'Who can stop me': Union min Paras asserts ‘right’ to contest from Hajipur, rebuffs Chirag’s plan to field mother

Patna: Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Friday asserted that he will contest from the Hajipur seat in the coming Lok Sabha elections as it is his “right”, dismissing nephew and NDA partner Chirag Paswan’s plan to field his mother from the same seat.

Chirag Paswan’s father Ram Vilas Paswan, who died in 2020, had nurtured the Hajipur constituency over decades.

Talking to reporters here, Paras who is the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party chief said, “I don’t know what others are thinking about Hajipur parliamentary seat. I will contest from Hajipur… this is my right. Who can stop me?”

When told about the plan of Chirag Paswan, president of LJP (Ram Vilas) party, to field his mother Reena Paswan from Hajipur, Paras said, “I am not bothered about what others are thinking about this seat.”

After the 2021 split in the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founded by Ram Vilas Paswan, factions headed by his brother Paras and son Chirag were recognised as separate parties.

Chirag, the MP of Jamui Lok Sabha seat, is the president of LJP (Ram Vilas). Interestingly, despite being at daggers drawn, both Paras and Chirag remain BJP allies.

Without taking Chirag’s name, Paras said, “Why does he want to leave Jamui parliamentary seat? I am saying it with full confidence that he will lose his security deposit from Jamui or any other seat in Bihar in the coming Lok Sabha polls.” Chirag Paswan has announced that he wants his mother to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Hajipur constituency.

Paras, who was re-elected as president of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party on Friday, claimed that the NDA will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the coming parliamentary polls.

When asked about the seat-sharing issue with other NDA constituents in the state, he said, “The matter will be decided by the top BJP leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda”.