Jolt to Chirag Paswan: LJP MPs seek new parliamentary leader, write to speaker

Lok Janshakti Party MPs are not happy with the working style of Chirag Paswan, news agencies reported, and seek to replace him with Hajipur MP Pashupati Kumar Paras as the new leader of the parliamentary party in Lok Sabha.

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), led by Chirag Paswan in Bihar, is now set to suffer another setback following its weighty defeat in the Bihar legislative assembly elections last year. As many as five of the party's six MPs in Lok Sabha have decided to remove Chirag Paswan as the leader of the Parliamentary party in the lower House, according to news agency ANI. Citing people familiar with the development, the news agency reported that the majority of Lok Sabha MPs in Chirag's own party intend to replace him with Hajipur MP Pashupati Kumar Paras as the new leader of the LJP in Lok Sabha. To this end, the LJP MPs have already met Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and handed him a letter regarding these new developments, the agency added.

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan is likely to be abandoned by his own party MPs, who seek to replace him with Hajipur MP Pashupati Kumar Paras as the new leader of the Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha. (File Photo)

"LJP MPs met Lok Speaker Om Birla on Sunday and handed over a letter to him about new developments in the party. They request him to consider Pashupati Kumar Paras as new leader of the LJP in Lok Sabha," ANI reported, citing its sources.

Chirag Paswan, the son of late party supremo Ram Vilas Paswan, had been having a tumultuous time managing the party ever since his father's death one year ago, HT's sister site Hindustan reports, adding that factionalism became one of the primary concerns for the LJP after its founder's demise. The party MPs who have now rebelled against Chirag Paswan's leadership in the Lok Sabha are not happy with the working style of Chirag Paswan following the demise of his father, former Union minister and patron of LJP.

Pashupati Kumar Paras, who the MPs feel can better represent the party as its new leader in Lok Sabha, is currently representing the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat in Bihar. The LJP, which is a part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, has a total of six MPs in Lok Sabha, of which five have now rebelled against Chirag Paswan's leadership.