“Party leaders authorised me to decide”: Chirag on joining NDA

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan said a decision on joining an alliance for the 2024 parliamentary polls will be taken after more meetings with party officials. Paswan had quit the NDA before the 2020 assembly polls in Bihar and fielded candidates against the ruling Janata Dal (United). The national working committee of the LJP (Ram Vilas) has authorised Paswan to decide on forming an alliance for the next polls.

Amid the buzz of Lok Janshakti Party ( Ram Vilas) joining hands the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, party president Chirag Paswan on Sunday said that a decision on joining an alliance for 2024 parliamentary polls will be taken after few more meetings with party officials.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) National President Chirag Paswan during a meeting with Union minister Nityanand Rai, in Patna (Lok Janshakti Party Twitter)

After chairing a key meeting of national and state office bearers of the party at his residence in Bihar’s Patna, Paswan while talking to reporters said: “Party leaders have authorised me to take any decision regarding forming an alliance for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and also state elections, but as of now it won’t be good to talk publicly about it.”

Chirag had quit the NDA before the 2020 assembly polls in Bihar and fielded several candidates against the ruling Janata Dal (United), which had played a factor in diminishing the latter’s tally in 2020 polls. The meeting of national working committee of the LJP ( Ram Vilas) authorising Paswan to take a call on stitching up an alliance for next polls took soon after Union minister Nityanand Rai called on the Jamui MP at the latter’s residence in Patna.

Later, Rai along with Paswan, recalled how Lok Janshakti Party founder and former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan had shared “strong relations with the BJP and always worked to make people of the state happy.

“This is our old home. It is always good when we meet. Ram Vilas Paswan and BJP have worked for the welfare of people. The opposition unity is due to fear of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s popularity. Neither do they have a leader nor any policy...They should learn about policy, service and leadership from PM Modi...,” Rai said.

Meanwhile, Paswan did not reply to queries over speculation that he would be joining the Union cabinet in the proposed reshuffle. “My decision to be part of a coalition will be influenced more by prospects in Lok Sabha and assembly polls than a ministerial berth,” he said, during his interaction with media New Delhi later in the evening.

Incidentally, Chirag’s growing proximity with the BJP comes just two years after a split in the LJP following the Jamui MP’s differences with his uncle and Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras.

( with inputs from agencies)