In a press conference held at the headquarters of the Rashtriya Lok Janashakti Party, Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras declared his intention to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from the Hajipur constituency, despite his nephew Chirag Paswan's claims to his late father Ram Vilas Paswan's seat.
Paras expressed unwavering confidence that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would support his candidacy over Chirag's, emphasizing that the latter was not yet an integral part of the coalition. He cited Chirag's absence from the meeting of the alliance's MPs convened inside Parliament as a testament to his limited involvement, as reported by PTI.
Addressing the photographs showing Chirag touching his feet and seeking blessings in Delhi, Paras clarified that such gestures were part of the culture of Bihar and the Mithila region to which they both belong, and they did not indicate any thaw in their relationship.
Dismissing speculations about other political options, the 71-year-old leader firmly stated that he would not opt for the Rajya Sabha route or settle for a gubernatorial post, dispelling rumors of a possible resolution with his nephew.
"No power on earth can stop me from contesting Hajipur in the next elections. All such reports which say otherwise are like the noises made by frogs during the rainy season. You may hear these since it is an election year but there is no substance in such stories," Paras asserted.
Responding to Chirag's claim that Hajipur was the "karmabhoomi" of his late father, Paras retorted, "Late Paswan was my brother, too." He recounted how he had initially shown reluctance to contest the Lok Sabha polls, as he was already a minister in Bihar. However, upon his late brother's insistence, Paras had filed his nomination from Hajipur, relinquishing his job as a government teacher.
Highlighting his long association with Alauli Vidhan Sabha seat, Paras emphasized that his brother wanted him, and no one else, to contest from Hajipur, which Ram Vilas Paswan had represented numerous times. Paras mentioned that his brother was also mindful of Chirag already being an MP from Jamui, thus requiring focus on that seat.
Denying the possibility of the BJP supporting Chirag due to sympathy following his father's demise, Paras reminded how Chirag's statements during the 2020 assembly polls had caused disapproval within the NDA. He further asserted that Chirag's actions had weakened the LJP, leading to the decision to part ways.
"It is not just the party that broke. There is a chasm between our hearts, and that cannot be bridged," Paras concluded, emphasizing the unbridgeable divide between him and his nephew.
