The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) has expressed concern over the holding of the Bihar Assembly election amid the spread of COVID-19 cases.

Putting forward his point, LJP chief Chirag Paswan said that people are living in fear due to the coronavirus pandemic which can result in very low turn-out during the polling.

“The Election Commission should think carefully and take a decision lest a large section of the population is endangered because of elections. Polling percentage in an election held in the middle of a pandemic can also plunge, which is not good for the democracy,” tweeted Chirag Paswan, whose father Ram Vilas Paswan is a minister in the BJP-led government at the centre.

Paswan’s words are bound to irk at a time Nitish Kumar has been facing almost daily attacks from the opposition RJD, which says the state government is playing down the coronavirus situation so assembly elections can be held on time.

“The poor are dying. But instead of looking after them, these people are worried only about their chair,” said RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly.

Interestingly, Chirag Paswan’s comments come at a time when the other alliance partners, the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP seem to be all set for the polls and are routinely holding virtual rallies.

Amit Shah had long back announced Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial face of the ruling NDA for the Bihar election 2020.