Chirag’s ‘Ashirvad Yatra’ to start from July 5; LJP leader plans another political trek from October

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan will, on July 5, begin his Ashirvad Yatra from Hajipur, the Lok Sabha constituency his father late Ram Vikas Paswan nurtured and represented eight times since 1977

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan will, on July 5, begin his Ashirvad Yatra from Hajipur, the Lok Sabha constituency his father late Ram Vikas Paswan nurtured and represented eight times since 1977.

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The constituency is currently represented by his (Chirag’s) uncle and leader of the rebel LJP faction Pashupati Kumar Paras.

The move is significant as this is the first time since the split in the LJP that Chirag, who is fighting a legal battle with his uncle for his claim over the party, will visit the state to test political waters in the face of a hostile atmosphere and without the presence of his father, on the late leader Ram Vilas Paswan’s birth anniversary Monday.

Politics in Bihar has already been on the boil ever since RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said that the Nitish government could fall in 2-3 months and growing murmuring from within the NDA.

Chirag said, “We have a small programme to observe the birth anniversary in Delhi and after that, I will fly to Patna and go directly to Hajipur from the airport. This Ashirvad Yatra is to seek the blessings of the people. In Hajipur, everyone knows how passionate my father was about Hajipur’s people. I will seek their blessings to kick start the yatra. I will be at my father’s karmbhoomi to embark on a new mission to do whatever I could for my state. I had presented my vision for Bihar even during assembly elections and got good responses despite not getting seats, and I will continue doing so.”

The first leg of Ashirvad Yatra will cover 12-13 districts. It will be the beginning of a new politics by Chirag, often accused of operating from Delhi and not spending much time in the state.

“After the first phase, there will be a second phase and in the next one and half months, I will cover the entire state and it will culminate as a National Council Meeting in Patna,” he said.

From October 8, Chirag said he would undertake another Yatra on foot to crisscross the state to connect directly with the masses and see the ground reality. “Now I will spend more time in Bihar and strive to fulfil the dreams of my father. I have chosen the difficult path for myself, as I have some objectives in mind that certainly do not include the yearning for the chair. I will stick to my plans,” he added.

Party leaders said Chirag’s political move was aimed at finding a bigger political space for the LJP in a state where politics has been dominated by the RJD, the BJP and the JD-U and despite late Ram Vilas Paswan’s political stature, his party had to remain content with the fourth player and a vote splitter.

During the assembly election, the LJP remained an enigma all through due to its posturing, which seemed to be clearly targeted at Nitish Kumar, which no other leader did in the past.

“How he goes about his Yatra will be interesting to watch. He has shown that he can carry himself well in politics, though he does not have the experience and the protective cover of his father anymore. Whatever happened in the LJP after Ram Vilas Paswan’s demise may have given a lifetime lesson to Chirag, which could galvanise him to throw his hat in the largely vacant Dalit politics with greater maturity and energy. The legacy of his father will remain with him and it is for him to take it forward. Sometimes, jolts are good in politics,” said former director of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies DM Diwakar.

Diwakar said that Chirag’s father was acceptable to all parties. “He could get along with all, nobody was ever unhappy with him. Now Chirag will have to show political maturity like his father,” he added.