NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing tussle for control of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), the rival groups led by Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras are now scrambling to win the supporters who stood behind party founder Ram Vilas Paswan. While Chirag announced to launch the “Aashirvaad Yatra” from Hajipur on his father’s anniversary on July 5, the Paras-led group is also planning a grand event to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of party founder in Bihar.
After a meeting of the national executive led by him, Chirag said, “He and my uncle are not with me anymore. My own family members have ditched me. It’s like a battle in Kkurukshetra and so I am seeking the blessings of people when my own have left me. My party has also decided to raise the demand of conferring Bharat Ranta for our founder” Chirag took the blessings of his mother and vowed to fight the battle, which has vertically divided the family of Paswans.
Chirag’s announcement to kick off the two-month long travel across the state from Hajipur is being seen as a move to counter his uncle, who represents the Lok Sabha constituency. The LJP founder had left the Hajipur constituency for Paras.
However, hours later Paras said, “I am very happy that my nephew Chirag is doing this for his father. He was also my brother and people used to call us Ram and Laxman. If Chirag invites me, I will do everything to celebrate my brother’s birth anniversary. For him Hajipur was not just a constituency, he treated it as mother. We are all here only because of him.” He blamed “Banaras ka ladka” (a boy from Varanasi) while referring to Chirag’s advisor for spoiling Chirag and dividing the LJP and Paswan family.
Responding to the demand of Bharat Ratna for Paswan, Paras said it took eight months for Chirag to make the demand. “I had demanded this soon after my brother died and I had also said I will go to Nitish Kumar and urge him to send a proposal to the Centre for this,” he said.
While those attending the meeting under Chirag endorsed his leadership and hit out at Paras-led faction, the latter termed the meeting as an assembly of “rented crowd” and it held no legitimacy. “The Election Commission will take the final decision. The Lok Sabha Speaker has recognized me as leader of the party in the House. I have dismissed all who attended the meeting from the party except Chirag. He is our party MP,” Paras said.
Paras also claimed that Chirag’s elevation as party president in 2019, when his father was alive, was illegal as he was nominated and not elected.
Responding to whether he was hopeful of the family coming together, Paras said, “I am sure a time will come when Chirag will realize what went wrong and will mend his way. But there is no such probability, immediately. He must realize how one outsider has spoilt everything.”
View More | Source: Times of India