Chirag didn't care about becoming minister, fought Bihar polls independently for state's benefit, says close aide

Paswan decided to contest the polls independently on the 'Bihar first Bihari first' agenda

A close aide of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan Saturday said Paswan did not care about becoming a minister in the BJP-led government at the Centre and fought the Bihar assembly elections independently for the state's benefits, and has now emerged as a leader in his own right.

Saurabh Pandey, whose proximity to Paswan has been blamed by the party headed by his uncle and Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras for the split in the original organisation, has written a public letter to Paras.

The Lok Janshakti Party, now cleaved into two, was offered only 15 seats to contest as part of the BJP-JD(U) alliance, Pandey said, claiming that even Paras was against the deal. Paswan then decided to contest the polls independently on the "Bihar first Bihari first" agenda.

Whatever votes the LJP, which could win only one seat but was instrumental in denting the JD(U)'s prospects in many seats, got was for its agenda while alliances were formed in the state merely to win polls, Pandey said.

Mentioning LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan, he said MLAs and MPs are in thousands but leaders are only few and added that the late Dalit leader's son Chirag has now emerged as a leader in his own right.

Paras got the support of five of the six LJP MPs to split the party, and the faction headed by him has been given the name of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party by the Election Commission.

Its leaders have claimed that Pandey wielded undue influence on Chirag Paswan, causing the rift in the party.

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