJP’s MLA Raj Kumar Singh, who won from Matihani in Begusarai, joined the JD(U). With this, the LJP does not have a member in the state’s legislative council or the assembly.The paper said that while Chirag Paswan has not reacted to the development yet, “[W]hat could be more discomforting is BJP putting LJP on what many see as a ‘long-hold button’.”It was speculated that Chirag Paswan’s move to exit the NDA but contest only against the JD(U) candidates had the tacit approval of the BJP. As reward, Paswan was expected to be inducted into the Union cabinet. Chirag’s father Ram Vilas Paswan was a Union minister before his death in October 2020.The Indian Express report says that since Nitish “managed to reassert his position in state politics, Chirag’s entry at the Centre is getting delayed”. The BJP does not want to displease Nitish Kumar at this point, which is evident from the fact that the Rajya Sabha seat which became vacant after the senior Paswan’s death went to former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, the report says.However, the report also suggests that if in the future, the BJP feels ready to take on Nitish, it could revive Chirag Paswan’s mode of politics.