Chirag Paswan, the leader of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has rejoined the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) after holding meetings with BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday. This development coincides with the upcoming NDA meeting, which is expected to be attended by 38 parties. In a tweet, BJP chief JP Nadda welcomed Chirag Paswan’s decision to join the NDA, stating, “Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan has decided to join NDA. I welcome him to the NDA family.”
In 2020, Chirag Paswan had departed from the NDA in Bihar to contest against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), who was in alliance with the BJP at the time. The LJP faced internal divisions following the demise of its leader Ram Vilas Paswan. Chirag Paswan’s uncle, Pashupati Kumar Paras, formed a separate faction of the party and became a Union minister in the Modi Cabinet.
Previously, Chirag Paswan had expressed his unwavering support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to himself as Modi’s “Hanuman,” always standing by him in challenging times. He had stated, “I don’t need to use PM Modi’s photos for campaigning. He lives in my heart, I am his Hanuman. If needed, I’ll tear open my chest and show it.”
On Monday, Chirag Paswan met with Home Minister Amit Shah amid discussions with the BJP regarding his party’s allocation of Lok Sabha seats in Bihar for the 2024 general elections. Paswan later tweeted, “Had a positive discussion with the country’s Home Minister respected Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi.”
Union Minister Nityanand Rai had previously met Chirag Paswan on two occasions. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the united LJP contested six seats and secured a Rajya Sabha seat as part of its seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP.
Despite the internal divisions within his party, Chirag Paswan has reportedly requested the BJP to maintain the same seat-sharing arrangement, as per Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) sources cited by PTI.
Thirty-eight parties have confirmed their participation in the upcoming NDA meeting in Delhi on Tuesday. Additionally, on Sunday, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) also returned to the NDA fold.
