Pashupati Paras Steps Down as Union Minister Following the BJP’s Sealing of a Seat-Sharing Agreement With Chirag Paswan’s Nephew’s Party

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: His uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, the leader of another group of the Lok Janshakti party, has resigned as a Union Minister, only days after the BJP finalised the seat-sharing agreement with Chirag Paswan. “The NDA coalition has been declared. I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister. My party and I were treated unfairly. For this reason, I am leaving my position as minister,” Paras was cited by NDTV.

The development follows the announcement on Monday of the seat-sharing agreement for the Bihar Lok Sabha elections by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which gives the BJP 17 seats, the JD (U) 16 seats, and Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) 5 seats.

Paras had previously threatened to quit the governing NDA if his preferred seat allotment was not made.

He said last week that he will run in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Hajipur seat, adding that he was awaiting the BJP’s list, the party’s ally. He requested that his party’s coalition partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), assign seats to its members, warning them that if they do not, then they are welcome to join.

“I plan to run for Lok Sabha from Hajipur.” Our current Members of Parliament will all run from their home seats. This is a decision made by our party, Paras said. Paras was the Minister of Food Processing’s portfolio holder.

This occurs one day after the head of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram-Vilas), Paras’ nephew Chirag Paswan, completed a deal with the BJP for seat sharing, which apparently includes the highly sought-after Hajipur seat.

In the meantime, Paras denied any communication with RJD-Congress over seat sharing and has chosen to adopt a wait-and-see approach till the NDA Alliance’s Bihar list is released.

We haven’t discussed anything about the India Alliance with anybody. Never, indeed. Nobody has gotten in touch with us. Our party is composed of five MPs. It was a good idea for the NDA Alliance to adopt the “sitting-getting goal.” However, our party was not treated fairly. We will wait till the NDA Alliance in Bihar list is out.