His announcement means he would also campaign for his now estranged nephew and LJP (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan who is contesting from Hajipur—the seat Paras currently represents in the Lok Sabha. Chirag, at present, is sitting MP from Jamui seat.
Paras, who was a union minister for food processing industries resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet on March 19 shortly after his party was denied any seat to contest under the seat-sharing arrangement in the NDA although his rival Chirag was given five seats to contest. Of the five seats given to the Chirag party, four were those where his supporters had emerged victorious.
“Hamari party RLJP NDA ka abhinn ang hai
(Our party RLJP is an integral part of NDA),” Paras posted on X on Saturday, adding PM Modi is also his leader and his decision is “paramount” for him. “Under his (Modi’s) leadership, NDA will form government for the third time by winning 400 plus seats in the entire country with a record majority,” Paras asserted adding, “Our party will lend its full support in winning all the 40 LS seats in Bihar.”
Asked if Paras will also campaign for Chirag who snatched his Hajipur seat, party’s national spokesperson Sharvan Agarwal said this north Bihar seat also comes under 40. “When our leader has announced to campaign for NDA candidates for all 40 seats, this means he will also seek votes in favour of Chirag,” Agarwal explained. Stating that their alliance was with the BJP, Agarwal said they would do whatever was instructed by the saffron party’s state and central leadership.
Agarwal said by announcing to work for the NDA, Paras has only lived up to his commitment of staying with the national alliance till his last breath and added that his party would invest all its energy in ensuring the victory of NDA candidates on all the seats in the state.
A senior RLJP leader said Paras resigned from the Modi cabinet under heavy pressure from a section of the party although “he praised the PM even while announcing his resignation before the media.”