Patna, Nov 21 (IANS): Union Minister Chirag Paswan has claimed that his uncle and former Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras was never part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Chirag's statement comes in response to Pashupati Kumar Paras's announcement during a meeting of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) in Patna, where Paras declared his intention to contest the 2025 Bihar assembly elections independently.
When questioned about Paras's recent statements, Chirag clarified: "My uncle was never in the NDA alliance, neither during the Lok Sabha elections nor the Assembly elections. So, how can he talk about separation from an alliance he was never part of?"
Pashupati Kumar Paras, who served as a Union Minister during the second tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, has maintained that RLJP is aligned with the NDA.
However, the BJP did not allocate any seats to the RLJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Paras keeps saying that his party is part of the NDA.
At the RLJP meeting in Patna, Paras was joined by key party leaders, including former Samastipur MP and Suraj Bhan Singh.
Paras and his supporters resolved to strengthen the RLJP at the grassroots level ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, declaring their intention to contest independently.
Shravan Aggarwal, a close associate of Paras, targeted Chirag Paswan during the meeting, asserting that Paras is the true successor of Ram Vilas Paswan, the founder of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
The feud between Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras has caused significant political rifts since the split of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) after Ram Vilas Paswan's death. The LJP was divided into Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Chirag Paswan and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), led by Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Chirag has emerged as a prominent NDA ally, especially during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while Paras continues to assert his political presence independently.
This ongoing rivalry reflects the complexities of Bihar’s political landscape, especially within the Paswan family.
Chirag Paswan, also expressed confidence in the Exit Polls for the Jharkhand and Maharashtra Assembly elections, stating that they accurately reflect the public's mood.
“The NDA family is growing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I campaigned in Jharkhand and Maharashtra, and on November 20, the public voted overwhelmingly in favour of the NDA. We are on track to form governments in both states,” Paswan said.
When asked about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar distributing appointment letters to teachers and the RJD’s claim that they initiated employment initiatives, Chirag dismissed the opposition’s statements.
“RJD leaders often make such claims. If they had any real strategy for providing employment, Lalu Yadav's regime would not be remembered as Jungle Raj. During that time, Bihar saw the highest levels of migration. The people of Bihar are well aware of who can truly lead the state forward,” Paswan said.