Amid signs of chill in Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan’s ties with the BJP-led NDA, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav Sunday reached out to him, saying he can carry forward his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy only by joining the “existential fight” against RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar’s thoughts.
In an interview with news agency PTI, Yadav said his party has always stood by Ram Vilas Paswan and recounted that when the LJP did not even have a single MLA and Paswan lost the election in 2009, it was Lalu Prasad Yadav who sent him to Rajya Sabha from the Rashtriya Janata Dal quota.
RJD’s young face also alleged that the BJP has “disposed of” and “abandoned” most of its old allies after coming to power and gaining maximum from them.
Yadav’s responses come at a time Chirag went public with his disappointment with the BJP’s silence over his bitter feud with his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras for control of the LJP.
“Our party has decided to celebrate Dalit messiah, Ram Vilas Ji’s birth anniversary to commemorate his contribution to the state, I think this itself is self-explanatory,” Yadav told PTI.
Asked about his call last week urging Chirag to quit the NDA, RJD leader said the country is at a juncture where pro-Constitution, pro-democracy, pro-farmers and pro-people forces are on one side and those antithetical to this ideology are on the other side.
Yadav went on to say: “Late Ram Vilas Paswan Ji was a socialist and a firm believer in the idea of social justice throughout his life. He fought caste supremacy, poverty and inequality during his political journey…The real tribute to him would be carrying forward his values and legacy and that is possible only when Chirag ji joins this existential fight against Golwalkar’s ‘bunch of thoughts.’”
While talking about the Chirag holding the JD(U) responsible for the turmoil in the LJP, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly said: “Those who worked to split the party (LJP) way back in 2005 and 2010 have in a sinister manner planned this as well. Nitish ji has a track record of living on borrowed mandate and has always played his game with support of borrowed players.”
