A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stayed away from an event organised by Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader and MP Chirag Paswan on the first death anniversary of his father and founder of the party, Ramvilas Paswan, in Patna, BJP MLA from Chhatapur in Supaul district and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister in Mr. Kumar’s Cabinet Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu on Monday said “Chirag Paswan is a part of the NDA, and I think he will remain so in future as well”,
A large number of local BJP leaders and legislators, including party’s Rajya Sabha member and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, as well as leaders across parties, were present at the event. Pashupati Kumar Paras, estranged uncle of Mr. Chirag Paswan, and members of his extended family too were also present.
PM’s tribute
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to the LJP MP from Jamui and sent a long two-page tribute remembering Ramvilas Paswan to him. Mr. Chirag Paswan thanked Mr. Modi, saying: “may your affection and blessings always remain like this”. Mr. Nitish Kumar issued a one-line tribute to the late LJP leader.
Mr. Chirag Paswan’s relations with Mr. Kumar got strained during the 2020 elections. The former put up party candidates against JD(U) nominees and caused severe damage to their electoral prospects. In the NDA alliance in Bihar, the BJP, for the first time, became the big partner with 73 seats, while the JD(U) got only 43 seats and was reduced to the third position after Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (74 seats). JD(U) leaders blamed Mr. Paswan for their party’s dismal performance in the polls.
Recently, LJP leaders alleged that it was Mr. Kumar who engineered a split in their party, with five of the six party MPs, including Mr. Paras, forming a separate block in the party, claiming it as original LJP. Mr. Paras went on to join the Union Cabinet and both the uncle-nephew were engaged in a tug of war to claim the party’s legacy.
Speculation
Mr. Bablu’s statement fuelled speculation about a possible reunion in the family and with the NDA as well. “Everyone who has been keenly following politics in Bihar must be aware that LJP means Ramvilas Paswan, and now it’s Chirag Paswan, with whom his caste vote bank can easily be identified with, instead of Mr. Paras and other party MPs. Politics is always pregnant with possibilities”, a senior BJP leader in Bihar told The Hindu wishing anonymity.
However, JD(U) leaders said “every party is free to take its own decision and the JD(U) does not wish to interfere into other parties’ affair”.
