Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan on Thursday said Janata Dal (United), JD(U), could witness a split anytime as Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had undermined his own party leaders just to keep him [Paswan] out of the Union Cabinet.
Speaking in Samastipur, where he made a stop during his ongoing Aashirwad Yatra, Paswan said, “I never craved for a ministerial berth, but I still don’t know from which party’s quota my uncle Pashu Pati Kumar Paras has been inducted in the Cabinet. The way things have unfolded, it appears Nitish Kumar sacrificed his own party leaders, especially Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh.”
Adding that he has informed the Prime Minister about the suspension of the five party MPs, including Paras, from the party as per its constitution, Paswan said Lalan Singh, who allegedly played a key role in orchestrating the LJP split, has been overlooked in Union cabinet expansion, clearly points to the impending upheaval within the JD(U).
“The ministerial berth that belonged to Lalan Singh was snatched from him. This has caused dissatisfaction within the JD(U) and could lead to a split,” he added.
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Paswan, who is a member of Parliament from Jamui, said he was busy building his own party organisation and his yatra would crisscross the state before he begins a padyatra to connect with the masses. “Whatever has happened [Paras’s induction in the Cabinet] is not good. I have already moved the court and the matter may come up for hearing soon,” he added.
He said the matter was still pending with the Election Commission and he continued to be the party chief till it was decided. “Making anyone a minister is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. I have written to the Lok Sabha Speaker to review his decision to accord the legislature party leader status to Paras’s group, citing the party constitution. I had written to PM Modi in this regard and I am surprised under which party quota my uncle was accommodated,” he added.
He said that those LJP MPs who supported Paras would also realise their folly. “My uncle became a minister…but what did the others get? The realisation will sink in sooner than later,” he added.
