Ram Vilas Paswan's death marks the end of an era for Bihar's Hajipur

PATNA: A pall of gloom descended on Hajipur after news of the death of eight-time MP and founder of Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas Paswan came in on Thursday night. Paswan, who had a deep emotional attachment with Hajipur, was elected from here eight times between 1977 and 2014. 

Paswan was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1977 as a Janata Party member. At this time, he also held the Guinness record of winning his constituency with the highest margin for several years.

He used to say that Hajipur was his like mother which he continued to serve as her son. As a Railway minister, Paswan brought the zonal headquarters of East Central Railway along with the NIPER, the CIPET, and the BSNL offices later. 

IN PICTURES: Check out some rare photos of the veteran politician

Even as he took charge as the Union minister of food and consumer affairs, Paswan set up the GM office of FCI at Hajipur. When he decided to not contest for the general elections last year from Hajipur, he fielded his brother Pashupati Paras and requested the people to treat him like their second son. His appeal went on to win hearts, and Paras won the polls from this seat without any aggressive campaigning. 

On Thursday evening, hundreds of his supporters at Hajipur and Patna were left shell shocked on hearing about the news of their beloved leader's demise. 

The Bihar political circle also expressed their condolences at Paswan's death. 

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had made several attempts to speak to Paswan after he came to know that the latter had been hospitalised. 

Former Bihar chief minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi Yadav termed Paswan's passing as an end of an era of cordial politics. 

BJP leaders including Sushil Kumar Modi, Sanjay Jaiswal, JDU-leaders Ashok Kumar Choudhary, and Vashisth Narayan Singh, and other leaders across party lines condoled the death of the LJP patriarch.