Pashupati Paras Resigns As Union Minister Amid BJP's Seats Pact With Chirag Paswan

Union Minister Pashupati Paras resigned from the Modi cabinet on Tuesday, a day after the BJP finalized a seat-sharing pact with his estranged nephew, Chirag Paswan, the chief of LJP (Ram Vilas), for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

"I have tendered my resignation as Union Minister. Our party faced injustice in seat-sharing," Pashupati Paras said.

On Monday, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced its seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, allotting 17 seats to the BJP, 16 to the JD(U), and five to Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas). Two other NDA allies, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha, will contest one seat each.

Pashupati Paras's LJP faction was not included in the seat-sharing deal. However, Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary said that talks are ongoing with him.

Paras had earlier indicated that he might leave the ruling NDA if the seat allocation did not meet his expectations. Reportedly, the BJP disregarded the claims of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief over several Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, including Hajipur.

Paras had announced his intention to contest from Hajipur, a seat that had been contested between him and Chirag Paswan. His estranged nephew had suggested that his party would contest from the seat. Ultimately, the BJP awarded Hajipur to LJP (Ram Vilas), further angering Paras.

The Lok Janshakti Party, led by Ram Vilas Paswan, split into two after his death in 2020. His brother Paras leads the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), and his son Chirag Paswan leads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), both of which are part of the NDA.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP and JD(U) had contested 17 seats each, while the then undivided LJP, headed by Ram Vilas Paswan, had contested six. The BJP and the LJP had won all their seats, while the JD(U) had won 16.