Paswan’s death anniversary: PM, others pay rich tributes, Nitish skips event

Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, late Paswan’s younger brother and leader of the faction that broke away from Chirag Paswan-led LJP, arrived early to take part in the puja. Chirag had got the name of Paras printed on the card.

Political leaders cutting across party lines and a large number of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) workers participated in the first death anniversary function of former union minister and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan at his Patna residence on Sunday.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav pays tribute to LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan on his first death anniversary at S K Puri in Patna on Sunday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, late Paswan’s younger brother and leader of the faction that broke away from Chirag Paswan-led LJP, arrived early to take part in the puja. Chirag had got the name of Paras printed on the card.

Bihar Governor Phagu Chouhan, union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai, former union minister Ram Kripal Yadav, Deputy CM Renu Devi, health minister Mangal Devi, Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha and and chairman of the Legislative Council Avadhesh Narayan Singh also reached there to pay their respect.

RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav also visited Chirag’s house in the evening. Chirag had also met Lalu Prasad in Delhi.

Earlier during the day, senior RJD leaders Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Shyam Razak and Congress leaders Shakeel Ahmad and Madan Mohan Jha visited Chirag’s residence.

The notable absence was of Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who issued a two-line press statement in the morning to pay tribute to Ram Vilas Paswan. An LJP leader said no senior JD(U) leader was visible till evening, though it was not a political function.

“It would have been better had he come here to pay tribute. Leaders cutting across parry lines have come here to pay their tribute. This is what my father was all about. I had tried to give invitation to Nitish Kumar also, but could not get appointment,” he said.

Earlier, in a long emotional message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Ram Vilas Paswan as a close friend and a “great son of the nation, Bihar’s pride and a strong voice for social justice”, which Chirag shared on Twitter.

Chirag wrote on Twitter that the PM’s message, epitomising his father’s life and work for the society in his words, gave him and his family strength.

Nitish Kumar had, however, attended the “shradh” function of Ram Vilas Paswan ahead of the assembly elections despite the LJP announcing candidates against all the JD(U) candidates. The bitterness increased further after JD(U) was relegated to the third position for the first time in Bihar. LJP got reduced to just one seat and the MLA defected to JD(U).