Chirag Paswan was removed as national president of LJP on the principle of "One Man, One Post", said the rebels

 

Chirag Paswan, isolated in his party by a coup led by his uncle, was removed as Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president today in an "emergency meeting" of rebel MPs who are now calling the shots. Soon after the announcement, he retaliated by "expelling" uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras and four other MPs who have revolted against him, making it a fight between two factions of the LJP.

Chirag Paswan's supporters blackened posters at the LJP office in Delhi, which doubles up as Pashupati Paras's home, and tried to take over the building.

Chirag Paswan was removed as national president of LJP on the principle of "One Man, One Post", said the rebels, adding that he held three. According to sources, the rebels intend to strip him of every position of power he has held since he took over from his father and LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan.

According to the Paras group, Suraj Bhan will function as working president until a new president is elected and by the end of this week, Pashupati Kumar Paras's takeover of his brother's party will be complete.

Chirag Paswan will find tougher than his uncle, given that five of the six LJP Lok Sabha MPs have revolted and he is the sixth.

Yesterday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla accepted Pashupati Paras as the new leader of the LJP in the house, virtually giving a seal of approval on his accession. If the feud goes to court, the Speaker's endorsement will strengthen the rebels' claim.

Mr Paras, the younger brother of Ram Vilas Paswan and the lead player in the coup launched with help from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP, had earlier snubbed his nephew's attempts at reconciliation. Yesterday, he refused to meet Chirag Paswan, who waited at his doorstep for an hour and 45 minutes.