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Chirag Paswan meets RJD's Shyam Rajak, speaks to Lalu Yadav
Chirag Paswan is fighting his uncle for the control of Lok Janshakti Party, founded by his father Ram Vilas Paswan. The meeting with RJD leader fuelled speculation about a new political equation in Bihar.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shyam Rajak, giving rise to speculation about a new political equation in Bihar. The meeting was held in Delhi on Saturday.
However, the RJD leader described it as a courtesy meeting. "I went there to meet the Paswan family including Chirag Paswan," news agency ANI quoted Rajak as saying.
A day before meeting Paswan, Rajak met RJD chief Lalu Yadav, which led to further speculation about the LJP leader's future plans.
Asked whether Chirag is welcome in RJD or not, Rajak said after the meeting on Saturday, "All those who want to take forward the ideology of Lohia and Ambedkar are welcome, be it Chirag Paswan or anyone else."
ANI further reported that Paswan also spoke to Lalu Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on phone.
The development comes amid a bitter political fight between Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Paras over the control of LJP, which was founded by Ram Vilas Paswan.
A rebel group in LJP has chosen Paras as their leader; the Chirag-led faction, also played a counter move by removing his uncle from all party posts. Chirag has vowed to fight for his father's legacy. He also sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after induction of Paras in the Union Cabinet following a reshuffle.
Chirag Paswan has blamed Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for orchestrating the split in the party and accused him of scuttling the chances of his own partymen by sending Paras to the Centre.
The fallout between Paras and Chirag has been attributed to a range of issues including the former's dissatisfaction with his nephew's decision to break away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Bihar Assembly polls.
