Ram Vilas Paswan says quota bill will bring back NDA

New Delhi: Terming the Bill ensuring 10 per cent quota to Economically Weaker Sections as “historic”, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thurs-day said this measure will being back the NDA to power in Bihar and rout the Rashtriya Janata Dal which has opposed the Bill.

“Ever since our party was formed in 2000, we had been demanding this,” Mr Paswan said.

The Lok Janashakti Party chief claimed that the RJD’s opposition to the bill may also cause division in the grand alliance led by it in Bihar and added that the BJP-led NDA will benefit from the legislation.

Likening the measure to a rather big fish netted by a fisherman, causing “jealousy” among other fishermen, Mr Paswan said, “Opposition parties are envious of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this big political measure. They don’t know how to react. Many of them are questioning it but can’t help supporting it as well”.

He said many of RJD leaders come from upper castes and would find it difficult to woo voters from their community.

“RJD will not be able to open its account in Bihar in Lok Sabha polls. All sections of society are happy and if people are happy, then it will obviously benefit the NDA”.

The constitutional amendment Bill which seeks to provide 10 percent quota to EWS over and above the SC/ST and OBC quotas was passed in Parliament with almost all parties supporting it. Among major parties only RJD and AAP opposed it.

Questioned on the Ram temple issue, he said his party’s stand has always been that the court’s verdict should be accepted by all parties concerned.