Chirag Paswan Says Will Contest LS Polls From Hajipur Seat Represented By His Estranged Uncle

The Hajipur seat, the stronghold of Chirag's late father Ram Vilas Paswan, has become the latest flashpoint between Pashupati Kumar Paras and his nephew Chirag Paswan.

A day after rejoining the NDA, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Tuesday said he would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bihar's Hajipur seat, which is presently represented by his estranged uncle and Union Cabinet minister Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Both Paras and Chirag are keen to contest from Hajipur constituency, which is the stronghold of Chirag's late father Ram Vilas Paswan, in 2024. In the 2019 elections, Pashupati Paras won from Hajipur and Chirag from Jamui.

The LJP suffered a split following the death of supremo Ram Vilas Paswan. Chirag Paswan's uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras broke away a faction of the party and went on to become an Union minister in the Modi Cabinet.

"I can say that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I will contest from Hajipur seat," ANI quoted Paswan as saying.

READ | Chirag Paswan, Who Called Himself PM Modi's 'Hanuman', Rejoins NDA After Meeting Amit Shah

On his return to the NDA fold after three years, Paswan said, "Talks were going on for a long time. We had some concerns and discussions were held over it and very amicably & positively an agreement was reached. Our aim is the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Bihar election."

However, Union Minister Pashupati Paras has asserted that he would contest from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, India Today reported.

Training his guns on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Paswan said the JD(U) leader will only harm the alliance in which he is part of.

"Nitish Kumar jis gathbandhan mein rahenge, wo uss gathbandhan ko nuksan hi denge (Nitish Kumar will only harm the alliance in which he is part of)," Paswan said.

"People of Bihar are not accepting the 'Mahagathbandhan'. NDA will win all 40 seats of Bihar in 2024 and NDA govt will be formed in Bihar in 2025," he further said.

On Monday, Chirag Paswan met Home Minister Amit Shah amid talks with BJP over his party's share of Lok Sabha seats in Bihar for the 2024 general elections.

The undivided LJP had contested six Lok Sabha seats in 2019 and also received a Rajya Sabha seat as part of its seat-sharing deal with the BJP.

Now, Chirag Paswan has reportedly asked the BJP to stick to the same arrangement despite a division in his party, PTI reported quoting Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) sources.