Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, July
Lockdown restrictions were followed with violations both in Patna and at Hajipur during the Aashirwad Yatra launched by LJP president Chirag Paswan to celebrate birthday of his father and party founder Ramvilas Paswan on Monday.
LJP leaders including Chirag were seen without masks at Patna airport, where he was given a grand welcome by thousands of supporters. At the party office on Wheeler Road too,no social distancing was maintained and there was scramble among the party workers to receive food packets.
From party office, Chirag went to Sultanpur village near Hajipur, from where his father had started campaign in 1977 during the Lok Sabha elections. Chirag described the launch of his state wide tour from Sultanpur as paying tributes to the promoter of the village of 3,000 voters. Ram Vilas Paswan called the village his Karambhoomi (Work place).
As union steel minister, late Paswan had adopted the village and developed it into a model village, Chirag said. He addressed a large gathering at Paswan Chauk, heart of his father’s parliamentary constituency before moving to Samastipur, constitutency of his estranged cousin Prince Paswan.
In the hoardings between Patna airport, photos of only Ram Vilas Paswan and Chirag were visible. His uncle Pashupagti Kumar Paras, president of another faction of LJP is member of Lok Sabha from Hajipur.
His supporters outnumbered the LJP workers who had welcomed Paras last month after split in the party. Presence of large number of Chirag supporters at party headquarters here confirmed the LJP in Bihar was still under control of the junion Paswan, who assured to carry the legacy of his father
