Chirag Paswan ousted as Lok Janshakti Party chief

New Delhi, June 15: Chirag Paswan has been removed as Lok Janshakti Party chief, a day after five of the six MPs joined hands to elect Pashupati Kumar Paras, as the leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in the Lok Sabha, changing equations in Bihar politics.

Surajbhan Singh has been appointed as the National Working President of the party. Party has also given him the charge to conduct elections for the appointment of the party's national president.

Paswan was ousted on basis of the "One Man, One Post", said the rebel MPs, who have chosen Suraj Bhan as the new working president and election officer of the LJP, according to a report by NDTV.

Chirag Paswan's uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, who initiated the coup, is likely to be elected new national president later this week.

Five of the six Lok Janshakti Party MPs in the Lok Sabha have joined hands against their leader Chirag Paswan and elected his paternal uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras in his place, causing a big churn in Bihar politics.

Paras said his group will continue to be part of the BJP-led NDA, and said Chirag Paswan can remain part of the organisation.

Soon after Paras spoke to reporters, Paswan drove to his uncle's residence in the national capital to meet him. Paswan's cousin and MP Prince Raj also stays at the same address.

After spending over 90 minutes at the residence of Paras and Prince Raj, Paswan left without saying a word to the waiting media persons.

The rebel group, which includes MPs Raj, Chandan Singh, Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser, has long been unhappy with Chirag Paswan's style of functioning

Sources close to him have blamed the JD(U) for the split, saying the party had long been working to isolate the LJP president after his decision to go all out against Chief Minister Kumar in the 2020 assembly polls.