New Delhi: The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Wednesday reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi belonged to the entire country and not just a single party, amid a row over the use of the PM's images on posters in the lead up to the Assembly elections in Bihar
"The Prime Minister is not a mere party leader, but belongs to the entire nation. He is a model of development for us, and stands for the idea of a developed nation. We are not using him, but will take his ideas forward. We are contesting elections for the pride of Biharis, and even PM Mod wants them to gain respect," LJP spokesperson Sanjay Singh said.
Earlier in the day, the BJP had warned that it would lodge an FIR against any non-NDA party, if it uses the photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Bihar assembly elections, an assertion seen as a snub to the LJP which has exited from the ruling coalition in Bihar and decided to go solo in the polls.
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The controversy over the use of PM's images on posters arose after LJP president Chirag Paswan left the NDA in Bihar, citing "ideological differences" with JD-U president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Paswan, son of Union minister Ramvilas Paswan, has asserted that his party would continue to be part of the NDA at the Centre and showered praise on the Prime Minister.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had said at the joint press conference of the NDA in which chief minister Nitish Kumar was present that his party would complain to the Election Commission if anybody used Modi's pictures in the state polls unauthorisedly.
However, the LPJ hit back at the BJP, saying that Narendra Modi is the prime minister of the entire country and not of any specific party.
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