The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday allotted new party names and symbols to Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Paras, days after the poll panel barred Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) factions from using the party name and symbol. The commission gave the name Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the election symbol of a helicopter to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) faction led by Chirag Paswan. The ECI also allotted the name Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and the election symbol of a sewing machine to the faction of the LJP led by Union minister Pashupati Nath Paras.
The commission asked both the factions to choose three free symbols in order of preference before 1pm on October 4 and said it will then allocate the symbols to each faction.
Both factions of the LJP have been feuding for the control of the party since the beginning of this year. Chirag, the son of late party supremo Ram Vilas Paswan, was ousted from the party by his uncle Paras, who claimed that the outfit was now run by him. Paras, with the help of Prince Raj, Chandan Singh, Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser, ousted Chirag from the position of party chief. Paras also met with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, who recognised him as the party chief.
The ECI froze the party name and symbol earlier this month in view of the bypolls in Bihar’s Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur, scheduled for October 30. The poll paneI informed both factions that they will not be allowed to use the party name unconditionally, nor can they use LJP’s election symbol of a bungalow. Both factions claimed the exclusive use of the party name LJP and the symbol. Paswan said earlier that he was ready to adopt legal means in order to regain control of the party.
{{/usCountry}}The ECI froze the party name and symbol earlier this month in view of the bypolls in Bihar’s Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur, scheduled for October 30. The poll paneI informed both factions that they will not be allowed to use the party name unconditionally, nor can they use LJP’s election symbol of a bungalow. Both factions claimed the exclusive use of the party name LJP and the symbol. Paswan said earlier that he was ready to adopt legal means in order to regain control of the party.
{{/usCountry}}“Neither of the two groups led by Pashupati Kumar Paras and [the] other led by Chirag Paswan shall be permitted to use the name of the party Lok Janshakti Party and neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol bungalow,” the commission said in its order on October 2.