Chirag Paswan (left) and uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras (file photos)
Patna: Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras has firmly established his claim as the political "heir" of his late brother and former Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan.
He asserted that Chirag Paswan, the son of Ram Vilas Paswan, will inherit his father's financial assets by law, he, as the younger brother, carries forward the political legacy.
Ram Vilas Paswan, a prominent Dalit leader and influential political figure from Bihar, passed away in October 2020 after an extended illness. His demise led to a split within the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), with differences surfacing between his son, Chirag Paswan, and his younger brother, Pashupati Kumar Paras.
During a conversation with reporters on the sidelines of a recent event, Pashupati Kumar Paras firmly stated his intentions to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Bihar's Hajipur constituency. He underlined that his decision to do so was influenced by Ram Vilas Paswan himself, who had urged him to contest for the seat even in the 2019 elections.
Elaborating on his late brother's wishes, Paras stated, "He had asked me to carry forward his legacy and fulfil his unfinished dreams." Paras, who currently leads the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) and represents Hajipur in the Lok Sabha, asserted, "According to law, Chirag Paswan is the successor of Ram Vilas Paswan's property. But I am the (political) heir of my late elder brother as was Lord Ram's brother Lakshman in the Ramayana."
Recounting his conversations with Ram Vilas Paswan, Pashupati Kumar Paras revealed, "He (Ram Vilas Paswan) had asked me to contest from his Hajipur Lok Sabha seat after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, saying he trusted me more than anyone in the family. I was not willing to contest from the seat, but he made me join the fray from his constituency."
Pashupati Kumar Paras' stance gains significance amidst the aspirations of his nephew, Chirag Paswan, who leads the LJP (Ram Vilas faction), to contest from Hajipur in the forthcoming 2024 general elections. Both the LJP (Ram Vilas faction) and the RLJP hold membership within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.