WANT CHIRAG, TEJASHWI TO COME TOGETHER: LALU

NEW DELHI: Amid the power tussle in Lok Janshankti Party (LJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said he wants LJP MP Chirag Paswan and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to come together to form an alliance.

“Whatever happened in LJP, Chirag Paswan continues to be the leader of LJP. Yes, I want Chirag Paswan and Tejashwi Yadav to come together,” Lalu Prasad Yadav told mediapersons in Delhi. Asked about his Delhi visit, the RJD chief said, “I had come to enquire about Sharad Pawar’s health. He has been unwell. Parliament is deserted without him. Three of us – Sharad bhai, Mulayam Singh and I have fought for so many issues… My yesterday’s meeting with Mulayam Singh Yadav was a courtesy visit.”

Regarding ‘Pegasus Project’ media report, the RJD chief said, “Yes, a thorough probe should be done. Names of those involved should be published.”

Last month, RJD national general secretary Shyam Rajak met Lok Janshankti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan at the latter’s residence in New Delhi. Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav had called Chirag for joining hands with the Opposition.

Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, the younger brother of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan along with five other MPs, had met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and handed over a letter to him seeking removal of Chirag Paswan as party chief and as the Lok Sabha Parliamentary party leader.

Birla had accepted Paras as the floor leader of the LJP in the Lower House. In a revised list of floor leaders of parties, Paras was listed as the Lok Sabha LJP leader.

Later, Chirag too wrote to Birla stating that the decision of announcing Pashupati as leader of LJP in the Lower House was contrary to the provisions of the party’s Constitution. After the rebel faction of the LJP elected unopposed Paras as the new party president, Chirag Paswan had said the election was “illegal” as it was conducted by members of the LJP who were suspended from the party. ANI