NEW DELHI: With the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) finding it difficult to accommodate its demands, Pashupati Paras’ Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) has been given a “take it or leave it” offer, with a section of the party even suggesting that Paras should merge his party with the RJD.
With the RLJP insistent on its demands for six seats, including the Alauli seat which Paras has represented six times in the past the RJD has offered the party the option to either merge with the RJD or have two to three candidates fight on the RJD symbol.
The Alauli seat of Khagaria district has especially become the elephant in the room, with Paras insisting that his son be given a ticket from the seat. However, the seat is currently being represented by RJD’s Ramvriksh Sada.
Paras had represented this seat between 1977 and 1980, then went on to get elected from it five times consecutively between 1985 and 2005.
What has intensified the tussle over the seat is that RJD’s Sada, who belongs to the Musahar caste, is the sole RJD MLA from that caste, which is why the RJD doesn’t want to part with the seat.
RJD insiders say that Paras has been given an offer to either merge his party with the RJD since it is a “like-minded party” or have its representatives fight on the RJD symbol.
“It is natural that since they are a like-minded party, a merger will benefit both the parties. Rather than fighting separately, it is better to fight together. If one is fighting independently, it is a different matter, but when in a coalition, one has to keep the benefit of everyone in mind,” RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav told TSG.
However, for the RLJP, a merger is a strict no-no, and it has already threatened to field its candidates on all seats where Paras’ nephew Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party–Ram Vilas (LJP–RV) fields its candidates.
Not invited to seat-sharing talks, dissatisfied: RLJP
Speaking to TSG, RLJP’s Chandan Kumar, ex-MP from Nawada, said that the merger offer is a rumour and admitted that the party is “dissatisfied” with the RJD’s approach.
“We are currently siding with the Mahagathbandhan, and talks are on about seat sharing. If we get a respectable number of seats, we will fight with the Mahagathbandhan. Otherwise, we are prepared to fight on our own on all seats,” he said.
“The merger bit is a rumour. This is absolutely not possible. It is a party of Ram Vilas ji. If we had to merge our party, we could have done it on previous occasions, but we didn’t. We have the Dalit Sena’s support too, and a merger can never happen,” he said.
Stating that the RLJP was not invited to any of the meetings held to discuss the seat-sharing arrangement, Paras said that while they are still with the MGB, it has “caused dissatisfaction” among party members.
A senior RJD leader said that Paras had been demanding six seats, but the RJD can only offer two to three seats and would want their candidates to fight on the RJD symbol on some of them.
“The RLJP and LJP–RV are both parties which follow dynastic politics and want their own people to fight from certain seats,” the leader said.
Asked about the merger offer to the RLJP, RJD national spokesperson Nawal Kishor told TSG that talks are on and a decision would be made by Sunday.
“Seat distribution doesn’t happen merely for seat distribution. It is about winning those seats too. It is the duty of the person fighting the election to ensure that he or she has the votebase to support his/her demand for a certain number of seats,” he said.
With little options in hand and the NDA doors shut, it’s a “take it or leave it” offer for Paras.
While the Mahagathbandhan has the RJD, Congress, VIP, CPI-ML, CPI, CPM, and the JMM, the Pashupati Paras-led RLJP would be the eighth party to formally enter the alliance if the seat-sharing arrangement is sealed.
