Chirag attacks JD(U) for split in his party, spares BJP as he vows to fight back

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 16

Indicating that he is not down and out amid revolt by five of his party MPs, LJP president Chirag Paswan on Wednesday indicated that he was “still in control of the outfit” claiming that he is a ‘sher ka beta’ and said that he will fight for the causes his father championed.

Addressing a press conference here at his residence, the young leader also blamed the JD(U) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for recent developments in his party. “During the state assembly polls or maybe even before that there were efforts made by some people and especially by the JD(U) to break our party”, he said.

Chirag also said that efforts to create a rift within the LJP were going on when Ram Vilas Paswan was in hospital.

“People were attempting to break the party when my father was hospitalised. My father had even spoken to my uncle about these incidents,” he noted.

Chirag said that the people who have created the problem” are those who do not want to struggle and fight for the cause of people, particularly the downtrodden. 

Five rebel MPs of the LJP—Pashupati Kumar Paras, Prince Raj, Chandan Singh, Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser—on June 14 removed Chirag as the national president of the party. These rebel leaders had claimed that they had “saved” the party.

However, earlier in the day Chirag wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to “reconsider” his decision to recognise Pashpati Kumar Paras as the floor leader of LJP in the House.

Noting that Article 26 of the constitution of his party empowers Central Parliamentary Board of LJP to decide, “who would be Leader of our party in Lok Sabha” Chirag in his letter said, “The decision of announcing Pashupati Kumar Paras, MP, as the Leader of LJP in the Lok Sabha is contrary to the provision of the constitution of the party”.

Further, the young leader through his letter also brought to the notice of the Speaker and put on record that the five LJP members of Lok Sabha “have already been removed by National Executive Members of our party”.

In the letter, the young leader went on to demand that in view “of above facts  and submission, it is requested to review decision dated 13.06.2021 and to issue a new circular in favour of Chirag Paswan, MP, as Leader in Lok Sabha of LJP”.