New Delhi, Feb. 27: Ram Vilas Paswan?s possible kingmaker status in Bihar is being doubted by rivals, who are questioning the status of his outfit, the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP).

They are eyeing the possibility of weaning away Paswan?s victorious candidates on the ground that they are technically ?independent? because the LJP is not a recognised party.

The LJP is a ?registered unrecognised state party?, one of the 727 outfits in the country listed by the Election Commission but most rules applicable to other recognised parties were applicable to it, a legal advisor to the EC said.

But the LJP has not yet been allotted a permanent symbol. Most LJP candidates contested on the ?bungalow? sign, a ?free? symbol, that the Commission allots to candidates from parties that are not recognised.

The LJP can stake claim with the Commission for recognition as a state party after it polled more than 4 per cent of the votes in the Bihar election.

EC sources would not comment on whether the anti-defection law will apply to the LJP because that was for the Speaker of the House to decide.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, said ?there is a difference between a party being 'registered' and a party being 'recognised'. The anti-defection law does not apply to 'registered' parties.?

But senior Supreme Court lawyer P.P. Rao said: ?The 10th schedule to the Constitution does not refer to legislature parties as recognised or unrecognised or distinguish between registered and unregistered (parties). So you can take the view that all such parties are covered by it (anti-defection law).?