LJP factions get new names, symbols; Chirag group happy with ‘Paswan’ tag

The ECI, following a request from Jamaui MP Chirag Paswan, has given his faction the name of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the election symbol “helicopter”.

Days after barring them from using the name of the Lok Janshakti Party or its symbol “bungalow”, the Election Commission of India (ECI) Tuesday allotted names and poll symbols to the two warring factions of the party, led by Jamui MP Chirag Paswan and union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, respectively, as an interim measure ahead of the October 30 bypolls for two assembly seats in Bihar.

Union minister and LJP national president Pashupati Kumar Paras shows the new party name and symbol alloted by the Election Commission, in Patna on Tuesday. (PTI)

The ECI, following a request from Jamaui MP Chirag Paswan, has given his faction the name of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the election symbol “helicopter” while the Paras faction has been allotted the name of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and “sewing machine” as its symbol, a statement from the poll panel said.

Chirag had moved the ECI for an early settlement of the issue as his faction wanted to contest the bypolls for two assembly seats in Bihar, Tarapur in Munger district and Kusheshwarsthan in Darbhanga districts.

The Chirag faction seems more than happy with the addition of his father and LJP founder later Ram Vilas Paswan’s name in the faction led by him.

“We welcome the EC decision. It is a vindication of our claim that we are the real holder of Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy. Some parties wanted to sabotage our election prospects, but truth has finally won,” said LJP (Chirag group) spokesperson Ashraf Ansari.

“It’s a blessing in disguise,” said another leader who supports Chirag.

Experts also agree. “Late Ram Vilas Paswan was a tall leader of Dalits and he still has a strong following, which was reflected during Chirag’s Aashirvad yatra. Union minister Pashupati Paras could not get the same response,” said Gyanendra Yadav,associate professor of sociology, College of Commerce, Patna.

The LJP, which had won six seats in the Lok Sabha in 2019 parliamentary polls, split in June this year after five of the MPs rebelled against Chirag and approached the Lok Sabha Speaker to recognize Paras as LJP’s parliamentary party leader. The Speaker assented to their plea. Later, Paras was inducted in the union cabinet too.

The LJP had contested the Bihar assembly election in 2020 alone and fielded candidates against chief minister Nitish Kumar’s party, the Janata Dal (United). Although LJP won just one seat, it’s believed to have caused serious damage to JD (U), which could win only 43 seats, its lowest tally since Kumar came to power in Bihar in 2005.

Chirag has once again decided to field candidates from two assembly seats going to bypolls. Both were represented by JD (U).

Meanwhile, Paras too welcomed the Election Commission’s decision of allotting his faction of the Lok Janshakti Party the name Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party. “I welcome the Election Commission’s decision.”