Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, October 8
LJP president Chirag Paswan has contradicted chief minister Nitish Kumar’s claim that Ram Vilas Paswan was sent to Rajya Sabha because of his support.
“The fact is, Nitish had opposed Papa’s (senior Paswan) nomination from Bihar as NDA candidate to Rajya Sabha last year,” Chirag asserted.
Ram Vilas Paswan was elected to Rajya Sabha following the by-election held for Rajya Sabha necessitated due to resignation of the Union Law, Justice and Communications Minister, Ravishankar Prasad,who was elected to Lok Sabha from Patna Sahib.
Chirag said Paswan had went to the CM house to seek Nitish’s support, who told him he (Paswan) was a BJP candidate only.
Two days ago, Nitish Kumar at a press conference here had claimed Ram Vilas Paswan was sent to Rajya Sabha because of his support.
Chirag in a letter to the BJP president, J P Nadda said Nitish was insensitive and did not even care for the health of his ailing father. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister telephoned in the hospital, many senior BJP leaders visited the hospital to inquire about his health, but Nitish remained indifferent, he regretted.
According to the Junior Paswan, Nitish was even against inducting LJP legislators into his cabinet and had told his father “If any one of your relative is there, I will oblige, but you are asking for favour to a Thakur, Bhumihar or Brahmin.”
He alleged Nitish was anti-upper caste too.
LJP today released the first list of 43 candidates. It included nine deserters from BJP and two from JDU. Most of the BJP rebels are from upper castes only. They include Rameshwar Chaurasia, all India BJP secretary from Sasaram, Usha Vidyarthy, vice-president of the state BJP from Paliganj, Rajendra Singh, another vice-president from Dinara, Shweta Singh, spokes person of BJP Women Wing.
LJP also nominated the former minister Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, a senior JDU leader and Chandrashekhar Paswan, national general secretary of JDU Yuva Janata Dal as its candidates.
Meanwhile, senior JDU leader and former minister Ram Jatan Sinha resigned from the party protesting against the alleged discrimination against the upper castes in the distribution of party tickets. Sinha who is from upper caste-Bhumihars alleged Nitish Kumar was deliberately trying to politically liquidate the upper castes from Bihar politics. He was president of Patna University Students Union during JP movement and had defeated Lalu Prasad Yadav.
