Sher ka bachcha, says Chirag Paswan as he readies for a long legal fight

NEW DELHI: Breaking silence over the drama in the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) following the coup ousting him as its President, Chirag Paswan on Wednesday said that he tried his best to keep the family and the party united but failed, and termed the way in which his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras was elected party leader "illegal".

Chirag, who is fighting for the survival of his party said that he is ready for a long legal fight against the rebel group, declaring that he was "the son of Ram Vilas Paswan, a sher ka bachcha" (son of a lion).

He also defended his decision to contest last year's Bihar Assembly elections solo, which has been the major reason for his feud with uncle, saying he did not want to buckle down to Chief Minister and JD-U chief Nitish Kumar.

Addressing a press conference here at his residence, Chirag Paswan said: "Our fight is long, I don't think one press conference can clear all things."

"I am ready for the long legal fight, and I am son of Ram Vilas Paswan, a sher ka bacha," he said.

"Till the end, I tried my best to keep the family and the party united. I even went to my uncle's house. My mother also tried to speak to uncle. But all went in vain.

"And when we realised that everything has gone out of hand, we called a virtual meeting of National Executive and took disciplinary action against them (the rebel MPs)," he said.

The LJP National Executive on Tuesday sacked five party MPs, including Paras, from the party for anti-party activities.

Chirag Paswan said: "People said they removed me from party President's post and from the post of leader of the LJP in the Lok Sabha. But the way in which they were elected as leader of party is not legal, it is illegal."

Citing the party's constitution, he said: "Power of the (parliamentary) board resides with the President of the LJP. Sitting MPs cannot take decision on their own, it has to be taken by the National Executive."

He also said that the LJP constitution says that post of party President can be filled only after the existing President dies or resigns wilfully.

"My uncle was elected as leader of the party in LS illegally. If my uncle would have spoken to me, I would have given him the post," Chirag Paswan said.

About his father and party founder, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, he said: "All of you have seen that on October 8, my father passed away and we had to go to the (Bihar) polls.

"It was a tough time for us. Those 40 days I didn't get time to think about my father. But after the elections, I spent time with family," he said. On his decision to go solo in Assembly elections, he said: "We had decided to go solo in Bihar and we fought bravely."

He said that the LJP got a major victory. "Earlier, the LJP was called one per cent or two per cent vote party, but this time, we got more than 6 per cent vote share," he said, asserting that the LJP didn't compromise on its principles even after Assembly elections. (IANS)

Also Read: Ousted as LJP chief, Chirag convenes parallel executive to expel 5 rebel MPs

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