Infighting intensifies: Chirag Paswan expels 5 LJP MPs including rebel uncle Pashupti Kumar Paras

Patna:The infighting of LJP to take control of reins of the party today intensified further with Chirag Paswan expelling five MPs including his rebel uncle Pashupti Kumar Paras and also releasing a letter to expose his hidden ambition since long while in a parallel move Paras faction also removed Chirag from the party post, even though LJP workers blackened posters of Mr Paras and other rebel MPs during their protest in party office in Patna.

Mr Paras, the younger brother of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan, feeling emboldened with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognising him as leader of LJP parliamentary party in lower House, convened a meeting of executive committee in New Delhi and removed Chirag Paswan from the post of party president. Vice president of the party and former MP Suraj Bhan Singh was also appointed working president of the LJP. A decision to convene meeting of national council was also taken to elect new party president in next five days.

Mr Chirag Paswan who was silent since his uncle Mr Paras led four other MPs in revolting against him and submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Birla on Sunday night for being recognised as leader of LJP parliamentary party in lower House, also made a strategic move and convened a meeting of national executive on virtual mode due to Corona pandemic. In the meeting, all five rebel MPs including Pashupti Kumar Paras were expelled for their anti party activities.

Mr Raju Tiwary, a member of national executive told media persons that Mr Paras and four other rebel MPs had been expelled in unanimous decision for anti party activities. When asked about removal of Chirag from party post by Paras faction, he said that party had its constitution and only executive committee could take such a decision. A decision in meeting convened by a faction could not be called as taken by executive committee, he maintained.

"On the other hand 41 members of executive committee had participated in virtual meeting called by party president Chirag Paswan at short notice", Mr Tiwary said adding that four executive committee members also.

had given their consent on phone after the meeting for expulsion of five rebel MPs . All the five rebel MPs were expelled as per provision of the party constitution, he claimed.Mr Chirag Paswan also posted his first comment on twitter since revolt and said he had tried his best to keep the party together as cohesive force. Party was like mother and it should not be weakened, ditched and hurt, he remarked.

"I made all efforts to keep together the party founded by father and also my family members but could not succeed", Mr Chirag Paswan said adding that people were supreme in democracy and he also thanked to all who reposed faith in his party. He also shared an old letter on twitter account written by him to his uncle Mr Paras on Holi festival in March this year.

Mr Paswan, in the letter, had pointed out how his father Ram Vilas Paswan was upset over behaviour of Mr Paras when he was made LJP president in the year 2019. Mr Paras had left the venue in New Delhi soon after reluctantly proposing his name for the post of LJP in party meeting, he stated.

"When Chief Minister Mr Kumar had formed a new government overnight in the year 2017 after joining hands with BJP, my father wanted Nutan Singh or other leader to be inducted in cabinet but Mr Paras had talked to Chief Minister Mr Kumar for his ministerial berth and also for MLC without taking my father into confidence but father approved and felicitated happily to enable him to become Minister, "Mr Paswan pointed out. He had also mentioned in the letter which indicated that Mr Paras was politically ambitious and not cooperating with him to run the party smoothly.

Large number of supporters of Mr Chirag Paswan barged into premises of LJP office in Patna and raised anti Paras slogans.

They also blackened posters of Mr Paras and other rebel MPs erected there.Chirag supporters while talking to media persons said that Mr Paras had no standing in party.

It was Mr Chirag Paswan who was the face of the party in public in Bihar and other states, they said and dubbed Mr Paras as traitor. It was most unfortunate that Ram Vilas Paswan had founded LJP with great efforts and hard work but Mr Paras and other rebel MPs were destroying it, they lamented.

UNI