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Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan has decided join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the saffron party president said on Monday.
“Chirag Paswan has decided to join NDA. We welcome him to the family,” JP Nadda said.
The development comes few days after Union Minister Nityanand Rai held a meeting with Paswan twice last week and also handed-over a letter from BJP President J.P. Nadda, inviting the young leader to participate in the NDA meeting.
In recognising the regional party as a significant member of the NDA and an important partner in the government’s endeavors for the progress and well-being of the underprivileged, Nadda emphasised its value.
The BJP’s efforts to engage with Paswan, the son of the late renowned Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan, highlight their determination to reintegrate him into the NDA after his departure from the alliance during the 2020 Bihar state assembly elections, where he campaigned against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was then the BJP’s primary ally.
Despite facing internal division within the LJP led by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, who is now a Union minister, Chirag Paswan has managed to retain the party’s loyal voter base. This highlights his significance to the BJP, particularly in a state where the BJP faces a formidable coalition consisting of the RJD, JD(U), Congress, and the Left.
Chirag Paswan has also consistently supported the BJP on crucial matters.
The NDA meeting is anticipated to be attended by several new BJP allies, including the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the NCP faction headed by Ajit Pawar, as well as various smaller parties from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and regional parties from northeastern states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be in attendance as well.
