Pashupati Paras calls on Nadda, says will 'support NDA' in LS polls

Ending speculations of a rift with the NDA over seat allotments for the Lok Sabha, which gained ground after his resignation from the central cabinet, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) president Pashupati Kumar Paras called on BJP national president JP Nadda at the latter's New Delhi residence on Tuesday.

Sulking after the NDA set aside five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar for the Chirang Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), including Hajipur which he currently represents in the Lower House, Paras, in a media briefing, accused the BJP of 'injustice'.

Taking to his official handle on X, Nadda posted in Hindi that the LJP faction led by Paras will extend full support to all the 40 NDA candidates in Bihar, in a broad indication that he has settled his differences with the ruling faction at the Centre going into the Lok Sabha elections.

"Met our NDA ally and head of RLJP @PashupatiParas at my residence in New Delhi. As a valued NDA member, Pashupati-ji did good work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our alliance will remain strong going into the Lok Sabha elections and his (Paras's) party will extend full support to all 40 NDA candidates in Bihar. He will throw his weight behind our candidates and ensure their victory in the elections," Nadda added.

Announcng his resignation as Union Minister earlier this month, Paras charged the BJP of doing 'injustice' after losing out on a ticket from Hajipur. None of his party members found himself on the NDA ticket for the ensuing seven-phased general elections.

As part of the deal the NDA clinched with Chirag earlier, his party is to contest five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

Chirag, himself, is eyeing a term in Lower House from his father, former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's constituency, Hajipur.

After the press briefing where he voiced his dissent after being denied a ticket from Hajipur, it was speculated that Paras might put himself in the fray again as an Independent with support from the INDIA bloc.

However, he put to rest all speculations around his nomination from Hajipur, saying he will "continue supporting the NDA" in the Lok Sabha polls. However, he fell short of calling a truce with nephew Chirag.

Tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda, and the BJP's Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde in a post on X, Paras wrote in Hindi, "The Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party is a part of the NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is our leader."

He said the decision to put Chirag in fray from Hajipur this time was 'supreme', adding, "We will extend our full support to our candidates to ensure that the NDA reaches its target of 400 seats and wins all 40 seats in Bihar".

As part of a broad understanding reached between the BJP and its NDA constituents in Bihar, the former will contest 17 seats while its ruling partner in the state JD-(U) will field nominees in another 16. Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will contest one seat each while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest the remaining five seats.

The undivided LJP, founded by Ram Vilas, split into two factions in 2021, with Chirag and Paras leading the rival outfits.

In the 2019 polls, Paras won Hajipur while Chirag scored a thumping win from Jamui.