Chirag Paswan’s LJP hits a crisis as Nitish Kumar and Chirag’s uncle orchestrate a revolt in the party

A civil war has broken out within the LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) camp, brokered by none other than Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Chirag Paswan, the son and heir of LJP founder late Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday was dethroned as the party leader after five of the six LJP MPs broke away and unanimously elected Chirag’s uncle Pashupati Nath Paras as the leader of the LJP in the Lok Sabha.

The coup against the nephew was orchestrated by Pashupati with the help of Janta Dal (United) (JDU) as the party’s national president RCP Singh was quoted as saying, “What happened in LJP is what happens when one confronts Nitish Kumar?”

According to a report by ThePrint, Nitish Kumar had deputed his trusted aide and JDU MP Lallan Singh to work on Pashupati Nath Paras and other LJP leaders last year, before the elections. However, with the unfortunate death of Ram Vilas Paswan, the heavyweight leaders of LJP did not commit and opted to fight under Chirag’s banner. Media reports have stated that relations between Chirag and Pashupati Nath became cold over time as the latter felt alienated after Chirag started making unilateral decisions in the absence of Ram Vilas Paswan.

The efforts once again ensued in May this year and JD(U) managed to catch a break as Pashupati Nath rounded up his other trusted lieutenants and snatched Chirag’ title.

It is surprising though that Chirag didn’t see the ambush coming when in February earlier this year, more than 200 leaders of LJP were poached by the JDU.

Ever since the announcement of the Bihar assembly election results, Chirag has struggled to carry his troops. The party only managed to win a solitary seat despite fielding candidates on 137 seats, majorly against the JDU candidates. Although the party won a single seat, it managed to cut into the vote share of JDU and other parties, helping BJP in the process.

Before the assembly election last year, LJP severed ties with NDA, citing CM Nitish Kumar as the flashpoint in the relations. After Paswan patriarch passed away, Chirag started an all-out campaign to target Nitish Kumar, which was not discussed with his uncle Pashupati Nath. Reported by TFI, Chirag in a letter to BJP president JP Nadda had iterated how he and his father were humiliated by Nitish Kumar and how the latter’s heightened toxic ego led to the ejection of LJP from the alliance.

“Ram Vilas Ji was humiliated before the nomination (Rajya Sabha) and was forced to visit the CM residence to ask for his support. Even during the meeting between the two, Nitish Kumar’s behaviour was not appropriate. Even during the nomination, Ram Vilas Ji requested Nitish Kumar to accompany him, but he did not come. It was only after passing of the auspicious period of filing nomination, that the CM came,” Chirag had written.

Chirag held back no punches when came to cornering JDU and its old horse. Throughout the election trail, he constantly brought up the issue of the murder of Dalits in the last 15 years in the state and how the current regime hadn’t been able to provide jobs to the kin of the murdered.

Moreover, after the first Coronavirus lockdown, the LJP leader directly took on the Bihar CM by using the migrants’ issue and gave the slogan “Bihar first, Bihari first”.

With Chirag deposed as the party leader, he now faces an uphill battle to carry the legacy of his father. JD(U) is covertly making sure that LJP is ruptured from within. The young LJP leader might need to step up and play an aggressive brand of politics if he is to save his party and his father’s legacy, which otherwise would be engulfed whole by Nitish Kumar.