Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras declared his intention to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur, rejecting his nephew Chirag Paswan’s claim on the late Ram Vilas Paswan’s constituency. At a press conference held at the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party headquarters, Mr. Paras expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would support his candidature over Chirag’s, as the latter was not officially part of the coalition.
Dismissing speculations of a thaw in his relationship with Chirag, Mr. Paras clarified that their recent interactions, including photographs of Chirag touching his feet and seeking blessings, were simply cultural gestures from their shared background in Bihar’s Mithila region.
Addressing rumors that he might opt for the Rajya Sabha route or a gubernatorial post, Mr. Paras firmly asserted that he would contest Hajipur in the next elections without any external influence. He emphasized that such reports were baseless and akin to the noise made by frogs during the rainy season.
Responding to Chirag’s assertion that Hajipur was his father’s “karmabhoomi,” Mr. Paras asserted his own connection with the constituency, noting that his brother, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, had wanted him to contest the seat decades ago.
Mr. Paras refuted the idea that the BJP would back Chirag, citing past instances of the latter’s alleged support to rival parties during the 2020 assembly polls. He expressed dissatisfaction with Chirag’s actions, which he claimed had negatively impacted the LJP’s electoral performance.
Highlighting the deep divide between them, Mr. Paras suggested that the relationship between himself and Chirag could not be repaired, leading to their decision to part ways.
Despite Chirag’s claims and the perceived sympathy factor after Ram Vilas Paswan’s passing, Pashupati Kumar Paras remained confident in his own candidature for Hajipur, putting faith in the support of the BJP-led NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
