Patna: With the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party excluded in the NDA seat distribution for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar , party chief and union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned from the post of the union minister.
"Yesterday, the NDA alliance announced the list of 40 candidates for Bihar Lok Sabha...Our party had five MPs & I worked with utmost sincerity...Injustice has been done with us & our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union Minister," he said.
Union Minister Pashupati Paras was be angry over Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party not getting even a single seat in Bihar. As soon as NDA announced seat distribution in Bihar, it became clear that the BJP was done with Paras and RLJP. The saffron party, on the other hand, is getting closer to the Chirag Paswan led Lok Janshakti Party, which the BJP has given five Lok Sabha seats including Hajipur which Paras has been continuously claiming that he will contest from.
Will Paras Resign from Modi Cabinet?
Sources said that a disgruntled Paras is likely to resign from the Modi cabinet on Tuesday March 19. Besides, he is likely to part ways from the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. However, till now no clear statement has come from Paras or the RLJP in this regard. RLJP chief Pashupati Paras is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:30 am today.
Paras in Talks with RJD: Ever since speculations started doing the rounds about the NDA excluding RLJP in the seat sharing formula in Bihar, the party has hinted at keeping all doors open on an alliance with like minded parties. According to sources, Pashapati Paras is in constant touch with the RJD leadership in this regard.
It is believed that RLJP may soon announce its entry into the INDIA alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Just a few days ago, RLJP MP from Nawada Chandan Singh had said that no door is ever closed in politics. “We have an old relationship with Lalu Yadav,” he said.
Paras adamant on Seats for Sitting MPs: Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party President Pashupati Kumar Paras has made it clear that all his MPs will contest the Lok Sabha elections from their respective sitting seats. "No, we have not talked to anyone but I will contest (Lok Sabha elections) from Hajipur. All our sitting MPs will contest from their respective constituencies. This is our and our party's decision. If we do not get due respect, our party is free to go anywhere," he said ahead of the NDA's list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
On Monday March 18, NDA announced seat sharing for Bihar under which BJP has got 17 seats, Janata Dal United 16, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party has got 5 seats, Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and Upendra Kushwaha's RLM have got one seat each. Pashupati Paras's RLJP has not been allotted a single seat.
