Patna, Aug 3 (IANS): It's the same old story of alleged criminals trying to foray into politics. This time it's jailed gangster Santosh Jha who is keen to join politics, ostensibly using his proximity to LJP leader Chirag Paswan.

Jha has been in the jail in connection with the killing of two engineers of a private construction company in Bihar's Darbhanga district. 

"I am keen to join politics to serve the people," Jha told mediapersons here. "I had expected to get a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) ticket in the last Assembly election, thanks to Chirag Paswan's help. However, in the last minute I was implicated in a false case and sent to jail," Jha said.

In 2015, Jha was reportedly offered a ticket to contest the Assembly polls in the state. That despite his sinister track record -- he is the chief of Bihar People's Liberation Army, a gang of notorious criminals involved in murder and extortion. No wonder Jha realises the importance of political clout and wants to make the most of it. 

Jha's wish to be a politician has again revealed that dreaded criminals in Bihar have close connection with the political system. 

Jha, along with sharp shooter Mukesh Pathak, has been named in the killing of two engineers -- Brajesh Kumar and Mukesh Kumar. The two engineers were murdered in December, 2015 because they refused to pay extortion money. 

Jha is wanted in several cases for murder, extortion and other crimes. Over the years he had raised a private army called Parashuram Sena that targeted road contractors in Bihar and businessmen in Nepal. 

The gang operated under the garb of People's Liberation Army in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar and Vaishali districts.

About two years back Jha was arrested from Kolkata by a crack team of Bihar Police. 

Jha's name also figured in the killing of a former Maoist leader Gaurishankar Jha in 2011.