Patna: Chirag Paswan, president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), asserted on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged his claim to the political legacy of his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan. The declaration comes amidst an escalating family feud with his uncle and Union minister, Pashupati Kumar Paras.
Chirag made this claim while criticizing his uncle, who is set to hold a rally in Hajipur later this month, the Lok Sabha seat nurtured by the late leader for decades. Responding to journalists’ queries about the proposed rally on November 28, seen as a show of strength by Paras, Chirag stated, “Who will contest which seat in Lok Sabha polls is a decision for the NDA to take jointly. But my claim on my father’s legacy has already been backed by the PM, who is the tallest leader in the coalition.”
Chirag expressed skepticism about the significance of his uncle’s rally in Hajipur, stating, “I don’t think the people of Hajipur are going to take my uncle’s show of strength seriously.” He questioned Chirag’s previous lack of public programs in his own constituency, contrasting it with his party’s active presence across Bihar.
Highlighting the Prime Minister’s recent comments in Telangana, Chirag claimed that Modi, while chiding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s treatment of his father, mentioned him by name, not the one in his cabinet.
The ongoing family feud within the Lok Janshakti Party, founded by the late Paswan, led to a split in 2021. The respective factions led by uncle and nephew have been recognized as separate parties, both part of the NDA in Bihar.
Chirag accused Bihar CM Nitish of “blackmailing” the Centre, leading to his eviction from the bungalow in the national capital. He criticized Nitish for continuously raising the demand for special category status, alleging that the longest-serving CM of Bihar was “exposing his own failures.”
