Patna: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan on Monday pulled up his shocks against his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras while kicking off his much talked 'Aashirvad Yatra' from Hajipur. Both are in the race to retain the legacy of Ram Vilas Paswan who passed away last year before assembly polls in Bihar. To commemorate the birth anniversary of his father, Chirag first paid the floral tribute to Ram Vilas at Delhi's residence where he almost broke down while remembering his father.
Later Chirag flew to Patna where he received a warm welcome at Patna airport by his supporters and they shouted slogans like Chirag tum aage badho hum tumhare saath hai and Ram Vilas amar rahe (Chirag you go ahead, we are with you and Ram Vilas long live). Chirag supporters were continuously chanting slogans and musical bands were present to welcome Chirag on his first visit to Bihar after the split in the LJP.
During his yatra, he is scheduled to seek the blessings of the people of Bihar and also to garner the sympathy of the Biharis after the so-called betrayal by his own uncle. Bihar has witnessed a political drama within the LJP when the Paras faction removed Chirag as party president. When Chirag was receiving a warm welcome and huge support at the Patna airport, his uncle Paras was busy organising Bhoj at the LJP office in the city.
The LJP office is just 500 meters away from the airport. However, Chirag crossed by the LJP office and even looked at it but did not enter. At the LJP office in Patna, the Paras faction also paid the floral tribute to Ram Vilas and distributed hundreds of food packets among the people. Paras on the other hand also slammed his nephew Chirag and suggested to him that he should have launched the yatra from Jamui, not Hajipur.
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“Chirag is doing Aashirvad Yatra for his own sake, not for my elder brother Ram Vilas Paswan ji. He should have done the yatra from Jamui, the seat which he represents. Ram Vilas is no more, how will he bless Chirag? Instead of Aashirava Yatra, it should have been named Shardhanjali Yatra. In which capacity he is doing all this? He is no longer LJP president, "Paras said at the party office.
From the airport, Chirag directly reached the statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar near Patna High Court where he sat on dharna for a while when the administration did not allow him to garland the statue. In the end, he just paid the tribute with folded hands and kept the flower on the entry gate itself as he was not allowed to go inside. All the trusted people of Chirag Paswan have left him alone after being ousted as chief of LJP which was founded by his father. Chirag had not even spared Prime Minister Narendra Modi in criticising him and stated that it was not right if 'Ram' remains silent when 'Hanuman' is being killed.
Chirag Paswan had described himself as the 'Hanuman' of PM Modi during the recent Bihar Assembly polls. Chirag had recently accused that the coup in his party took place on the behest of JDU and in the entire row, the BJP kept mum. However, BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand came out with a tweet in support of Chirag, “Usually every son is a mere shadow of his great father. My individual wish on the Jayanti of @irvpaswan ji that you succeed in your endeavours to take up his legacy, my personal sympathies are with you. @iChiragPaswan.”
On the maiden visit after the split in the party, Chirag reiterated that he will keep on opposing the policies of chief minister Nitish Kumar. However, political experts stressed that the future of the LJP is at stake now and to save his existence and party's existence, it was a much-needed yatra for Chirag and he may be benefitted out of it.
“Chirag wants to utilise the emotional card in the best ways. Standing next to his mother and breaking down on the occasion of Ram Vilas birth anniversary is part of it. He wants to send a message about how his uncle has betrayed him. Only time will tell, how much struggle he does to retain the legacy of his father but he will surely get the benefit of this emotional card. He is far ahead than Paras in terms of earning the sympathy, "said Dr Sanjay Kumar, a Patna based political expert.
He further said, "Paras also believes that it is just a matter of time and later people will also support him. However, what matters is the people's support and once again I am saying that only time will tell where people stand - for Chirag or Paras. At present people's sentiments are with Chirag but If tomorrow Chirag starts maintaining the distance from the people then he has to pay a heavy price and Paras will surpass him in that scenario."
Also Read: The political significance of Chirag Paswan's Aashirvaad Yatra
