LJP warring factions move Election Commission staking claim over party

The crisis broke out late Sunday night when Pashupati Kumar Paras and four other MPs rebelled against Chirag Paswan and replaced him as parliamentary party chief with Paras

A factional fight for control of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) reached the Election Commission on Friday after Jamui MP Chirag Paswan and his estranged uncle and Hajipur MP Pashupati Kumar Paras approached the poll watchdog with petitions against each other.

On Friday, Chirag Paswan claimed that the majority of the executive members are with him, and that the rebels violated LJP constitution (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times) (HT_PRINT)

A five-member delegation headed by Paswan met EC officials on Friday, and later a three-member team from Paras’s faction also submitted documents to the poll panel. Both factions are expected to hold rival executive committee meetings to stake claim over the party during the weekend.

The crisis broke out late Sunday night when Paras and four other MPs rebelled against Paswan and replaced him as parliamentary party chief with Paras. Since then, Paras’s faction has elected him as national president, while Paswan’s group has rejected the new appointments and expelled the rebel lawmakers.

On Friday, Paswan claimed that the majority of the executive members are with him, and that the rebels violated LJP constitution. “The EC has assured us that if somebody tries to prove claim in name of LJP, we will be given chance to provide evidence,” said Paswan.

On Thursday, Paswan’s faction asked EC to stop Paras from using LJP’s symbol (bungalow), and flag at their meetings. Paswan also said that he convened a meeting of the party’s national executive committee on Sunday.

Hours later, a three-member delegation from the Paras camp, comprising his secretary Ahmed, Vinod Nagar and Sanjay Saraf (all party leaders) submitted papers in EC.

Paras, who reached Delhi on Friday, also rejected allegations made by Paswan that his election as LJP chief was “unconstitutional and lacked quorum.”

“Let EC and party take a call on this. I was elected unanimously. Returning officer gave me the letter for being elected as national president. A draft has been submitted to the Election Commission today,” said Paras.

Asked if he was expecting a Union cabinet berth, he said that it was the Prime Minister’s prerogative. “If I become a minister, I will definitely leave the post in party,” he said.

The Paras faction is likely to hold its executive committee meeting on Saturday.