Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan has decided to field his brother-in-law Arun Bharti from the Jamui Lok Sabha constituency, a seat currently held by the party chief. Earlier, Chirag Paswan had indicated that he might contest the Jamui seat as he did not want to "disappoint" the people of Jamui. However, after his LJP-RV sealed a seat-sharing agreement with the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, Chirag made it clear that he would contest the Hajipur seat against his uncle Pashupati Paras.
The Jamui electorate will vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19.
Bharti's candidature comes amid the BJP's criticism of the Opposition over "dynasty politics". At least five members of the Ram Vilas Paswan family have walked into the Lok Sabha so far — Ram Vilas Paswan himself, his son Chirag, his brothers Pashupati Paras and Ram Chandra Paswan, and Ram Chandra's son Prince Raj.
In an exclusive interview with ABP News last week, Chirag Paswan had said that he would go up against his uncle Pashupati Paras in Hajipur. Chirag Paswan on March 13 finalised the seat-sharing arrangement within the NDA for his LJP (Ram Vilas) faction. Reports suggest that the party secured candidature on 5 seats through this negotiation. However, Pashupati Paras's RLJP failed to secure any deal within the NDA. Consequently, Paras, who previously served as a Union minister in the Narendra Modi Cabinet, tendered his resignation. He is currently in discussions with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, expressing interest in joining the Opposition fold.
ALSO READ | Bihar Lok Sabha Election Dates: Check Constituencies And Dates Of Seven Phases Of Polls
Speculation arose regarding Chirag's absence from PM Modi's Bihar rallies, suggesting that he might have been leveraging his influence to compel the BJP to remove his uncle, Pashupati Paras, from the NDA. Sources claim that Chirag sought a greater number of seats for his party but eventually relented on this demand in exchange for the exclusion of RLJP. With Paras's departure, the path was cleared for LJP (Ram Vilas) as it faced fewer contenders for seats within the NDA, enabling it to field more candidates.
Chirag also refuted allegations of pressuring the BJP to expel his uncle.
ALSO READ | BJP Drops 3 Sitting MPs In Bihar, Renominates Giriraj Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad
The Hajipur Seat Rivalry
The rivalry between Chirag and Pashupati revolves around the legacy of Ram Vilas Paswan, particularly concerning their claim to the Hajipur seat, which Ram Vilas Paswan had won on eight occasions. While Pashupati Paras currently holds the Hajipur seat as the incumbent MP, Chirag represents Jamui in the Lok Sabha. Chirag said, "Hajipur holds significance for me as it is where I must uphold my duties as the son of Ram Vilas Paswan... My association with Hajipur dates back to my childhood. It's about fulfilling responsibilities... Nothing more."
Chirag and Pashupati are slated to contest in the Lok Sabha Election Phase 5 as Hajipur gears up for polls.