New LJP president to be elected on June 17, hints Pasupati Kumar Paras

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New Delhi: Lok Janshakti Party leader Pashupati Kumar Paras has hinted that a full-time national chief of the party will be elected here on June 17, i.e. on Thursday. He said that while Suraj Bhan Singh, a former MP, has been made the working president, election of the full-time president will take place soon. 

Earlier today, LJP leader and MP Chirag Paswan accused the Janata Dal (United) of breaking his party while adding that he is the 'son of a lion' and will continue to fight. This comes after Pashupati Kumar Paras-led faction removed Chirag from the post of LJP president. 

The decision was taken at a meeting of five LJP MPs at the residence of Pashupati Kumar Paras in Delhi. Addressing a press conference today, Chirag Paswan said, "According to the constitution of the party, only the parliamentary committee and the national president himself can choose the Leader of the House. If uncle (Pashupati Kumar Paras) had asked, he would have been made the Leader of the House. As per the party`s constitution, National President can only be removed if he/she dies or resigns."

The LJP MP accused the JDU of breaking the party and also said that his uncle has no right to call any kind of meeting or make a decision. He said that his father Ram Vilas Paswan died on October 8 and just after that, the Bihar elections came. "It was a very difficult time. But during the election people gave us great support. We got more than 25 lakh votes," said Chirag. He said that he does not trust Nitish Kumar`s policies and that is why he had decided not to bow down to anyone. "We broke away from the alliance because of the JDU and contested alone," the LJP leader added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Chirag wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stating that the decision of announcing Pashupati Kumar Paras as leader of LJP in the Lower House was contrary to the provisions of the party's Constitution. Chirag also requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to issue a new circular in his favour as leader of LJP in the House

Chirag Paswan, son of LJP founding president Ram Vilas Paswan, who has been cornered in the very party he had been heading for nearly a year, had at a press conference in Delhi earlier in the day raised questions over the Lok Sabha Speaker giving recognition to the rebel faction which has chosen Paras as its leader.