Cornered, Chirag to hold roadshow in Bihar in show of strength

Chirag Paswan will hold a roadshow in Bihar on his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s birth anniversary next month.

Paswan hopes a display of popular support will make it clear to rebels in Lok Janshakti Party that he – and not his uncle Pashupati Paras – is the political heir of Ram Vilas Paswan, who died in October last year.

Paras, a backroom strategist when his brother was running the LJP, is making a bid to take over the party.

The Paswan-led faction of the LJP called a national executive meeting in Delhi on Sunday.

After the meeting, Paswan said the party will demand a Bharat Ratna – the country’s highest civilian award – for his father. The meeting also condemned Paras for his statements and actions, saying he was misleading the people.

Also read: Chirag Paswan removed as LJP national president; his uncle likely to take over

After the meeting, Paswan sought his mother’s blessings, saying the battle ahead is like ‘Mahabharata’.

“Ninety  per cent of the working committee members were with me. Except Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, the presidents of all other states are with us. There were only nine people with him [Paras]. Tell them how many people were in their working committee,” Paswan said.

The faction headed by Paras on Saturday disbanded all bodies and state units affiliated with the party and announced a new national executive. With Paras as its president, all four other MPs of the faction are members of the executive. Those party office-bearers who switched loyalty to him from Paswan were also inducted.

The battle over the party’s ownership is now likely to be decided in the Election Commission as both groups fight for the legacy of Ram Vilas Paswan.