PATNA: Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, BJP is facing a piquant situation in Bihar as leaders of its two allies- Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras and his nephew and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan - have crossed swords over Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, which was earlier represented by late Ram Vilas Paswan nine times.
While addressing ‘Sankalp Mahasabha’ organised at Akshaywat Stadium in Hajipur on Tuesday, Chirag virtually staked his party’s claim on the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat. There is wide speculation that Chirag’s mother and late Ram Vilas’s widow Reena Paswan may be fielded as candidate from Hajipur seat, which is currently held by Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Chirag, who is currently an MP from Jamui, in a bid to buttress his claim to Hajipur seat, said, “In my childhood, I used go to meet my people (people of Hajipur LS constituency) as I held my father’s (Ram Vilas) hand. Hajipur was ‘karmbhoomi’ of my leader and father.”
The relationship between Paras and Chirag got tensed after the death of senior Paswan on October 8, 2020, in New Delhi. LJP, founded by senior Paswan, suffered a vertical split after five out of six party MPs joined the faction headed by Pashupati as Chirag remained the sole MP of the old LJP.
In November last year, Vaishali MP Veena Devi joined the camp headed by Chirag while quitting the faction headed by Paras. Staking his claim on Hajipur seat, Chirag said that nobody can take this right from him, which he inherited from his father who was elected to the Lok Sabha from this seat with record margin.
Buzz in the state
There is wide speculation that Chirag’s mother and late Ram Vilas’s widow Reena Paswan may be fielded as candidate from Hajipur seat, which is currently held by Pashupati Kumar Paras. She appealed from people to support her son Chirag who was working hard for the betterment of the state.