Chirag blames JD(U) for split in party; calls uncle 'power hungry'

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader and MP Chirag Paswan has blamed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) for the split in his party.

Speaking to the media for the first time after his uncle Pashupati Paras revolted, Paswan said in New Delhi on Wednesday (June 16) that he was removed illegally. “If Pashupati Paras wanted to be the leader of the party in Parliament, he could have told me and I would have happily made him the leader. The way I was removed was completely illegal. We are also ready for a legal battle,” he said.

Training his guns at Nitish Kumar, Paswan said, “JDU as a party has always tried to divide other parties that come up to give them a fight. We are devising a legal way to respond to everything that has happened in the past few days. JDU is solely responsible for the current situation.”

Chirag Paswan also called his paternal uncle “power hungry” and said that he was “more hurt” when Paras went to the dissenters’ side after his (Chirag’s) father, Ram Vilas Paswan, passed away.

Chirag said he was betrayed. “I have not been keeping well for the past few days. I am still recovering from typhoid. What hurts me the most is the fact that when I was on bed rest, such a strategy was made behind my back.”

Also read: BJP remains mute as uncle-nephew battle for LJP hots up in Bihar

Earlier today, Paswan has also contested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s decision to name Paras as the leader of the party in the House, saying it is “contrary” to provisions of his organisation.

Also read: Party over: Chirag Paswan’s uncle triggers split in LJP

In a letter written on Tuesday (June 15), Paswan informed Birla of the party’s decision to expel five MPs, who have joined hands against him, and urged the Speaker to review the earlier decision and issue a new circular naming him as the LJP leader in the Lok Sabha.

“Since Article 26 of the Constitution of Lok Jan Shakti Party empower Central Parliamentary Board of the party to decide who would be Leader of our Party in Lok Sabha, hence, the decision of announcing Sh. Pashupati Kumar Paras MP as Leader of LJP party in the Lok Sabha is contrary to provision of Constitution of our party,” Paswan wrote.

Paras has been elected as their leader by five of the six party’s MPs in place of him.
Both factions have now moved to control the party and project their group as the real LJP, founded by Paswan’s father Ram Vilas Paswan. While the wing led by Chirag Paswan has expelled the five MPs from the party, the rival group has removed him as its president.