Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Paras have got new party names and symbols months after they parted ways. The Election Commission's move today comes days after their feud led to a freeze on the Lok Janshakti Party's name and symbol (a bungalow).
Ahead of the by polls in Bihar for two seats - Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur seats on October 30 - the Election Commission had responded to competing claims by the two sides with the move against the LJP, founded in 2000 by former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Chirag Paswan's father.
While Chirag Paswan, 38, has got the party name he requested - Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and 'helicopter' as the symbol, Pasupati Paras been allotted the party name - Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party - and his party symbol is a 'sewing machine', the Election Commission said in separate statements.
Both the leaders were asked to give separate names and symbols for the by polls by 1 pm Monday.
"I welcome the Election Commission's decision. I have been allotted the name Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and the 'Sewing Machine' symbol," Pashupati Kumar Paras said.
Months after his elder brother Ram Vilas Paswan's death in October 2020, Pashupati Paras, a first-time MP and six-term MLA, orchestrated a coup in June against his nephew as the differences between them peaked. Even though Chirag Paswan refused to accept him as his leader, Mr Paras managed to garner enough support.
Weeks later, when he was sworn in as a Union Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expanded cabinet, he said he was ready to fight his nephew in any court.
"My elder brother, the late Ram Vilas Paswan is my god. I'll handle both the organisation and the ministry, I am the national Chairperson of the LJP," Mr Paras had said, thanking the Prime Minister for including him in his team.
"I'm ready to fight Chirag in every way -- in the people's court, the country's court, and in god's court. He had finished off democracy in the party. That's why the five of us MPs separated."
