Patna:

Chirag Paswan, Union Minister and leader of the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, on Friday, celebrated a symbolic victory in the ongoing family and political feud by reclaiming the party’s old office.

The party office was previously occupied by the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) led by Chirag Paswan’s uncle, Pashupati Kumar Paras.

The event took place on the auspicious occasion of Kartik Purnima, where Chirag Paswan performed a puja at the bungalow, marking a new beginning under his leadership.

Chirag Paswan, accompanied by his brother-in-law and Jamui MP Arun Bharti, visited the bungalow to inspect it and perform rituals.

The Building Construction Department had facilitated this reclamation by directing Pashupati Paras to vacate the premises by November 13, though the latter complied earlier, vacating it on November 11.

Chirag emphasised the emotional significance of the office, stating, “Our father’s memories are associated with this office. I have got it back again. It is true that my uncle’s memories are also associated with this bungalow, with whom I stayed for a long time. But circumstances change, and these circumstances have been created by them. Today we are different.”

Chirag Paswan, however, maintained a pragmatic view over the issue, saying, “The party office does not belong to anyone. Today we have it, tomorrow someone else will have it. All this goes according to the situation.”

This office, tied to the legacy of the former Union Minister late Ram Vilas Paswan, symbolises the struggle for control over the Lok Janshakti Party’s assets and heritage following his death.

The family feud saw the party split into two factions — one led by Chirag Paswan and the other by his uncle, Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Reclaiming the office for Chirag Paswan is a crucial step in reinforcing his authority as the heir to Ram Vilas Paswan’s political legacy.

The office serves as a tangible representation of the party’s origins and history, now restored to the faction led by Chirag Paswan.

This development highlights the ongoing efforts by Chirag Paswan to solidify his position within the party and among his supporters, while also showcasing the personal and political complexities that have defined the Paswan family’s internal dynamics.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Ranchi:

Union minister Chirag Paswan was on Sunday re-elected as Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president for five years at its national executive meeting in Ranchi. 

The decision was taken unanimously at the meeting, Mr Paswan said.

“The national executive, in its meeting here, has re-elected me for the next five years,” he said.

Mr Paswan, the Minister of Food Processing Industries, said the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu Kashmir and Jharkhand were also discussed in the meeting.

In Jharkhand, the party may contest the polls either with national alliance partner BJP or on its own, he said.

“We have taken suggestions from the state units whether they want to contest the elections in alliance or alone in states where our organisation is strong… At the national level, we have an alliance with the BJP and we are a strong coalition partner of the NDA.

“In the 2014 elections, we had a tie-up with the BJP for vidhansabha polls in Jharkhand and contested the Shikaripara seat. If there is a respectable seat-sharing, we may go with an alliance or else we can go alone in the polls,” Mr Paswan said.

Assembly polls are due in Jharkhand later this year.

He also pitched for a nationwide caste census, but cautioned against making the figures public as it will create a “rift” in society.

“We have always emphasised that we want the caste census to be conducted… It will ensure that the government has correct numbers. However, I do not want the figures of the census to come out in public. That may create a rift,” said the minister, whose late father Ram Vilas Paswan was among the tallest Dalit leaders of the country.

He also said a special resolution was passed at the national executive meeting to extend a motion of thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his welfare initiatives and work towards the SC-ST community.

Commenting on the creamy layer in SC community, he said: “We have been opposed to it since they are not just victims of social and educational backwardness, but even untouchability”.

Mr Paswan said even after so many years of Independence, Dalit grooms are prevented from riding a horse during weddings, and “I even learnt about an IPS officer seeking security for his marriage”.

“Even today we hear that members of the Dalit community cannot enter temples… The observation of the Supreme Court did not have any mention of untouchability. The PM has also said that as per constitutional norms, the provisions for SCs would continue,” he said.

Earlier this month, a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud ruled in a 6:1 majority judgement that state governments were permitted to sub-classify communities within the SC list based on empirical data.

Supreme Court judge Justice B R Gavai had said that states must evolve a policy for identifying the creamy layer even among the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) and deny them the benefit of reservation. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Patna:

In an upheaval within the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), 22 party leaders have tendered their resignations simultaneously while expressing anger at not getting tickets for the Lok Sabha elections.

Among the notable figures who stepped down include former minister Renu Kushwaha, former MLA and national general secretary of LJP, Satish Kumar, state organisation minister Ravindra Singh, Ajay Kushwaha, Sanjay Singh and State General Secretary Rajesh Dangi.

The resignation wave appears to stem from grievances within the party ranks, with allegations surfacing about the distribution of tickets in exchange for money.

On her resignation from the party, former MP Renu Kushwaha said, “Ticket should be given to the party workers instead of people the from outside. Tickets were given to the outsiders which means that able people are not there in your party. Are we the labour class people in your party who will work for you, make you a leader? Our devotion was questioned when an outsider was given a ticket. We are not here to serve as labourers for the party.”

Miffed over not getting the ticket, former MLA and national general secretary of LJP Satish Kumar asserted that the rebel LJP leaders will now support the INDIA bloc.

“When such important elections are there in the country, the LJP Supremo has given tickets to such people that the party workers are stunned. The people who used to raise slogans ‘Hail Chirag Paswan’, day and night and hoped for a ‘new Bihar’ have been betrayed, their aspirations were crushed. Now, to save the country, INDI alliance has to be supported. Now we will support the INDI alliance,”

The party’s Organisation Secretary Ravindra Singh claimed that Chirag Paswan “sold the tickets”. “Chirag Paswan has played an emotional game with the people of Bihar. When he got five seats due to our hard work, he sold all those tickets. People of Bihar will give him an answer,” he said.

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting five out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar – Vaishali, Hajipur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui.

Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third on May 7, fourth on May 13, fifth on May 20, sixth on May 25, and seventh on June 1.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)