PATNA: Chirag Paswan has been removed as president of the Lok Janshakti Party formed by his father & former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, as both party and pariwar shunned doors for the film Hero turned politician. Five out of six LJP MPs met the Lok Sabha speaker, On Birla and submitted a letter informing that Chirag has been 'replaced' with Paras as the national president and the leader of the parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha.
Chirag's last bid to pacify his uncle failed, as his offer to quit and elect his mother, Reena Sharma Paswan, as party president was rejected.
Mehboob Ali Kaiser, party MP from Khagaria said all leaders were ignored by Chirag who fielded borrowed candidates against JDU in the assembly elections," Resentment was brewing against Chirag Paswan since assembly elections", Kaiser said.
While there is no immediate reaction from Chirag Paswan, his uncle and new president of the LJP, Pashupati Kumar Paras on Monday claimed after death of its founder, Ram Vilas Paswan in Cctober last year, "the anti-social elements had taken control of the party".
JDU welcomed division in the LJP as it's national president RCP Sinha said Chirag over estimated his political stature, "he reaped what he had planned".
Paras, who is younger brother of late Paswan said 99 percent of the party workers and leaders were opposed to the style of functioning of Chirag and they were trying for the last six months to save the party from getting written off. He said he along with four other members of Lok Sabha have officially informed they were the real LJP and presented himself (Paras) as the new leader of parliamentary party in place of Chirag.
Paras said he has no objection in welcoming his nephew in the party under his leadership. He regretted Chirag had ignored the advice of the party leaders and fielded LJP candidates in all constituencies in last year's Bihar assembly elections. With only one, Rajkumar Singh being successful but he also joined the JDU.
The new party chief contradicted Chirag and claimed Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar was performing extremely well in his office. Paras said LJP would remain a part of NDA as decided by the founder in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
It is believed, Chief Minister himself was monitoring the negotiations between the JDU and LJP leaders.
Lallan Singh, JDU parliamentary party leader who had been instrumental in splitting the LJP held a meeting with five LJP MPs at the residence of rebel LJP MP from Vaishali, Veena Devi. Lallan was hacked by the JDU principal spokesman, Sanjay Kumar Singh, MLC and deputy speaker in Bihar assembly, Maheshwari Hazari, a former cabinet colleague of Nitish Kumar
Hazari is also a close relative of Paswan family, Lallan is believed to have suggested merger of LJP into JDU before the monsoon session of the parliament.
The vertical division in the party was being planned for the last six months, Paras admitted. Two senior JDU leaders, Lallan Singh, MP and Maheshwar Hazari, deputy speaker of Bihar assembly were in constant touch with LJP leaders for a split minus Chirag who had been critical of Nitish.
This is for the second time since formation of LJP that a major split took place in Paswan's party. In February 2005, 29 of LJP MLAs had deserted and joined Nitish Kumar under the leadership of Ramashraya Prasad Singh and Narendra Singh.
There is no representation of LJP either in assembly or council in Bihar and no member in Rajya Sabha. Ram Vilas Paswan was a member of Rajya Sabha and after his death BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi was elected to fill up the vacancy caused by Ram Vilas Paswan's death.
Paras is elected to Lok Sabha from Hajipur which was earlier represented by his elder brother since 1977.
Political circles in JDU here confirmed the split in the LJP was provoked as union cabinet expansion was expected soon and LJP wanted its share in the ministry as after Ram Vilas Paswan's death, LJP was denied its berth in the ministry.
