Political leaders cutting across party lines, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and a large number of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) workers paid tributes to former union minister and socialist leader Ram Vilas Paswan on his first death anniversary at his residence in Patna.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the event but issued a press statement to pay tributes to the late LJP leader. “CM Nitish Kumar paid tributes to former union minister late Ram Vikas Paswan on his first death anniversary,” read the statement issued by the department of information and public relations.
On the CM’s absence, Ram Vilas’ son and LJP leader Chirag Paswan said, “It would have been better had he (Nitish Kumar) come here to pay tributes. I am part of Ram Vilas Paswan and leaders cutting across party lines have come here to pay their tribute. This is what my father was all about. I had tried to give an invitation to Nitish Kumar also but could not get an appointment.”
The bitterness between the two parties increased after the LJP announced candidates against JD(U) in the last year’s October-November assembly elections and the latter was relegated to the third position for the first time in the state.
{{/usCountry}}The bitterness between the two parties increased after the LJP announced candidates against JD(U) in the last year’s October-November assembly elections and the latter was relegated to the third position for the first time in the state.
{{/usCountry}}In the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also shared a long emotional message describing Ram Vilas Paswan as a “close friend, a great son of the nation, Bihar’s pride and a strong voice for social justice”, which Chirag shared on Twitter. Chirag said the PM’s message, epitomising his father’s life and work for the society in his words, gave him and his family strength.
Meanwhile, Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, Ram Vilas Paswan’s younger brother and the leader of the faction that broke away from Chirag Paswan-led LJP was also present at Paswan’s Patna residence besides 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.
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 party leaders Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Shyam Razak and Congress leaders Shakeel Ahmad and Madan Mohan Jha and several others visited.
Former Union minister and MLC Sanjay Paswan said, “Ram Vilas Paswan was a great socialist leader and he would like Chirag Paswan to take his legacy forward to achieve what his father could notachieve and work for an egalitarian society.