Chirag Paswan hints at joining NDA after visit from BJP’s Nityanand Rai

Former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday (July 9) dropped hints of joining the BJP-led NDA for which he had campaigned in the recent bypolls in Bihar. At a meeting of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), a splinter group of the LJP floated by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, Chirag was “authorized” to take a decision on the party joining “any alliance”.

The meeting took place in Patna on a day senior BJP leader and Union minister Nityanand Rai called on Chirag and termed the residence of the Paswans as “my second home”. Rai refrained from talking about any alliance with Chirag though he asserted that “the BJP and late Ram Vilas bhai have shared values. Both believe in making the people happy with their services”.

When Chirag was asked about the possibility of joining the NDA, he said, “It will be against the maryada (decorum) of a coalition for me to make any announcement before them. The alliance (NDA) is likely to hold another round of talks before making up its mind.”

Also read: Party planning nationwide expansion, says LJP (Ramvilas) president Chirag Paswan

While Chirag’s affinity towards the BJP and his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi are well known, there is a proverbial thorn in the flesh. His uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, who had led a revolt soon after his father’s death that resulted in a split in the LJP, is a minister in the Union cabinet. Both uncle and nephew have stated many times that they will not be part of any coalition that includes the other.

Chirag did not make any fresh statement about his uncle on Sunday, though he made it clear that his party will “without any doubt” contest the Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur, which his father had nurtured during numerous terms and is currently held by his uncle.

Chirag, who is a second-term MP from Jamui, was asked whether he, too, has been offered a berth in the Union council of ministers. “My decision to be part of a coalition will be influenced more by the prospects in Lok Sabha and assembly polls than a ministerial berth,” he said.

Also read: ‘Attack’ on migrant workers: Chirag Paswan seeks probe, strict action against culprits

Chirag had revolted against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the 2020 assembly polls, fielding candidates against the JD(U), which saw its tally fall drastically.

Although the BJP contested the elections in alliance with the JD(U), the latter accused the former of having propped up Chirag, who had given tickets to several rebels in the saffron party. Many of the rebels, whom the BJP had then expelled for “violating coalition dharma”, are now back in the party, which has been stripped of power following JD(U)’s exit from the NDA last year.

Chirag, who appeared to have been left high and dry after the split in the LJP, was wooed by the BJP during the by-elections to three assembly segments that took place after the Mahagathbandhan came to power. He carried out an intensive campaign for the BJP, which defeated the Mahagathbandhan in two of the seats.

(With agency inputs)