LJP's Chirag Paswan slams rebels: 'Wheels set in motion after my dad’s death'

LJP leader Chirag Paswan said that efforts to create a rift within the party were going on when Ram Vilas Paswan was hospitalised. He accused JD(U) of orchestrating the recent developments.

LJP chief Chirag Paswan, who has been sidelined by five party rebels, on Wednesday aimed to take control of the event as he described himself as ‘sher ka beta’ and said that will fight for the causes his father championed while addressing a press conference.

LJP leader Chirag Paswan addresses a press conference, in New Delhi. (File photo)

He also blamed the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) led by Nitish Kumar for recent issues in the LJP. “During the state assembly polls or maybe even before that there were efforts made by some people and especially by the JD(U) to break our party,” Chirag said.

Chirag also said that efforts to create a rift within the LJP were going on when Ram Vilas Paswan was hospitalised. “People were attempting to break the party when my father was hospitalized. My father had even spoken to my uncle about these incidents,” he further added. He said that people within the party were not ready for the struggle the party is going through following its founder’s death.

Five rebel MPs of the Loktantrik Janata Party - Pashupati Kumar Paras, Prince Raj, Chandan Singh, Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser - on June 14 removed Chirag Paswan as the national president of the party. These rebel leaders had claimed that they had ‘saved’ the party.

“The appointment of the leader of the House is a parliamentary committee's decision, not sitting MPs. There have been reports that I have been removed as the party's national president. As per party's constitution, the national president can only be removed if they die or resign,” Chirag said.

Chirag also said that his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, Ram Vilas Paswan’s younger brother, had betrayed him. He lamented that Pashupati was a person he looked up to and did not expect to backstab him. “All of this had conspired when I was unwell. I tried to speak to my uncle at that time but I failed. I looked up to my uncle after my father’s demise,” Chirag said.

“I felt I was not orphaned after my father’s death but now I am after my uncle did this (to me),” he further added. The LJP leader Raju Tiwari said that these five MPs have been dismissed at the party's national executive meeting.