LJP leader Chirag Paswan hits back: Faction led by uncle & JDU engineered crisis

In his first press conference since a split within the LJP, the party's Lok Sabha MP from Jamui, Chirag Paswan said that the faction led by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras was behind the crisis. Chirag added that he would continue to fight to keep the party together.

Chirag also alleged that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (Untied) worked to engineer the split in the Lok Janshakti Party.

He was also asked if "Hanuman" would seek the help of "Ram". The question was a reference to a remark he made during the Bihar polls last year, where Paswan referred to himself as the "Hanuman" to PM Narendra Modi, whom he called "Ram".

In response to the question, Chirag Paswan said, "If Hanuman has to seek help from Ram, then what good is Hanuman and what good is Ram?"

Earlier this week, 5 LJP MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asking him to appoint Pashupati Kumar Paras as the LJP's parliamentary party leader in the place of Chirag Paswan. Paras and Chirag Paswan are among the LJP's six MPs in Parliament.

Chirag, who still held the post of party president until Tuesday, chaired a meeting where it was decided to expel the five rebel MPs from the LJP. In response, the five rebel MPs removed him from the post of party president.