Pashupati Paras claims right to Ram Vilas Paswan's political legacy

New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The newly-appointed Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party leader Pashupati Kumar Paras on Friday claimed that he is the real heir apparent of his elder brother Ram Vilas Paswan's political legacy.
Speaking to ANI, Paras said, "Chirag Paswan is the son of Late Ram Vilas Paswan. According to the provision in the Hindu law and the Constitution, the son has the right over the property of his father. Chirag Paswan has the right to Ram Vilas Paswan's property. There is no doubt about it."
"Late Paswan ji became MLA in 1969. And, when he became a member of the Lok Sabha in 1977, he had told me that I should take forward his legacy. So I contested elections in 1977 and was a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly for 7 terms till 2010. I was blessed with his political legacy. However, Chirag has the right to his property as a son but I have the political right," stated Paras.
Notably, after the formation of two factions in Lok Janshakti Party, Chirag Paswan had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against the decision of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to designate Pashupati Kumar Paras as the leader of the party's parliamentary party in the House.
The Delhi High Court dismissed Chirag Paswan's plea on Friday stating it does not have any merit.
Paras said, "I respect the court's decision. He is my nephew, I will not cause him pain, but he has diverted from his track. Everyone has gone against him."
On the possibility of any reconciliation with Chirag Paswan, Pashupati Kumar Paras clearly said that Chirag will have to atone for this.
"Chirag Paswan should introspect where he has gone wrong. There was a time when the most popular leader was Chirag Paswan. Then, what is the reason today that everyone has gone against him? He should think about this. Time has changed. If he will atone for it, then the decision will be taken after two-four years," added Paras.
Last month, Pashupati Kumar Paras, the younger brother of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan along with five other MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and handed over a letter to him seeking removal of Chirag Paswan as party chief and as the Lok Sabha Parliamentary party leader.
Birla accepted Paras as the floor leader of the LJP in the lower house. In a revised list of floor leaders of parties, Paras was listed as the Lok Sabha LJP leader.
Later, Chirag Paswan too wrote to Birla stating that the decision of announcing Pashupati as leader of LJP in the Lower House was contrary to the provisions of the party's Constitution.
Chirag has also requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to issue a new circular in his favour as a leader of LJP in the house.
After the rebel faction of the LJP elected unopposed Paras as the new party president, Chirag Paswan had said that the election was illegal as it was conducted by members of the LJP who were suspended from the party.
The fallout between Paras and Chirag Paswan has been attributed to a range of issues including the former's dissatisfaction with his nephew's decision to break away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Bihar Assembly polls.
The LJP was formed by former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in 2000. Paswan, a heavyweight leader in Bihar politics, passed away in October 2020. (ANI)